Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1910-06-02
Walter l. Smith M. c.


an issue of vital importance. to every
voter of the Ninth district, since it
brings the battle against Cannonism
home to the people whom Cannonism
has wronged.
The republican party seems unques-
tionably to have fallen under the con-
troll of Organized Wealth." 1t is APP
parently ruled by men who are cham
pions and defenders of the Trusts and
of Special Privilege, notably by Can
non in the House, and by Aldrich in
the Senate. Every republican is either
convinced or suspicious that this is true
his party, and that a crisis is near.
Walter |. Smith has been an INTI-
NATE coworker with Cannon in
Washington. He has long served on
the Committee on Rules, of which
Cannon was the head, he having been
one of the men singled out by Mr.. Can
non for this position. Thus he is Joint
ly responsible with Mr.. Cannon FOR
THE VERY RULES which have enabled
the latter to serve the Trusts so effec-
lively, in their career of legalized graft
and robbery of the American public.
Mr.. Smith has fought for Mr.. Cannon
and against the Insurgents as valiantly
as he knew how. He has voted and
fought TO CONTINUE Cannon's vicious
rule. The Journal once referred to him
as cog in Mr.. Cannon's machine, but
it evidently erred. He is whole
wheel. There are few regulars in
Congress more regular than he, or more
closely allied with Mr.. Cannon. The
Saturday Evening Post puts it thus:
Representative Smith is held pecu-
liarly to represent Cannon and all he
stands for, because of his position on
the Committee on Rules" This is the
conclusive of the whole matter, and it
should be thoroughly understood.
Now, MIR. Smith is candidate for
denomination. He does not apologize
to the voters for his stand in Washing
ton but endeavors to explain it instead.
According to the Atlantic Daily News,
he voted for Cannon for speaker because
he had attended the party caucus,
which IMPLIED pledge that he would
abide by the result; also he voted to
continue Cannon's despotic sway be
cause the democrats and insurgents
were trying to bring it to an end, etc.,
etc. Doubtless some explanation just
as unsound would be given for his eve
ry act in support of Cannon. He,
himself, pleads the interests Of the re-
publican party. Inthe announcement
i of his present candidacy, he says:
II hope again to see one unified ma
tional republican party and believe
there should be no separation of the
republican party of Iowa from the re-
publican party of the nation"
This means, of course that he regards
tie interests of the party as tantamount;
that he will NOT join himself with the
insurgents; and that he WILL CoNTIN-
UE to serve predatory Wealth" and
its machine, in order TO KEEP THE
PARTY UNITED.
To the average citizen this is unsat-
isfactory. 1t means that politics and
political interests OUTWEIGH THE PUB
Lie VEAL in Mr. Smiths mind, and
that the welfare of the people is LOST
4 10 sIGHTin the political game of Wash
\ ington; or else it means that he serves
Cannon and "Organized Wealth. as a
matter of principle. This looks bad, of
course. Still it fits to nicely with
4 the reasons above given by the News
for Mr.. Smiths votes. They are pure
ly political, and rather small reasons at
that.
/ And SO every republican in the dis
trict must choose, it seems, in this con-
test, between righteous principles and
most vicious politics. Every interest
we have as nation demands that the
power of Organized Wealth" BE BRO.
KEN and the government administered
in the interests of the whole people.
But the party's interests demand that
"Organized Wealth" BE LEFT UNDIs.
TURBEd in charge of our national af
fairs. Loyalty to the party" would
make every republican a tool of "The
Interests" and of Especial Privilege
on June 18th. And if it is strong enough
it will send back to Washington the
man who has already fought valiantly
there for THINGS THAT HIS CoNsTITU-
ENTs ABHoR,-the man who lis hello
peculiarly to represent Cannon and all
he stands for.n
The present political situation may
be summed up as follows:
The Insurgents believe that the Re
publican party should be PURIFIED
and to this end they have fought Can
nonism.
The ''regular" republicans believ'
that the party should REMAIN COR
RUpT: and they have consistently ant
humbly served Cannon and ''The In