Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-02-16
RURAL VOTERS URGED TO At
TEND POLITICAL cAucusEs
TO SELECT DELEGATES.
MUST CHOOSE PROXIES
TO SELECT CANDIDATES
Farm Journal Scores Powers That 40
For Deprivins Farmers Right to Elk.
press Presidential Prsfsreness-Iowa
Victims Of Florida Land Scandal -
Other News Of the State.
Special to Times Rep ablican.

Special to Times Rep publican.
Des Moines, Feb. 16.-This week the
Homestead comes out with stirring
appeal to the farmers OF the grain belt
section to get busy in the next few
weeks and look after their interests.
Attention Is called to the fact that in
most cases it will be the farmer who
casts the deci Sing vote in caucuses and
conventions where steps are taken
looking to the presidential conventions
The Homestead says:
1.-The farmers OF every grain belt
state with the exception of North Da-
kota, Wisconsin and Nebraska, are to
be refused the right to go to the polls
and vote direct for the men who shall
guide the ship Of state during the next
four years. A few weeks ago it ap-
| peared as tho Justice was to be gran ed
to the farmer to the extent of allowing
! him the privilege OF selecting national!
leaders, Of conceding to him the ability
to vote for president as we'll as for
supervisor or governor But the pow
Iers-that-be were not blind to the hand
writing on the wall. On every side they
saw and heard evidences of the farm
ers' rebellion against class discrimina-
ton. From every state Of the grain
belt came reports of farmers Simply
biding their time until they could reg
lister an emphatic protest against the
efforts Of selfish. interest contr died
politicians to betray the western farm
er to the protected eastern manufl,-
turer by foisting one-sided Canadian
reciprocity upon him. The powers
that-be hesttated at giving the farmer
the right to register this protest; 1t was
not a question of right or Justice. IL
was simply case of victory at any
cost and by any means. And 81
quietus vas put upon the efforts to
secure presidential preference Dri-
mary. Only in three out of twelve
grain belt states can the farmer walk
up to the polls and exercise the priv
ilege OF direct election. In every other
state he must delegate another TO c..st
his vote for him. 1t is in selecting this
proxy who shall vote for his downfall
or his welfare that the farmer rtust
exercise the greatest care and the
soundest judgment"
The congressional Investigation into
the Everglades scandal In Florida in
which the national administration APP
pears to have had a share will have
specia Interest to Des Moines where
100 investors in Florida land" were
taken in by the alluring promises.
They have paid s24O each which makes
about $4,000 that went out of Des
Moines for this purpose. Most Of them
belong to the booster" class. who are
shouting loudly for Greater Iowa"
and posing as original friends OF the
state. They will hold a meeting and
form an association like that by the
victims of the Texas land swindles and
see what can be done to get back at the
boosters.
Announcement of the candidacy OF
Aaron Proudfoot for governor. which
was foreshadowed in this correspond
ence last Saturday. was made at In
dianola, but only after the senator had
come a second time to Des Moines and
held a long conference with Governor
Carroll in his office. Governor Carroll
has been very insistent that there shall
be candidate against Clarke who VIII
be distinctly factional and who will
carry on the policies of the present
state administration. No man in the
legislature was closer the past two ses-
sions to the governor than the senator
from Warren.
Senator Proudfoot has started out
promptly on an aggressive campaign
as letters have already gone out to all
the senators who stood for LATE Young
for senator last winter, soliciting their
support, and a committee of southern