Senator Parshall Praised

PARSHALL

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 1/3/2008 at 16:20:53

Jackson Sentinel
March 16, 1911

High Praise for Jackson County’s Senator.

The Keokuk Dally Constitution-Democrat, a forceful and influential democratic newspaper of southeastern Iowa, recognized a whole lot of good, sound common sense and logic in Senator L. B. Parshall’s recent speech on the income tax, and says: “A new man has appeared during this session in the force of working democrats in the senate.

“The Iowa senate at the present time is a kind of bankers’ convention. In this session there are 35 bankers and there is little doubt that the senate end of the capital would if it could, entirely remove moneys and credits from taxation. There was a feeling, therefore, that the fate of the income tax resolution which had passed in the house, was very uncertain, and that unless the measure has the best of care if would go down to defeat.

“The measure was in the hands of Senator Parshall of Jackson county, a companionable man, but whose strength on the floor was wholly unknown. Therefore when the matter came up on a special order on Wednesday morning, Washington’s birthday, democrats were in doubt as to what would happen. What did happen was this: The members heard a speech that made converts, an unusual thing in any body of men. A half dozen men at least, who had been active against the measure, voted for it on its passage. The vote stood 45 for, three against, and 2 in the cloak room.

“The new man showed an earnestness, a candor, and a power of argument which held every eye and ear during the hour he consumed, and when he quit the members were in a mood to vote for the bill. There was no voice in opposition.

“Iowa democrats are looking for this sort of men to do battle for the party.”