Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-03-25
Outside Point of View

If some foreign statesman were to
visit Iowa just now, this for the pur-
pose of studying our political cond1-
ton. it would be almost hopeless task
to explain matters to him. Possibly he
could get some idea Of the words
"standpatter," and progressive" but
the situation in this state, Immediately
after the last republican convention,
would he to him uneXplainable. He
would notice that all the prominent
standpatters were occupying the places
of honor, but doing so on a progressive
platform. If he had previously read
the editorials and speeches of Messrs.
Perkins and Young, two OF the dele
gates-a at large. he would notice that
these men opposed to tariff revision
were supporting for presidential
candidate, one who stands squarely for
tariff revision and this, too, by an ex-
ira session Of congress, to be called for
that purpose. Stranger still, he would
find in the resolutions adopted by a
convention with standpatters in con-
troll, an exact plank on this subject,
which is all the progressives nave
asked for. To state it another way, he
world find the opponents of Governor
Cummins advocating Cumminism.
To us, the voters Of Iowa, it is no
riddle Illuminating as it must be to
the progressives. they not only have
to acknowledge that the standpatters
have stolen their thunder" but have
picked the political plums. The men
that should be marching on to Chi
~ Prr1p&
ing the tom toms, are to stay at home.
while their successful political enemies
ride in the band wagon and sit down
to the feasts. Worse than all, IL Mr..
Taft is elected as president Of the
United States, the Perkins, the
Youngs and the. Blythes can claim
their reward. When the appointive Of
fees are handed out, who shall say
they cannot claim them? Were they
not original Taft men? That they
waived their position on tariff revision,
that they now say the word stand
patter was a coined phrase Of the
enemy, that they adopted a resolution
calling loudly for tariff revision,
swearing they'd never consent, con-
scented" only is greater proof of their
magnanimity. 1t was all for harmony.
And now with the standpatters
standing for tariff revision, with the
progressives having put into law in
Iowa such things as rate regulation.
anti-pass law, statewide primary,
and many other things the people de-
manded and these standpatters fought
against, why should we not have state
t, =,
bal support of all of his policies. ALI
questions. At the primary on June End
why not make the vote for Cummins
unanimous?
One result of "the late unpleasant
ness" between the progressives and
standpatters is that from the banks of
the Mississippi to those of the Mis-
souri,, no progressive wants the word
harmony" mentioned in his presence.
The word harmony in politics has to
him the sound of treachery. The word
standpat in poker suggests what be-
ing "euchered" does in another game.
The progressives, with a larger army
of privates, lost battle because they
were outgeneraled. They found out
the armistice was only an agreement
for their opponents to occupy strate-
gic positions during the night. They
now realize that the old guard knows
some things Of politics they have yet
to learn. OF course they are full of
rage at this writing. They are loud
in telling what we will do at the pri-
maries in June. But, just the same, if
the Cummins men "stay in the corn
fields" the End of June, the Allison
men will give him an endorsement that
will make this last convention seem
like child's play.
a =.