The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-04-07
VICTIMS OF CIRCUMSTANCES


tentative excuse for the Republicans
OF Otumwa. in reply TO some asper
sions cast on them BIZ the Iowa City
Republican. To the effect thai they
had very foolishly shouldered the
Billy Sunday craze and sought to (
make city campaign out OF it, It
was suggested BY this paper that per
haps ottumwa Republicans were more
sinned against than SHINING. as were
Keokuk Republicans whose primaries
were captured by the so-called Sun
I ny-Side Club" In the same connec-
I ton, as an after-thought, Burlington
was included in the list of cities which
had been equally unfortunate. Cor
rection OF this error IS made by the
Burlington Hawk-Eye, which says
that the usual reform organization
was effected at the close of the Sun
day meetings there. but it did not end
in the capture of the Republican par
". The facts in the case are thus
stated:
1T (the reform organization waited
until after the Republican and Dem
ocratic conventions had met and NOM
!, mated city tickets. Il then refused 70
endorse either, although Mayor Caster
the Republican candidate. had been
? promised the backing of every man at
!. the big mems meeting the last Sunday
\ of the evangelist's revival on his guar
: antee that every saloon would be
closed on sunday, which was done
The civic federation. instead, proceed
ed TO hold a convention and nominate
a candidate for MAYOR in the person
of their president, Dr. j y. Patter-
4 son, a Democrat, on q platform giving
, forth decidedly socialistic tone.
The campaign was fierce one,
the federation fighting both old parties
:. with equal bitterness, and declaring
they would rather go down to defeat
e than give their aid to the Republican
candidate whom they acknowledged
i had given the cleanest city govern
% ment Burlington had had for Years
o. bu- whom they claimed had not gone
r far enough. AS a result the element
u in the city opposed 10 the violent at
titude OF the federation turned to the
Democratic candidate in shoals and
elected him by a tremendous majority
" giving the city a liberal wide oper
)e administration with Sunday saloons
le until the state stepped in and assisted
n the local reformers 10 enforce Sundal
b. closing. legal hours and other pro
10 visions under the nulct law
~ while the Republican party in Bur
lington was not carried away BY the
reform movement. it was the victim o.
IL The Two years administration O
lt Mayor Caster was the cleanest. abiesf
IN and most progressive Burlington ha;
Y had for q quarter OF century, an
II DR.. Caster would have been reelected
as by a large majority chiefly because o
the reforms in civic affairs and in II.
control Of vices which he had insti
tuted, had ii not been for the opposl
=. ton of the reform leaders. who Tough
q him because ne had not don
40 enough =
ne The average so-called "reformern +
on nothing If not impractical. He seem
ne to have no comprehension whateye
al. Of adoption OF means to ends. or if d
re has he is so consumed with fanatica
40 zeal that he takes no thought 81 can
he sequences. The farthest way aroun,
s. is 10 him the nearest way to the fre
nd Il primary mistake Is IN assumin:
III that people can be reformed en- mass
as BY Law He views conditions from tb
III standpoint OF what they should b
ad rather than from the standpoint Q
tn what they are and what It IS possihl
At to make them He is al enthusias
ng without Judgment.