Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-04-05
WHO KILLED COCK RpBlN?

work. AS regards its personnel and IN
teligence and desire to accomplish
something real the present legislature
was full OF promise which has not
been fulfilled. And the apparent reason
that little has been done and much
seems TO be the system of peanut pol
itics which has been worked by Ger
tain leaders and smiled on by Gov
ernor Carroll in the endeavor to con-
vince the state that the men who have
been active in the administration of
state affairs and in bringing about
the reforms that have been accom-
plished of late years ought to be
booted out to make room for a hum
CRY outfit that opposed everything
that the people of the state have APP
proved and ratified There has been
studied system of attack and largely
of vilification which whispers Of two
purposes: a general house cleaning Of
all progressive republicans out of the
state house for the benefit of the old
gang and a contemplated attack on
the two cent fare as soon as the legis-
lature has adjourned. In order to as
sist this program it was necessary to
spread suspicion and the railroad rep
resentatives in the assembly got busy.
Look over the plan of campaign as it
has developed:
The attack on the board of con-
troll
Denunciation of the prison manage
ment.
Accusations against the hospitals.
The war on the pharmacy COM
mission
Effort TO cripple the medical board.
Falsehoods about the attorney gem
eral.
Bills to legislate men out of office.
Bills to permit removal of commits
sioners.
Committees 10 investigate.
Legislation for probe commissions.
Scandal hunting and petty BULLDOG
ing of underlings.
General denunciation of the things
that are and praise OF the things that
are not
The purpose of all the hullabaloo is
plain enough 1t was intended as a
peg upon which to hang coming cam
paigns of officials who aspire to fur
Their office, get rid Of the appointees
of the previous administration, and
cast discredit upon all that has been
done SO the campaign commenced
with advertising Iowa as a ruined and
bankrupt state and has continued by
strained and inexcusable attempt
to restore 10 power the political forces
that went to the wall half dozen
years ago,
However the charges that Iowa was
bankrupt, that its insane hospitals
were hotbeds of savageery, that its
state prisons were being turned into
hotels and the convicts into gentlemen
of leisure. that the board of conro
was crooked as a dogs hind leg. etc
etc, went TO pieces because not a peg
could be found upon which to hang
them. The suggestion of a genera
scandal probe came into the senate
but the senators would not have it
Then it Went into the house and a
least two or three committees were
commissioned to look for something
rotten, il it could be found, and to dis
close TO the gaze of the public any
thing that might be twisted into al
indication of innperfection in stat
management, and they failed despit
every assistance.
This was a willing and capable legis
lature 1t is a pity it has been diverted
from its possibilities and baked of it
purposes by the systematized plan re
ferred to- The peanut brigade wa
well organized and fully Differed. Th
rest Of the legislature lacked real lead
ership. Time has been lost but other
wise little harm has been DONE TIL
pettiness Of cheap politicians, an
holds as heretofore the same stron
and unassailable sentiment in favor G
standing loyalty by Iowa, and the pro
gram of ruin and destruction will not b
permitted to go far. But it is a tim
when those who still have faith j
Iowa should assert themselves. 1t is
good time to stand by the state an
defend 1t from assault and misrepre
eentation. ut is good time to say t
despoilers that it is not worth while 4
besmirch whole state just that fe-
hungry office hunters may get jobs, {
to pave the way for selling the highes
offices at the disposal of the state.
Iowa Is not bankrupt Iowa is M