The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-06-02
AS TO Nh. CLARK

AC SlidlttOhA
the most outspoken progressive paper
in Iowa, properly takes the Des Moines
Register and Leader to task for seek
ing to injure George w Clarke as a
candidate for governor with the pro-
gressives of the state because The
Gate City printed his name in its list
of preferred candidates. The T.-R.. 4
than which there is no better author
ity, assures progressives that they
need not be alarmed, and adds that
had the progressive forces in this
state wobbled every time the Register
and Leader has wobbled and had they
reversed their course every time the
Register and Leader has shifted its
compass there would be nothing left
Of the progressives in this state but a
merry go-round. +" The facts in the case
as to Mr.. Clarke and The Gate CITY
are thus briefly and correctly stated
by the Marshalltown paper:
AS to the first charge that Clarke
Is not good progressive because he
has succeeded in securing the support
OF certain standpat newspapers let 1t be
understood that for many months
Clarke seemed to be the only candi-
date in the field. For time he seem
ed to be having the field all to him
self and much talk was INDUCED as to
the end OF factionalism 1t was dur
ing this time that certain newspapers
like The Gate City at keokuk and the
Republican at Cedar Rapids endorsed
Clarke as fair man and broad Re-
publican. Afterwards Governor Car
roll brought Proudfoot out and the
Register and Leader coterie brought
out Holden. but self respect COM
manded The Gate City and the Repub-
lican to steer straight ahead 1t would
have been the summersault OF buff
foon to have changed about and then
those who are standpatters constitu-
tionally are not moved by every little
wind y
The Mysteries INDUCED in by the
Register and Leader were for the pur-
pose Of aiding the Holden candidacy,
Matched out under the protecting
wing of the R and L. Among other
things charged by the r. and l.. is
that Mr.. Clarke Is favorable to the
liquor interests. AS to this and the
Holden candidacy in general the
Times-Republican says:
George Clarke has long been an ac-
tive church member in his home town
of Abel. He has been in the legislature
for many years and his record there
was sufficient 10 please progressives
and temperance people Now that he
is running for governor he should be
judged for the future by his record in
the past. Holden, for whom these
charges against Clarke are being
worked is an unknown quantity politi-
cally. Nobody ever say him in state
convention. legislature or a county
caucus Nobody knows today whether
ne is standpatter, progressive. an
anti-saloon man or liberal. He has
been seed corn scientist, college
professor and it would not be surpris-
ing IL he held himself so far aloof
Tom politics as TO be unable to distin-
znirh for himself the difference be-
tween standpatters and progressives
in Iowa. T.. match him alongside a
man whose personal capacity has ele-
waited him unanimously to the speaker
ship OF one house and to the presi-
dency OF the senate is ridiculous. It's
joke. But TO inspire false charges
against Clarke from the house of sup
posed progressives is unfair personal
politics Ex-senator Peterson OF CIar-
ion, arch-progressive and author OF
the Peterson law again watering CAPT
tai stock. says that the Register and
Leader la piqued against Clarke and
other progressive leaders because its
editor was not selected in the place Of
Kenyon TO succeed Doliiver. This may
be the suspicion in legislative circles.
but ii is more likely that the Register
and Leaders, appointment Of certain
senate committees for Mr. Clarke
were set aside either by Clarke him
self or By the leaders OF the senate