The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1920-10-23
Democratic Candidate for Senator
Spoke to Capacity House at the
Lee County Court Rooms
Last Night.
PLEADS FOR THE LEAGUE
Miss Ruth Summer Only Woman
Candidate on the Two Tickets
Asks Support for Her
Election.

Claude r. Porter. democratic can
d1date for congress, and Ruth Sum- |
ner, democratic candidate for secre- |
tary OF the state, spoke to house |
that was taxed to the limit Of it's |
seating capacity in the district court |
room and many people stood last |
night to hear them talk. They were
enthusiastically received and each |
delivered an interesting address.
Miss Ruth Sumner. democratic
candidate for secretary of state, is
the only woman candidate on either
ticket. She called attention to the
state house scandals and to the |
necessity of cleaning out the ad-
,,ministration there. She detailed the
duties of the secretary Of state and
the broad scope of the power resting
within that Office and the opportun1-
ties to exercise this power dishonest
| ~ if mistake is made in the can
didate. Miss Sumner is not "mascu-
line" She is decidedly giriish, but
lis business woman and says she
can handle the affairs of secretary OF
state far more acceptably than the
present republican occupant or his
predecessor.
Mr.. Porter Is Welcomed
| Mr. Porter, who has visited almost
every county in the state in his tour,
was rather hoarse as the result of
his strenuous campaign.
He attacked the record OF his
lopponent, Senator Cummins, on the
Cummins-Esch law, dwelling at some
length upon the gifts which he said
had been made to railroads, which
are all out of reason and direct i'm
position on the taxpayers of the
nation.
Nothing for the Soldiers.
He stated that while the Esch-
Cummins railroad bill turns over
millions of the public funds to the
railroads, the just pleas Of the ex-
service men for additional and de-
served compensation for their serv-
ices met with no response, from the
republican congress.
| The president he said, left the
railroad situation in the hands of
congress, not feeling that he could
pass upon the great auctions in
volved, but feeling that the roads
should be returned to private owner
ship. Mr.. Cummins, chairman of the
Isenate interstate commerce commit
tee, originally framed bill that
Porter said was passed by the senate
making It criminal offense for rail
| road employees to cease working for
employers. This bin was killed in
| the house and the compromise was
| the present law.
although Senator CummfRs stated
TN a speech before the Iowa 1egisla-
! ture eleven months before the pass
age Of the Cummins Esch bin, that
he considered a return Of AZ per
cent would be a sufficient guarantee
to make the railroads after they
were given back. to private owner
ship, he drafted the railroad bill
which provides for return Of 81
percent on al the capital represented
| by the roads The extra 1 percent
return means an extra $50, 600 900
per year that is guaranteed In the
| income of the railroads.
| Cannot Understand Change.
| "I don't understand the change Of
mind of the senator during the period
which elapsed between this state
Iment and the passage Of his railroad
hill" said Mr.. Porter, And further,
/ agree, with Senator LaFollette, who
SAYS the Cunmins-Esch bill appears
to contain none of the suggestions
offered to the senate and house COM
mfttees by Hines or McAdoo, by the
Representatives of the shippers or by
the representatives Of the railway
employees He says the bill appears
to have everything that was sug-
gested by the committee representing
the interests Of the railroad security
holders"
The League Of Nations.
| In opening his address on the
league, Mr.. Porter made much OF the !
speech Of ex-President Taft, who
nlaced the league above all domestic
issues in importance. Mr.. Porter
then dwelt on the purpose of the
iTrni+ed States in entering the world