The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1914-07-30
of war and it's horrors may thus be

of war and it's horrors may thus be
IN inimiZed.
Although the elements controlling
huge concessions and vast interests
in Mexico condemn the Wilson policy,
events are vindicating the presidents
course in regard to the sister repub-
lie, ana to the peaceful people of
iowa his efforts to avoid the dire re-
suits of long and bloody war should
be most gratifying. If by this policy
alone war shall be averted President
Wilson is entitled to the support and
Endorsement of the American people.
1t is impossible in the compass of
this address to enumerate all of the
legislative benefits to the American
people that have been enacted under
the Wilson administration, but that
which ] would impress upon fair
minded people is that the Wilson ad-
ministration is essentially committed
to a programme of the people, Tor
the people and by the people.
When Senator Cummins so sharply
criticised and ridiculed the president
and his policies in his Des Moines
speech and spoke of the distress that
had accompanied the enactment OF
democratic legislation, he is attuning
his voice and qualifying himself as
member of the vested choir of vested
| interests.
| In answer to his criticism of my
support of the administration legls-
lative policies l will say that that
support was cheerfully extended be-
cause | felt that the Wilson admins
tration was distinctly on the side of
the people. If the president should
pursue policy against the interests
Of the people, then and only then
would my support be withdrawn. The
mole of progressivism at this time
seems absent in the voice of the SEN
ior senator, and his present praise
of the old protective tariff bills does
not square with his previous utter
ances upon those lines and suggests
that he is undergoing a political re-
! incarnation.
His attitude toward the president
does not harmonic with the accred-
tied views of the Junior senator OF
his own body and the progressive
wings of his party. His allusion to
Industrial distress cannot be borne
cut by the news items in commercial
and industrial centers and the predic-
tions of his party of the ruin to the
textile, wooden, tin and steel indus
tries become humorous when the
= trades journals in these different
lines indicate that business is advanc-
ing by leaps and bounds.
have too much faith in the intel
ligance and the discernment of the
people of Iowa to think that they will
be led astray by the assaults upon
i this administration on the part OF
the special interests and great COM
tlnations of wealth. Now, my friends,
it is not that these interests care
more about the name republican than
they do democrat because if this
democratic administration had shap-
ed it's programme so as not to en-
croach upon their privileged preserve
in the matter of tariff. currency,
trust and other legislation, our par
" would not be the subject of hos
t;llty and attack. There would not be
this desperate effort to GUST the
democratic party from control be-
cause the democratic party would
look all right to them and ! wish to
pound home this idea that because
the Wilson administration is remov-
ing the government from the zone of
UdSh " CAC PSoPAS, W AoA "
it belongs, that this inspired hostility
should have the effect of unifying the
people of this country regardless OF
partisanship or party advantage in
the patriotic support of an admins
tration that has placed the people in
the saddle and earnestly purposes to
keep them there. 1t is therefore up
to you, the people, to determine that
you will not be endorsed by privilege.
What a great opportunity there is
for the members of our party to show
to the country a united front, that
democracy is dominant, optimistic
and alert in Iowa, sounding the virile
note of victory all along the demo-
cratic line.
Let the dead past bury Its dead.
\ Let us repair to the great fundamen-
tai principles of our party that this
unusual opportunity shall not dissl-
pate into thin air. That factions,
disappointments, jealousies, preju-
ter: nor pour in like molten cement
to build up the temples of the oppo
sition. but let every democrat, un-
mindful of past party or personal de-
feat. join his brother in the loyal
labor of inspired comradeship until
there arises once more within the
state of Iowa, the handiwork of sac
rifice, the shrine of popular rights,
the splendid structure of democracy.
We are gathered today to lay the
cornerstone and may there be none
among us to bow his head in shame
or treason at the dedication in No
vember, when we contemplate above
it's portals, the splendid philosophy
and golden lettered doctrine of dem
ocracy, Equal rights to all, and
special privileges for none"
"Among the Best"