Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-01-16

gan operation in Iowa political life.
different type Of man sat down at tn
desk of the chief executive of Iowa
shuffled the papers, sharpened his pen
Gil and began to do business as thu
agent and representative Of the com
mon people.
The new man in charge of the shil
of state possessed some qualification!
for leadership in that office worthy o
mention. He had . mind splendid,
trained and disciplined, he was a keel
a:i!yt!ca! lawyer he had had legis
lative experience. he was clean ant
high minded and had resolved upol
devoting himself TO marking an ad
vance in state affairs.
on the previous day-Jan. Is. 1902
the new man in charge had had occa
sion to make a few pertinent remark!
just after he had been sworn in by thu
chief justice. and among other thing!
he had spoken as follows OF reform:
and methods Of determinations:
1t is unfortunately as common
as it is unpatriotic to sheer at the
idea of reform and to deride the
reformer; but the sDeers and deri-
sion proceed either from corrupt
heart or an unthinking mind Re-
form and betterment in laws are as
essential 10 the advance of the re-
public IS is the growth of its in
dusrrial life. l therefore make no
apology for the belief that many of
the questions propounded to us by
the evolution of the time have not
been adequately answered On the
other hand, he who predicates his
demand for change upon the hy-
pothesis that what we have is
wholly bad and proposes TO over
throw rather than q gradual APP
proach toward higher efficiency in
government. is a superficial agi-
tator who dooms himself to defeat
By ignoring the fundamental law
Of mankind The true friend %
progress recognizes that what We
have is good. but perceives that we
may have better"
Il was in this notable address tina
the man whom Iowa people had newl!
selected 20 take charge of the bushes:
affairs Of Iowa awakened the people
TO some Of the immediate problems il
most starting manner. He discussed
Industrial combinations and the nee,
of maintaining competition as the law
of commerce, pointed out the immens'
evil OF watered stock and the need o
federal action. ard discussed corpora
tons as such ard some Of the prob
lens their existence forces. Continuins
he said:
Corporations have. and ought II
have. many privileges; but anon:
them is not the privilege to sit in po
Utica conventions or occupy seats il
legislative chambers. Corporations, q!
such. should be vigorously excluded il
every form from participation in po
.itical affairs
One phase of this proposed reform
vas referred TO with emphasis as al
illustration Of what was meant, a
follows:
The professional lobbyist. has.
l regret to say. become one of the
features Of legislative assemblies;
he has become stencil in the nos
trils of a decent community: and
he ought 10 be driven with the
lash OF scorn pursued by the PEN
alties Of the law from the pre-
ciacts Of every legislative body in
the republic"
The address delivered that day fel
harshly on the ears OF t"o classes o
persons-those who had been for year
advocating that the citizenship .
Iowa ought 10 concern itself who'll
with commercial and material affair
of the state and not at all with tn
larger problems Of good governmen,
and those who had been educated Z
believe that instead of government b,
the people it was best to have govern
ment by the corporations directed b.
the lobbyists and professional poll
ticians.
These two classes Of individuals
joined by some others, commenced the
and there a ten year fight to defeat
destroy and calumniate the new fore
in Iowa political affairs.
The Inauguration of a governor rf
new type just ten years ago was rathe
the elimination OF a fight than the he
ginning II was no mean struggle tina
had been necessary. covering a perio
Of four or five years, during whlc
! time many coura geous republicans. liz
! orally putting aside their political as
sociates Of a lifetime and defying tn
powers that were. fearlessly expose
the corruption and weakness and SUB
servicncy that prevailed everywhere.
AS to conditions which had prevail
and which directly brought about tn
organization OF Iowa republicans 70
the forward movement. the late Sena
tor Doliver, wrote:
~ group Of able railway lawyers
! had long been accustomed to at
/ tend Iowa state conventions. and
to wait upon the sessions Of the
/ legislature They We're accommo-
! dating gentlemen who not only
acted as legal advisers OF the rail-
ways but as assistant passenger
! agents. always ready to relieve
] worthy people of the burden Of
paving their fare. Their main in
terest in the convention was to see
to it that nobody was nominated
for a state office who had morbid
views upon the subject Of railway
taxation. and they attended the
legislature in a body for the pur-
pose OF discouraging new legisla-
ton. They were also accustomed
of United States senators, in order
that nobody of an erratic turn of
mind might find his way into that
ancient retreat of sane and safe
| statesmen"