Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-05-29

4 Who is Copeland?
4 When the news went abroad tn
other day that w. W.. Copeland o
Burlington was to be Slaughtered" be
:; cause he presumed to be candidate
for the innocuous position of republi
can presidential elector without tn
sanction OF great boss and his polit
ical machine, Iowa began asking, "Wht
is Copeland Z"
Once upon a time, on the day fol
lowing the election of democratic
! president, spirited young republican
postmaster who had been in the thicl
Of the political fight in Pennsylvania
sent to Washington telegram of res
! ignation that became famous the coun.
! try over.
! please accept my resignation a
i once" wired this young official
prompted by an intense party loyalty
| that would not allow him to wait unit
! he was asked to quit by a democrat
Then he added, ITO the victors belong
the spoils."
The telegram was so unique, res
ignation without request was so nearly
unheard OF, and the spirit of the young
man so extraordinary, that the Incl
dent was told in the newspapers from
east to west and from north to south
That young man was Copeland.
Once upon a time a young man with
plenty Of enthusiasm and energy. but
not much money, found his way into
ut Ia did nDt
wait for opportunity--he sought 1t out.
He did the first thing at hand to get
into business for himself. and set up a
fish market. He worked day and
night, he dealt honestly with all men,
he made a place for himself and kept
it. Very soon he was too big for a
fish business and he left 1t for large
commercial field. He kept on working
day and night, he kept on dealing hon
estly with all men, and he made an
even larger place for himself and kept
it, Today he is one of the wealthy,
successful large jobbers and manufac-
turers of Iowa with large interests in
half a dozen different directions.
That man is Copeland.
Once upon a time spirited, inde-
pendent man became tired of the brass
collar of a political bossism that dom
mated for selfish ends not only his
own city, county and district, but a
whole state. He believed in free OPP
portunity, in popular control OF par
ties, and in liberty. He appealed to
his neighbors and his business asso-
ciates who were likewise tired OF the
yoke of oppression and asked them to
stand with him in a fight for popular
rights. But they were not ready,
Men had been crushed, not merely in
notifies, but in business also because
they dared to antagonize the Great
Boss" and not many cared to risk his
displeasure But this one Independent
man came out alone and challenged the
aGreat Boss to battle. He pitted
his indomitable courage and his linn
tied means against an equal courage,
coupled with resourcefulness that had
never been known to fall, and wealth
and Influence that were untold. His
friends thought he would be swept
a.way like so much straw by the forces
sent against him. But he wasn't. Ihat
was three or four years ago. This man
is still fighting, not alone now, for his
courage rallied many other Independent
men to his standard. He suffered de-
feat many times, but each time he
merely made ready for new battle;
each time he merely gained new
strength, until now he seems likely to
end the domination Of the Great
Boss" in his home city and to estab-
lish new era Of liberty and freedom
of political action there.
That man is Copeland-the man who
is to be Slaughtered"
Copeland seeks no public office He
is merely candidate for purely hon
orary position-a presidential elector-
ship-and that solely at the solicitation
Of friends and admirers over the state.
1T Is not known that ever before in
the history of the republican party in
Iowa a fight was made against a. man
who aspired to this humble honor. The
party has always been only too anx-
ious to find enough men who wanted
it. And there was fear this year that
the official ballot would not be filled
out But when it was published that
W. w copeland OF Burlington would
be a candidate for an electorship. the
situation was changed and Immediately
the representatives OF the Great Boss"
became busy called a conference of
men from over the state and Instituted
fight agains. him.
He has dared to get in the way of
the Great Boss" and he was to be
eliminated.
1t is impossible to know w. W. Cope
land fully without understanding
something about the city in which he
lives and the conditions that exist
there.
Burlington Is famous for many