Omaha daily bee., 1910-03-08
Council Bluffs
General Dodge
Pays Tribute to
Walter |. Smith
In Address to Pottawsttamie Club He
Enlarges on Ability of Congress
sional Candidate.

The following speech was delivered at the
recent organization OF the Walter I. Smith
Stub at Council Bluffs, by General G.. M.
Dodge;
Mr.. President Of the waiter I. Smith club,
and fellow citizens!
1t may surprises you when I state that
this Is the first time In my life that l have
appeared before an assemblage like this to
make a political speech, but It is a great
pleasure to be present here with you to aid
In organizing this club and paying our
tribute TO Walter 1. Smith, our distin-
guished citizen and more distinguished rep
r~esentative Of our state in congress.
Any person seeking the office OF congress-
man from Iowa has before him a task and
a problem. He will find this position hard
to fill, for Iowa in the congress Of the
United States occupies a position held by
no other state, as a leader in legislation
and In the counsels Of our nation. 1t took
this stand in the civil war when our repre-
sentntiVes and senators came Immediately
to the front as leaders in the house and
senate and not only there, but in the field,
In the civil war, through the action Of our
Governor Kirkwood In the policy he pur-
sued OF leaving to each military organiza-
ton in the field from Iowa to fill all the
vacancies that occurred In battle or by dis
ease, by promotion OF the members OF
their organization In the field. For this act,
no ono can estimate the value and aid It
was to our commanders, Generals Grant
and Sherman; and other officers often
spoke to me in praise of the action Of our
state. Many states sometimes filled such
vacancies by sending to the front citizens
that had seen no service, ignoring the brave
men who had shown their fitness in battle,
thus creating great dissatisfaction in the
regiments,
lows in congress from the beginning un-
til the present time has held such promi-
nent position In the house and senate that
It has of necessity taken an active part
In ell legislation; has been consulted in all
questions Of party policy and to a great
extent In later years has been the active
IeAnnr Of nr1pb 1Nnfe1n NNnp M, 1oaa.,.
from our state have also been always con-
suited by the president, republican and
democrat. They have had the confidence of
both sides of each house, and to hold such
a position so many years has required men
or great ability, of excellent Judgment and
OF national standing. Perhaps no person
has had a better opportunity to Judge of
this man than l have. for II has been my
duty in connection with the great develop
ment Of our country to have been %continu-
ously before congress to obtain the neces-
sary laws to carry forward these great
works, and in all this time all l had to do
was to so before our delegation and pre-
sent our plans and when they met their APP
proval they went forward and obtained the
legislation. II they did not approve. we
never antagonlzed them; we dropped the
matter. The delegation has worked all
these years almost continuously as q unit,
not only In legislation, but In all party
matters, and 1t was this harmony that
brought them to such high position in the
nation. Walter I. Smith has been one OF
these factors; his standing In the house
and in all the administrations could not be
better; he is looked upon as one OF the
ablest and most safe men in congress, and
during his time he has saved millions to
the nation, inaugurated and passed bills
that have been national in their character
ana OF great benefit. He has advocated ali
the great party's measures inaugurated
py PRESIDENT Roosevelt and now being car
rled out by President Taft.
A leading eastern journal in, speaking
OF him as speaker Of the house for the
next congress says: sI5Fl''
Mr.. Smith is one-of the readiest de-
SateTs IN the housei q ftend, for facts and
uwSSIGnntgTs snq mas a enEue as sharp as a
character his good nature is one OF the
pTedominaunB features of. his makeup"
1t Is beyond me how Iowa today can
80 back on this record and have divisions
on questions that so far as I can see
W a'e all In favor of, and my hope is
that we VIII line up in the coming conflict
advocated by Roosevelt and being so 10y
ally carried out by Taft. When you con-
slider that this country is 1900 miles long,
north and south, wifi two great seas
washing its borders, with almost every
state having different local interests, you
must see how impossible 1t is for govern
nent to meet the wishes OF all. we must
go forward as we have been doing in the
past, adapting ourselves as nearly as pos
stble to the great principles OF the party and
always lining up In solid front against the
common enemy. There never has been in
the presidential chair so strong an ad-
volt and who made greater efforts to
hold his party together and have its sun
port He had no use for a republican
who was not willing to lay down his in
divldual views on party measures and vote
with his party. He said he often had to
change his views on many measures that
II he could do this the republicans who
had no such responsibilities as he had
could afford to do as much.
he always said that a president to he
successful must have his party behind him,
He believed the only way the party could
be successful In carrying out its measures
was to line up in all party battles and
meet the common enemy with a solid
front under the command of its general;
that to get out as q guerilla on some per-
sonal reasons one only injured his party
and helped the enemy; that a party must
be organized and led as an army. IT was
q w~ell-known fact that he had no conf
denoe in a republican who proposed to
Tight outside OF the party line after the
party, through its proper sources had
adopted its party measures and when Presl-
dent Roosevelt returns to this country.
you will find him lining up with Presi-
dent Taft, carrying to a successful end,
the party principles he Is now advocating
We must stand for these principles and
stand by our president and congress n
we want to continue the republican party
in power and maintain our future develop
ment and prosperity.
There has been a wave of criticism over
this country against President Taft and
his administration that 1t is hard to ac-
count for. 1t is certainly unreasonable and
uncalled for and has been worked i'm
through undetermined means and selfish
interests, but President Taft has shown
himself able to meet It; he Is Carrying out
the principles adopted by the party In its
conventions and in congress. No misrepre-
sentation or abuse has changed him and
he is on the road TO success and as the
years go by, he will prove as President
Roosevelt predicted, one Of our ablest and
most progressive presidents our country
has ever elected. This club should get
behind him and go forward to battle for
OF President TRft's administration and for
this I am with you, heart and hand.
Fatal Hunting Accident.