Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-04-30
BLYTHE As A DICTATOR
Manner in Which Burlington
Nam Dictated Nominees and
Legislation Confessed
A BAck-RooM CONFERENCE
Attorney Smith Brookhart Delivers
Sensational Address in Which He
Tells of Blythe's Claim Of Power
Dictated to Senators, Congressman
and Governors.
Special to Times-Republican.

| Special to Times-Republican.
Burlington, April 30.-Smith Brook
hart, a young lawyer from Washington
| Iowa, delivered a most startling adj
dress in this city before a Cummtns
club Tuesday evening. He told of a
back room conference he had held with
Mr.. Blythe in which Blythe had proved
to him by letters from Allison that
the federal patronage for Iowa was
submitted to him, Mr.. Blythe for APP
prevail.
In part he said:
at gives me the keenest pleasure
to meet with the progressive republic
cans of Burlington. To find an or
ganization like this in the very citi-
i.del of corporation power furnishes at
once all of the elements of surprise,
pleasure and inspiration. l find you
in arms and in the barracks of the
political king of the reservation and
he is unable to expel or suppress you.
Your courage and your achievements
are known in every county of this
great state and have the plaudits OF
every republican who believes in gov
eminent for the people and business
for the corporations.
Il know full well the hardships
you have encountered and under
stand perfectly the cunning, treach-
cry and duress that has threatened
you at every step. I too live in the
reservation and in this first district
of the reservation where for many
long years no man has dared think
of politics except as prescribed by the
c., B. & @. formula. That it is a
disgrace upon any body of American
people to tolerate such situation
must be conceded and 1 am ready
to bear my full share of that dis
grace.
When issues forced the governor
into the fight for his third term
went out to see what could be done
in the First district. When met a
man who was favorable and asked
him about it in a full tone of voice,
he invariably looked frightened.
Then he would lead me away up a
back alley to some place out of sight,
then he would look all around, then
put his hand to his ear and listen
east, west, north and south, and IT
no sound approached he would come
up close and whisper in my ear: I
am for Cummins but l don't dare let
any one know it, I often found his
;rL1 IN, 1o co eta ia
of mind and they didn't dare let each
other know it.
The Back Room Revelation.
You know something of the great
financial trust in the United States
that is formed to dominate govern
ment, national, state and local. You
know today that hundred men in
private business are more powerful
than many millions of the common
people You also know this trust is
non partisan. 1t cares nothing about
the political faith of a public officer
except that he be obedient to its COM
mands. 1t hires great lawyers to
lead both parties and owns newspa-
pers everywhere to corrupt and de-
sbauch public sentiment in both par
tlGS. LII SRSIy SIdIC II lieao ASo S1p-
tains and lieutenants who round up
the local politicians with promises of
political preferment and in days just
past with free transportation.
"In Iowa the leader of this corpor-
alton machine for many years has
been j. w. Blythe Of your own city.
He is able, smooth, cunning, and abb
.solutely ruthless in welding the pow
err of his masters. He cares nothing
for political principles and owes no
allegiance to anybody except the
great corporation that pays his sal
ary He openly rules republicanis1n
and secretly dictates democracy. He
personally controls the republican
Hawkeye and thru another officer
Of his railroad he entirely dominates
the democratic Gazette. When
republican convention fails to record
dates he easily controls the demo-
cratic nominee and rarely fails to
elect him. His loyalty is all to his
machine and his greatest genius is
shown in building up that machine.
His power to reach out and grasp
men and tie them to his chariot
wheels has never been surpassed in
this state.
Personal Experience With Blythe.
81 remember quite wildly my own
personal experience when called
upon the carpet. It was about five
years ago. had Just begun to take
a little interest in political matters
outside my own county. Senator
Young, Of my county had been do
ing his own thinking on public mat
tiers and was inclined to follow his
independent lead. So 1t Just hap
pened one day that a letter came
from a boyhood friend Of mine in
another county. 1t contained
round trip ticket from Washington
to Burlington and an invitation to
meet him in Burlington. He had
been Cummins man and at that
time ! knew nothing Of his change
~FTrA y your ston,