Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1910-05-11
ABOUT IOWA POLITICS
NOn-FactiOnal Political Letter From
Special Correspondent.
CANDIDATES. BEFORE PRIMARY
Interesting Review of Iowa Political
Situation, as Written by Cores
pOndent for Eastern News
papers.

Mr. J. S. Woodhouse is in Des
Moines representing a number of
Eastern newspapers and magazines,
as political correspondent. 1t is his
duty to review the Iowa political
situation fairly and squarely, with
out factional or party bias, in his ar
ticles for the various papers he
represents. Believing that we can
best receive in this manner fair,
in Iowa, we have engaged his SER
vices for a weekly letter, realizing
that our readers will want to keep
thoroughly posted on politics, direct
from the state capitol, this summer.
Editor.
Des Moines, Iowa May 10-Dur-
ing the past week matters political
ly have begun to crystalize and the
contests for nominations to be made
for the various offices at the coming
primaries, June 7th, are taking
shape. Naturally, chief interest
centers about the republican nomin-
alton for Governor. An active cam
paign is being made by both Warren
Garst, progressive leader, and Gov
ernor B. F. Carroll, whose renom-
ination is being urged. During this
week United States Senators Dolli-
yer and Cummins, will enter the
state for a speaking campaign in be-
half of Mr.. Garst, who they claim. is
the natural heir to the progressive
principles in Iowa state political
leadership. Inasmuch as progress
ives have been urging that defeat Of
order to squelch his ambitions to be
elected United States Senator, it is
assumed by many that the interest
manifested by Mr.. Dolliver, whose
term soon expires, is not altogether
an unselfish one.
Carroll followers reply to this ar
gument with the assurance that the
governors only ambition now is to
be good governor for the state and
that Delivers opposition is really
being groomed in the Progressive
ranks in the person of HI. w. Byers.
who, should he fail to defeat Con-
gressman Smith in the Ninth dis
trict for nomination in the lower
house, expects to be a candidate for
the senate before the next general
assembly. Progressives are claiming
strong gains of support for Garst.
On the other hand, friends of Gov.
Carroll are claiming they will have
the support in the primary of many
progressives who reject the propo-
sition to break political precedent
by denying a Republican Governor
a second term.
With this interesting condition
existing in the Republican ranks, the
Democratic primary promises to fur
nish an interesting outcome, because
of the strong candidacy of Edgar G.
Moon of Ottumwa, young lawyer
who attracted statewide attention
as State Senator during the last ses-
sion of the Iowa General Assembly
because Of the reform laws he Sc
cured and others for which he made
hard fight. Mr.. Moon introduced
and secured the passage of the pres
ent law which restricts city councils
in mulct communities to granting
saloon licenses to one for each one
thousand inhabitants. This law is
resulting in the elimination of many
saloons in Iowa. While this won
the favor Of prohibitionists, it is
claimed it was not distasteful to the
| liquor interests who were satisfied
to have the standard of the saloon
raised. He also introduced the
Oregon Primary Law" providing
election of the United States Sena-
tor by direct vote of the people re-
gardless Of political faith, which did
not become law. His opponents
are Mr.. Claude Porter of Center
vile and S. III. Bashor of Waterloo.
In the matter of republican NOM
ination for Congressman there Is
considerable interest In the First,
Seventh, Eight. Ninth and Tenth
districts, the only ones in which
there is contest. In the First,
Congressman Charles Kennedy seeks
denomination. He is opposed by
Smith Brookhart of Washington.
While the campaign there is being
waged on purely factional lines, Mr.
Brookhart has publically served no
tice on his progressive constituents
that he Is for the denomination Of
Carroll In the Seventh district G