Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1910-08-10

the senators and representatives
whom they send to congress and
they resent any attempt to exclude
any of them from the honors and
privileges which properly attach to
membership in the republican par
ty.
In the administration of state af-
fairs high degree of efficiency on
the part of Governor Carroll and of
all of his official associates justifies
the continued confidence of the peo-
pie in republican control. Our in
stitutions have been enlarged in
scope and improved in character
and usefulness, while the levy for
state support is being reduced. All
the republican candidates nominat-
ed have to their credit such excellent
public service and promise that we
call upon all republicans to rally to
their support and to see that every
man on the ticket is triumphantly
elected.
The republicans of the United
States long ago determined it was
essential in free country to pre-
serve substantial competition in
business, and therefore they propos-
ed, and through their influence was
enacted, the antitrust law, the sole
object of which was to forbid agree
ments and conspiracies in restraint
of trade. and to prevent monopoly
In production and commerce. The
~ <xf Co. xIvv
the strict enforcement of the law
but they believe it should be given
additional strength and scope in or
der to meet the devices of modern
industry. Competition must be re-
stored where it has been overcome
by unjust or unlawful combinations,
and it must be maintained where it
still exists. They are not opposed
to the mere magnitude of enter
prise, but they insist that there
shall be such competition as will
protect the people against the ex-
actions of the unrestrained avarice
and greed.
They congratulate the country
upon the success obtained in the
regulation of our common carriers,
but they feel that there is yet much
to be done to secure reasonable
rates and charges for the service
rendered, and to secure for each
community the relative rates and
charges to which it is entitled. 1t is
also manifest that much is yet to be
'done to insure to passengers and
employees that measure of safety
which the sanctity of human life
demands. All common carriers
should have fair compensation, but
not more. II is clear that to enable
tiOnal and state, to discharge the
duties imposed on them by law, a
valuation should be made of the
physical properties of railway COM
panies in order to secure an effec-
tive control of rates and complete
sysssm. of accounting.
They favor every policy which
will encourage habits of thrift and
saving among the people. but they
believe that the postal savings law
recently passed ought to be amend
ed in at least two respects: defin-
ite rule for the designation of post
offices as repositories should be es-
and the money gathered
at the postoffices in the various COM
munities in which they are establish
ed should be kept in the banks of
such communities until withdrawn
for the purpose of paying deposit
ors, or diverted by the ordinary laws
of trade and commerce.
They believe that the onserva-
tion of our natural resources is one
of the most important duties of the
government. The policy is best un-
derstood by reference to the often
repeated designations of Theodore
Roosevelt, and the republicans of
Iowa are in favor of the policy as
he has expounded it. and they insist
that it shall be carried out by public
officers in complete sympathy with
his views.
They regard with qualification
and pride the operation of the pri-
mary law in this state. 1t has
brought into actual participation in
the selection of candidates thousands
where before there were hundreds.
The law, in some respects, may be
properly amended, but such amend
ments ought to strengthen the law
and not weaken it. They ought to
enlarge the power of the individual
voter, and not diminish it. The
tendency of the times is to give the
voter more potential part in the
management of the affairs of the
country, and they are in hearty
sympathy with this tendency.
Under the operation of republican
laws in Iowa temperance sentiment
has been promoted, temperance
territory extended, and saloon infiu-
ence minimized. While republican
control Is continued no backward
step shall in any degree imperil the
moral welfare of the state.
They reiterate their demands. for
the election of senators of the Unit
ed States by direct vote, and until
the constitution of the United
States can be so amended they favor
such laws as will most nearly ap-
proach that end.
They believe that the present
basis Of representation in the repub-
lican national convention is unfair
and illogical. They insist that
there should be equality of infiu-
ence in the selection of candidates
for president and vice president,