Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1910-09-28
OPENS THE CAMPAIGN
Democratic Candidate for Governor
Speaks at Sioux City.
AVOIDS ALL STATE ISSUES
Freight Rate Making Under Con-
sideratiOn. Seed Corn Week
for Iowa Farmers.

Des Moines, Ia, Sept. 26-Al-
though every hotel in Sioux City
was taxed to its utmost capacity and
was sending would-be guests away
in scores, less than 400 men and
women gathered in the Woodbury.
county court house on Tuesday
night, Sept. goth, to hear Claude r.
Porter, the democratic nominee for
governor, explode the first bomb of
the campaign. The bomb" was so
muffled with a blanket discussion Of
national issues that its explosion
sounded more like the discharge Of
a cap pistol Mr.. Porter did not
touch on a single thing in which the
people of Iowa-the state which he
hopes to govern-are directly inter-
ested. His remarks were confined
almost solely to national issues, and
the fact that he did not commit
himself on any of the state issues
was a source of disappointment to
his Democratic followers, as well as
the Republicans who were waiting
for an expression.
Sioux City had been selected as
the place for opening the Democra-
tic speaking campaign because it
was realized that there would be
vic fhprP
every day for the Interstate Live
stock Fair. This, ii was expected,
would afford a good audience for
Porter, but when it was found that
even the small court room was not
filled, there was no attempt made
to shield disappointment.
The fact that Mr.. Porter did not
once refer, either directly or indi-
rectly, to his opponent Gov. B. F.
Carroll, occasioned some surprise.
1t vas expected Mr.. Porter would
make an open play for the support
of the faction of the Republican
party which opposed Carroll in the
same manner as he played for the
support of the opposite faction four
years ago when he was running for
governor against A. B. Cummihs.
During the day, however, Mr..
Porter said that he did not rely so
much on the mastering of Repub-
lican strength as he did in getting
out the Democratic vote. He hopes
that the stay-at-home vote of the
Republican party will be large.
Speaking of his defeat four years
ago, Mr.. Porter said: mo army
ever won a victory with the thought
in mind that they were going to
certain defeat. We had not the
hope, but / am not now speaking
as the candidate of a defeated
party"
81 am not here to speak i'll of the
Republican party" declared Mr..
Porter.> "The great bulk of the
Republican party desires the very
DeSL SONeTHHleHI lOl thiS Souh'iJ'
Nearly all of Mr. Porter's speech
was devoted to quoting prominent
men in the Republican party. He
said that if he quoted Democrats 1t
would not have the same effect. Mr..
Porter criticised the manner in
which the Republicans had handled
national affairs. Like the party on
such occasions, he offered no solu-
tions for the alleged wrong doings.
Mr.. Porter made no reference to
the liquor plank which was put in the
Democratic state platform after
long fight. He absolutely ignored
the issue. That the liquor plank is
proving an irritating one TO the
Democrats who regard the issue in
different light is becoming daily
apparent.
Freight rate making and UNI
making is a matter of intense inter-
est to Iowa people these days and
members of the Iowa Board of Rail-
way commissioners are kept bobbing
to watch all developments that may
now or in the future effect Iowa
rates. Members during the past
week have been to Topeka, Kansas
to attend the conference of twelve
states called there by Governor
Stubs relative to resistance to the
proposed increase in freight rates.
They also attended the hearing be-
fore Interstate Commerce Commls-
sioners in Chicago where the rail-
roads are introducing testimony to
show they are entitled to raise
rates. While the proposed rates
there could not affect Iowa rates If
adopted they might be used as a
basis for an increase in Iowa rates
so the Iowa commissioners are