Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-02-21
WALL STREET olcrArlNo POLICY
OF so.cALLED PROGRESS.
s'yEs IN IOWA.
TO BEAT cuMMiNs
IN CAMPAIGN, FOR SENATE
Movsmsnt Started in Which Frank
Stewart 10 sidstraeksd, Fact That
Iowa Has Primary Law 10 Ignored,
and Candidate Being Sought Who
Will Pull Votes From Republicans.
Special to Times -Republican.

Special to TimeS-Republican.
Des Moines. Feb. 21.-Already in the
year 1914, tho, only few weeks have
have been made, as to the nature of
machine made politics and the prac-
tical purposes to be served thereby. A
study Of the record as it has been writ
ten by sympathetic hands is interest
ing. A plain statement will be suffi-
cient.
1t has not been difficult for the
reader of the newspapers of Iowa to
discover that the progressive party, or
bull moose. movement in Iowa is able
to finance a campaign of publicity.
That, such publicity is costly is we'll
known. The fact that the bull moosers
get at is fairly taken to indicate that
the appeal for funds have not been III
vain. They. are writing their own his
tory Of their movement as they go
along. 1t, is easy to read; but not al
ways do the readers get the proper
perspective. Ia.
terry about the recent so-called Con
ference" held in a law office in this
city. The story as written by those
on the inside lacks some details. But
enough was heralded to the world to
show some things. And they are en-
tightening.
It will be recalled that the CONFER
ence" was on before outsiders knew it
was called The rank and file of the
bull moose party was not here. The
first information was an announcement
under the startling slug head ma
tional Leaders Aid Progressives." The
report stated that o. X. Davis, "secre-
tary of the national progressive COM
mittee" was here from New,York City;
also Walter Brown, national organ
izer," Victor Murdoch and some local
leaders named. But here was the
kernel of it all, as shown by their own
report:
"The candidate to be brought out
against Senator Cummlns was dis
cussed yesterday to some, extent but
the choice OF the man was left entirely
to the Iowa committee"
Paused to Reflect.
All, that was kind and gracious and
condescending of Messrs.,a Davis,
Brown. Murdoch, ct al Why didn't
the other than Iowa committee not
only decide there should be an against
Cummins'' candidate but decide who 1t
should be?
Those who read this sentence. in the
chosen avenue Of publicity of the
committee from Wall street, paused to
reflect. In Iowa the method, Of maxi
ing ticket is not the same as in New
York The old system Of having a
committee choose who shall or shall
not be candidate was abolished some
time ago, in fact early in the move
ment for political reform. A primary
law has been in force some time pro-
viding that the members OF party
shall have the right to name their
candidates. And it has been supposed,
in Iowa, that this right Of the mem
bership Of the party to control was the
very essence Of progressiveism. But
here was a secret conference. the ma
tional leaders, dominating. which spent
two whole DAYS trying to decide on
the man who should be tne'candloate
against Cummins."
Then came the sequel. From the
same authoritative source. the recog-
nized organ of the movement, the fol-
lowing day came this solemn an
nouncement:
"The conference over the selection of
candidates for the chief places on the
progressive ticket. it was rumored
failed of definite results. National
leaders were concerned. according to
the report, in securing strong former
progressive republican to enter the
race for the progressive nomination for
senator. With such man nominated
the hope of beating Senator Cummins
would be much more concrete than 1t
now appears that it will be-"
So the men from New York City,
with those called to speak for the party
here, had failed to decide on the per-
sonnet Of their ticket. They so an
nounced it themselves. They per-
mitted but one channel for publicity
and gave out all that was to be made
known.
Methods Not Progressive.
So the situation appears. from the
record as printed by themselves. not
greatly different from that of two years
ago, when. it is remembered, the de-
cision to undertake, if possible, the de-
feat Of men who had done much and
sacrificed much for the progressive
cause and who had helped to give Iowa
it's progressive legislation, was made
not by the rank and file of the new
party in Iowa nor yet by an Iowa com :
mittee, but by outsiders having no in
| CONSTIPATION