The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1908-06-25
6. o. p. is IN RETREAT

ventlOn as follows:
"The republicans who attended the
national convention as spectators and
Joined in the demonstration in favor of
President Roosevelt and Senator La
Toilette must have felt indignant as
they watched the panic-stricken dele
gates running over each other in their
effort to get away from the La Toilette
reforms, some of which had been en-
dorsed by the president himself.
congressman Cooper, of Wisconsin,
representing the La Toilette men,
brought in minority report signed by
himself alone. Fifty-two members of the
committee signed the majority report
and one signed the minority report. The
republican party will find the ratio of
hfty-two to one very embarrassing one
to deal with in the coming campaign.
OPPOSED TO PUBLICITY.
"Mr. Cooper's report contained a
declaration in favor of publicity as to
campaign funds. 1t was lost by vote
OF $50 to 81, more than nine to one, and
yet the president has been advocating
legislation in favor of publicity as to
campaign contributions and Secretary
Taft wrote letter to Mr.. Burrows
advocating the passage of publicity
bill.
"How fortunate it was that Secretary
Taft's letter was finally discovered and
published. Senator Burrows, the man to
whom the Taft letter was addressed,
was the temporary chairman of the con-
vention, and the convention over which
he presided turned down the publicity
plank by a vote of 8 to 1. Who will
deny that, on this subject, the republi-
can party is retreat ting?
another plank of the La Toilette
platform authorized the ascertaining of
the value of the railroads. This plank
was lost by vote of OH to Sc, nearly
fifteen to one, and yet President Roose-
velt had advocated this very PROPOSE
ton. Here is retreat on the railroad
question.
RETREAT ON INJUNCTION.
"ln another column reference is made
to the Injunction plank. The Injunction
plank adoped by the republican conven-
sion is retreat from the position
taken by the President, and from the
position taken by Secretary Taft in his
speeches, although neither of them
went as far as they ought to have gone
IN their effort to prevent what is known
as government by Injunction Here is
the third retreat.
sThe president has advocated the in
como tax as means of preventing
swollen fortunes and of equalizing the
burdens of government. The republic
can platform is silent on the subject.
Was the president right in the position
he took? If so, then the convention
was wrong in not indorsing him. Will
ahe republican voters follow the presi-
dent in this just demand or will they
follow the republican organization in
retreating from it?
The president advocated an Inherit
ance tax, but the republican conven-
tion is silent on the subject. Was the
president ahead of the republican party
in advocating this reform, or has the
republican party receded from the
presidents position? Did the presi
dent give false alarm on this question
or has the party sounded retreat?
"ln the presidents message to con-
gress last spring he presented an indct-
nent against the conspiracy formed
among the great lawbreakers to pre-
vent the endorsements provided by law.
The platform adopted by the republican
convention contains no intimation of
danger. If there are any conspiracies,
the convention did not see them; if there
are any combinations, it had not heard
of them; if there are any dangers, they
are unconscious of them. Was the pres
ident mistaken when he issued his de-
fance, or are the republican managers
deceived when they think that an
aroused public will calmly contemplate
the encroachments of predatory wealth
This is retreat No. 6.
POPULAR ELECTION LOSES.
"The convention by vote of $3.50 to
1l4--more than seven to one-voted
down the plank in favor of the popular
election of United States senators. IL is
true that the president and Secretary
Taft have never advocated the popular
election of senators. They seem to take
the Hamiltonian rather than the Jeffer.
sonian view, but the most popular re
form in the United States today is the
reform that has for it's object the cleo
tion of United States senators by direct
vote. 1t has five times been Endorsed
by the national house of representa-
tives three times when the house o
representatives was republican. 1t ha!
been indorsed by nearly two-thirds o
1uo StdGeS OI inc Union, anu Uner0 II
probably not state in the Union il
which it would not be indorsed at
popular election, and yet in spite Of th'
record made in the houses and by tn.
various states this reform is rejected
by seven-to-one vote in republican
national convention.
"Here are seven propositions upol
which the republican party, in nationa
convention assembled, has retreatet
from the position taken by that part,
in congress or from the position takel
by the president. What have Roose
velt republicans to say? The presiden
has awakened spirit of reform within
his party, he has at least revealed t.
the world that there are reformers ii
the republican party. Can that spiri
now be quelled by standpat conven
tion? Millions of republicans have en-
listed at the presidents call to arm
and are ready to march forward; will
they furl their banners and turn bacl
merely because the president acquiesce
in the sounding of a retreat?'