Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-05-23

that one or the other of our senators
has not brough forward this vital
movement for the further enfran
chisement of the common people oil
the land. But, Notwithstanding the in
fuence of the one and the elouuenc &c
of the other, this resolution, this
movement to uplift the people and tc
clothe them with further and greater
power, has been permitted to die
time after time, in the senate of the
United States without a single hand
being raised in it's behalf. want to
know whether you are in favor of the
election Of United States senators by
direct vote? If you are it is high
time that you should, in some effec
tive way impel your representatives
in the senate of the United States to
| take the action that is necessary in
order to submit the amendment to
the states of the republic. Although it
| is not necessary for me to say so; al
though 1t may not be part of this
campaign, | say to you, now, that II
| | become senator in congress from
Iowa, will do whatsoever lies in my
power to secure submission to the
states Of an amendment, the end OF
which is to give the individual voter
the right to say directly who shall
represent him in the senate of the
United States
Intermediate Tribunal.
| know that in the olden day, in the
day in which our constitution was
| framed, there was fear upon the
part of our forefathers of the rank
and file of the people. They didn't
believe as is edited from the debates
of that day, in the intelligence of that
common man. They therefore provid-
ed for an intermediate tribunal to Sc
lect these high officers of the govern
ment. l am not here to impeach their
wisdom or to question their patriot
ism, but if that fear was ever we'll
| founded, the day has long since gone
by when any man has the right to
question the intelligence of the great
body of the citizenship of a republic
like the United States. Not only so,
but in these modern times we find it
| to be absolutely essential to draw
just as near to the common mind and
the common heart as we can. We find
| that the integrity Of our institutions,
the justice of our law, the honor of
our government, depends upon crys-
tallizing into our laws the composite
voice Of the great body of the people.
In Favor of Primary.
And therefore, l was in favor of a
primary election law. Not for this rea-
son alone. although this was one of
| the potent reasons which led me in
other campaigns to do what l could to
awaken a sentiment in the minds of
the Republicans and Demo- rats, also,
of this state, in favor of substituting
for the old caucus system the pri-
mary election law don't know wheth-
er Dolliver claimed that he did that
or not. can't recall. But if he did I
| have forgotten where and when he
spoke in it's behalf.
| The primary election law is the
nearest approach to this power that
we can reach until the constitution
be amended so that we may vote di-
rectly upon United States senators.
And on the second day of June. next,
you will have the right, the privilege
and high distinction, as view 1t, OF
going to the poll and there. in the sol.
itude and quietude of your booth
with nothing to disturb your judg
ment, except the tickings and
whisperings of your own con.
science, declare what the laws OF
this country ought to be and who
shall execute and administer them
and I congratulate you upon this near
| day of enfranchisement, this coming
day of emancipation from the manip.
ulation and the Vaccinations that
were incident to rule through the
caucus system.
Talks as Citizen.
Now, I want to say one word not
in my capacity as candidate for sena.
tor. | want to say one word as cit.
izen-I want you all to participate in
the primary election, want you to
vote. / hope, of course, that you will
all vote for me. But I don't suppose
you will. And l believe that I have
just enough interest in the primary
election law and it's, results, l have
just enough interest in the welfare of
my country to want you to go and
| vote, even though you vote against
me. This country will never reach an
hour of danger so long as it's citizen
ship is faithful to the high duties that
this law devolves upon them.
Differences of Opinion.
| have mentioned the primary cleo
ton for an other reason. Now, l have
heard as l have gone around this state
some complaining about differences
of opinion in the Republican party.
want to tell you how l feel about
that. don't deplore difference of
opinion among members of the Re.
publican party. Why, my dear friends
there never was a subject taken in
the pathway of progress if it didn't
come from difference of opinion
there never was measure discover
ed that didn't spring from difference
of opinion, there never was a reform
clothed in the form of law that didn't
flow from difference of opinion. The
Republican party has now conducted
the affairs of our mighty country for
nearly a half century. She has writ.
ten the most brilliant pages in our
history. The great achievements and
the mighty victories have been won
| by the progress, prowess and the
power Of the Republican party and
the Republican party has been great
and powerful simply because it's mem
bers think as God gives them the
light to think and they saw what