The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-07-08


nominations four years from now will
be made by . different method, I'm
doubtedly The convention system
has been in the main. adequate, but
some evils have always inhered in It.
Those evils were magnified this year, |
because there was q man with po-
tent voice among the defeated. Four
years ago the same things existed, |
differing, perhaps, somewhat in de-
gree only, and Taft was engineered
in by Colonel Roosevelt over men like
Hughes, who were given no look-in in
the southern states.
The thing for the Republicans of
Iowa to do is to save their party,
weakened though it has been. 1t has
produced good results in Iowa The
party has clean lot Of nominees in
volved in the elections this year.
nominees who wsTe made in a popular
primary. In Senator Kenyon they
have candidate for the senate who
is worth saving. for he is man who
has future before him.
To start something on Wednes-
day may mean a great party disaster.
Things that have been done can not
be undone with impunity. To start
even mild fight on Taft will be the
signal for other fights neither side.
if We still have sides. can afford to
start any fires. whether back fires or
other fires There is dynamite lying
all around on the political ground and
If there is one explosion there may he
many.
OF course. no convention can bind
the consciences OF men. Those who
do not want to vote for Mr.. Taft can
scratch the head of the ticket and
vote for either Wilson or third man.
whether it is Debs or Roosevelt If
they want to protest anything. they
can do it without destroying the par
ty which has achieved so much in
Iowa
We have no quarrel with any Re
publican who wants to vote for Will
son II Republican wants TO take
his chances with Wilson and the tariff
for revenue for four years. that is his
right as an individual voter when he
stands in the ballot booth. He can
mark his own ticket.
And il there are enough of them
we will enter on another four years
experiment 1t may be the best thing
for the excited people for, undoubted-
iy. Wilson In office will be able to
: v~<x-< - %he <,wrsted y,eoy1a- $ha% :, !,
can not make taxes less or less GER
tain and that he can not by presi-
dental proclamation reduce the high
cost of living. about which We have
heard so much We have reached a
point of discomfort where come oracu-
lar demonstration, and actual. not
!. vicarious sacrifice. seems 10 be need
ed to quiet the people For ourselves,
re will have no fear OF the final yer
dict. But it may take four years.
4 In the meantime from cur way OF
thinking. We would better keep the
once grand old party in working con-
dition and We can SPEND the four
years of our eclipse in purifying the
organization, if we think it needs that
and in strengthening the faith The
country will again need the Republi-
can party. 1t needs it now. but we
! are rent with discussions. to the sor-
!. row of all good men and true patriots
!. But let us keep the form-the she'll
at least. and let US proceed to refill il
4 with good materials and good doc
trines Let not the coming state con
J vention break even the she'll We
think we have auarreis with each 9th
: er, but after we have tiled it all
! over. we may find that orr differences
are. after all. not SO great and not Sc
vital