Democratic Sentinel, Volume 11, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 September 1887 — IOWA DEMOCRATS. [ARTICLE]

IOWA DEMOCRATS.

They Meet in Convention at Des Moines and Nominate Candidates for State Offices. A Series of Resolutions Asserting the Right of the People to Govern Themselves. And Denouncing the Tendency Toward Monopoly of the Present Dominant Party. [Des Moines special.] The lowa Democratic State Convention met here on Thursday, the Ist inst., and was called to order by Edward H. Hunter, Chairman of the State Committee, in the Grand Opera House. It was in every respect a representative gathering of the Democrats in the State, although it was easy to discern that the quota of young men in the delegations was larger than usual. Many of the older party workers had seats upon the stage, while the boxes which had been specially reserved for ladies were resplendent with beauty and fashion. After Rev. Mr. Van Antwerpt had pronounced a brief divine invocation, with true Episcopalian reserve and dignity, Senator W. W. Dodge, of Burlington, was introduced as the temporary Chairman. The Senator is a native of lowa, is young and handsome, but not specially brilliant as an orator. He made a fairly good speech, however. He arraigned the record of the Republican party in comparison with the administration of President Cleveland, giving the latter a most cordial indorsement, which brought from the convention loud and long-continued cheers. Protection was denounced, and tariff reform to a revenue basis demanded. Turning to State affairs; Senator Dodge addressed himself to the State prohibition law, characterizing it as a piece of infamous legislation, promoting perjury, fostering a system of spies and informers, and making possible the violation of the sacredness of the home by reckless and irresponsible constables. The legislative gerrymander of the legislative districts of the State, by which Republican counties are given the same representation as Democratic counties with four times as many population, was not overlooked, and when the speaker finally concluded his address and took up the gavel the delegates were in an enthusiastic state. Upon reassembling at two o’clock the Committee on Credentials reported every county fully represented. Cato Sells, of Blackhawk, another of the younger Democrats of the State, was the choice for permanent Chairman. His speech also was well received. It was noticeable, however, that his several complimentary allusions to President Cleveland were cheered to the echo, and when he asserted that Grover Cleveland would certainly be renominated and re-elected next year the convention was fairly carried off its feet. There was no favorable allusion to the President—and all mention of his name and administration was of the most complimentary kind—but what the delegations responded with liberal applause and cheers. No allusion to a second term was made except by bells, but the spirit of the convention was clearly for it. The sober business of the convent on began with the report of the Committee on Resolutions. Things had not been going any too smoothly in the committee-room. The delegates from the river counties opposed a definite plank on the liquor question. They wanted to declare for a stringent license law, but opposed a closer definition of the amount of license favored. They also opposed a local option feature. The rural districts wafited minimum fees of SSOO, with a local option feature attached. They had their way by a vote of 7 to 4, and when a contest was made in the convention by an effort to substitute the former view for that agreed upon, the verdict was still more rverwhelming. Then there were the friends of the railways upon the committee, who urgently opposed radi- • I

cal anti-monopoly utterances in the platform. These, too, were doomed to disappointment, as the granger element controlled, and the monopolists did not dare to carry their fight into open convention. The platform as adopted is as follows: L We commend the fidelity of President Cleveland in the obligations of his high trust and congratulate the country upon the economy, courage, honesty, and patriotism of his administration. We cordially approve the public land ix>licy of the President Unearned land grants to the extent of millions of acres have been restored to the public domain and reserved for actual settlers only, and the at- | tempts of cattle syndicates to inclose and appropriate large tracts of public lauds to their > owu uses have been defeated. A continuance of the Democratic administration is a guaranty that not another acre shall be granted to speculators or corporations. The civil service of the country has been placed upon a business basis, and Federal officials no longer neglect the duties of their office for the manipulation of party politics. The public debt has been steadily reduced, and we favor a continuance of the policy of applying surplus revenues to the payment of the debt as rapidly as possible. We commend the efficiency, liberality and im- j partiality of the pension department in the adjustment of claims under present laws, and we ■ favor such further legislation as will make generous provision for Union soldiers and sailors, surrounding the same with such safeguards and restrictions as will prevent abuse by any who are not entitled to the bounty of the government. 2. We call upon Congress for the immediate revision of our tariff laws to a revenue basis, to the end that every industry and every section may enjoy perfect equality under the law, and we favor the retention of the internal revenue tax on intoxicating liquors and tobacco, and protest against its proposed reduction for the purpose of continuing the present high tariff on the necessaries of life. 3. We are in favor of continuing the timehonored policy of the Democratic party of welcoming to our shores the liberty-loving people of all lands who come here to conform to our laws and institutions and become citizens of this country, but insist that stringent regulations be adopted and enforced to exclude pauper, vicious, and criminal classes. 4. The noble and manly efforts of Gladstone, Parnell and their associates in behalf of the cause of representative government for Ireland command our unqualified approval. 5. We commend the action of the Democratic members of the Twenty-first General Assembly in supporting the Cassett bill and the bill against the holding of lands by non-resident aliens, and we pledge our candidates to the support of these measures in the next Legislature. 6. The vigorous prosecution of faithless officials and tnose who have corrupted them now being conducted by Democratic prosecuting officers in New York and Chicago is a hopeful sign of a reform of public morals, and we believe the same measure of justice that is visited upon bribery of local boards should be visited upon the same offense when committed in State and National Legislatures. 7. We favor such legislation by Congress as will make all corporations for purposes of litigation residents and citizens of the State in which they do business. 8. We are opposed to all sumptuary legislation, and in favor of a repeal of the present prohibitory liquor law, and the substitution in its stead of a local option and carefully guarded license law, with a minimum license fee of $5.0, for better control of the liquor traffic. 9. We believe that railroad companies are public corporations, and therefore subject to public control. We demand such legislation by Congress and the State Legislature as will apply to State and interstate transportation of freights and passengers the principles of the Regan bill, viz.: All rates shall be reasonable and shall be made public. No discriminations against individuals or localities; no rebates or drawbacks; same charge for same service to all persons, and no higher charge for a less than for a greater service. Prohibition of pooling in every form. Equal facilities and opportunities to all shippers. We oppose the free transportation of any, and favor the cheap transportation of all. We believe that the first-class roads can profitably carry passengers at 2 cents per mile, and we demand a law restricting them to such a charge. We are opposed to special tribunals for the settlement of railroad questions, and especially to such tribunals having power to suspend the laws of the land. We therefore favor the abolition of all such tribunals, and believe that the ordinary courts of the country should be vested with full power to enforce the just obligations of the companies and to award adequate damages to persons injured by their violation. 10. Every citizen of the State is entitled to a vote, and his vote should be as effective as the vote of any other citizen. We denounce as in violation of this inherent right and as a practical disfranchisement of the majority of our people the infamous gerrymander made by the Republicans in the last General Assembly, by which a small minority of the people were vested with full control of the law-making power, and we pledge our best endeavors to restore representation according to population and the right of the majority to rule. We cordially invite the co-operation with us of all persons in accord with these principles in our endeavor to carry them into effect. 11. We favor such legislation as will grant to employes of corporations liberty to buy of whom they please. After the adoption of the platform nominations followed, and were quickly disposed of. Major T. J. Anderson was nominated on the first ballot by a decisive vote over ex-Senator Bestow. J. M. Elder, of Hancock, defeated Captain Jaqnith, of Wapello, for Lieutenant Governor on the first ballot. Charles S. Fogg, of Guthrie, likewise won the Supreme Judgeship nomination on the first ballot, Daniel I. Miller, of Lee, being his competitor. Professor H. W. Sawyer, of Fremont, was nominated for Superintendent of Schools by acclamation. The ticket is conceded to be not the strongest that could have been named, but the platform, which is deemed admirable in the issues it presents, will greatly help matters out. The convention adjourned in good spirits. The Democratic State Central Committee was organized by the selection of Ed H. Hunter, of Coming, as Chairman and C. D. Fullen, of Fairfield, Secretary. SKETCHES OF THE CANDIDATES. Thomas J. Anderson, the nominee for Governor, resides at Knoxville, Marion County. He was bom in Fulton County, Illinois, March 4, 1837, and is fourteen days older than President Cleveland. When 16 years old he came to lowa and located in Marion County, where he has since lived. He was a member of the Fortieth lowa Infantry during the war, served at the siege of Vicksburg, and attained the rank of captain. He studied in the schools at Oskaloosa, lowa, and subsequently studied law. In 1874 he ran on the AntiMonopoly ticket for. District Judge, and although he ran 1,100 vo es ahead of his ticket he was defeated. He is at present County Attorney. James M. Elder, democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor, has lived in Hancock County for twenty year->, and is a farmer and horticulturist and a director in the State Horticultural Society. He is also a lawyer and member of a flourishing legal fi rn at Garner. He is aboutso years of age. Prof. Hugh W. Sawyer, the nominee for Superintendent of Public Instruction, is a Tennessean by birth, and is 37 years of age. When the war broke out he* entered the service at the age of 14, as a drummerboy in the Forty-seventh Regiment, Indiana Volunteers. After the war he obtained an education in a Tennessee institution, and has for the last twelve years been at the head of the schools at Hamburg, lowa. Charles S. Fogg, the nomineee for Judge of the Supreme Court, is a resident of Stuart, Guthrie County. He is about 38 years of age. He studied law at the State University of lowa, and has practiced at Stuart for the last twelve yean.