Omaha daily bee., 1896-07-15
RAILROADS MAKING a FIGHT
Iowa Republican State Convention Will Be
Divided Along that line,
CORPORATION LOBBY SEEMS SUPREME
Leading Candidates H"Nf,I;~ Endorse
ment, Though II Hard, Contest
VIII lie INDUCED " ucforc
the Battle Ends,

DIES MONIES, July 14.-(Special Tele-
the arrival of most Of the
delegates to the republican state convention,
which will convene tomorrow at 10 o'clock,
some changes have occurred on the political
chess board, but they simply increase the
lead which George l.. Dobson of Des Moines,
S. NJ, Weaver OF Eldora and E. A. Dawson
Of Waverlv have for the contested nomina-
tions of secretary of state, supreme judge
and railroad commissioner.
The fight has taken on a distinctly rail-
road and anti-railroad character and the
leading candidates have the endorsement Of
the railroad lobby, which seems supreme.
Rolla j. Wilson of Fairfield, who was to
have been temporary chairman, was pros
trated by heat today and will be unable
to preside. Unless he is materially stronger
by morning, which is not expected, Con
gresham William L. Hepburn, who had
been slated for permanent chairman, Will
act as temporary chairman and will prob
ably be continued by the committee on per
manent organization. There has been during
the day consider able talk OF attempting TO
secure a financial plank less o%utspoken in
favor of the gold standard than that of the
st. Louis platform, but the conclusion mas
ben reached that it would be suicidal poll
tics to go counter to the party in the ma
ton, so the st. Louis platform, financial
plank and all, will be reatfirmed. 1t is eN-
pected that Congressman Hepburn in MS
address as chairman will seek to explain
the st. Louis platform in the most favor
able light possible for the silver men.
SUPREME JUDGE CONTEST.
The contest for the nomination for supreme
| Judge has narrowed to a fight between
Judge Ladd and Judge Weaver. Ed Chassell
of Lemars, candidate for secretary of state,
has lost strength today and now mas oui
little support outside of Ida, Plymouth and
Cherokee counties, which are pledged TO
him. He comes from the Eleventh cor,
gressional district along with Ladd, ana
Ladd's friends have been trading with Dop-
son to Chassell's disadvantage. Dobson al
pears TO have a walk-away. The railroad
lobby is with him and the anti-raiiroai
forces are not fighting him to any great
extent. Candidate Hanford Of Charles Clty
has gained strength today and Will nave
about as many votes for secretary OIL staIe
as Byrkit of Des Moines.
The fight over the railroad commissioner
ship is the hottest. Among the railroad
lobbyists who are supporting Dawson, inc
present commissioner, are; j.. W. Blythe;
| burlington, solicitor for the Iowa lines OF
the Chicago, Burlington y, Quincy; u "A.
Boehmier, Cedar Falls, general claim agent
for the Chicago, Milwaukeer& st, Paul; Judge
Hubbard. Cedar Rapids, general solicitor lot
the Chicago e. Northwestern lines in Iowa
Thomas Shannon, traiumaster, for the Cher
okee & Dakota and Fort Dodge & Sioux
| City divisions of the Illinois, Central; ed
ward Knott, president of the Waverly short
Line; C. w. Mullen, Waterloo, resident at
torney of the Illinois Central: Smith Nc
Pherson. Red Oak, attorney for the Chicago,
Burlington & Quincy; Judge stevens, boone
resident attorney for the Chicago q North
WESTERN; J. f. Merry, Manchester, assistant
general passenger agent of .thr Limos
Central; +. c.. Plat. Waterloo, resident at
torney of the Illinois Central; John Bald
win, Council Bluffs, general solicitor for the
\ Iowa lines of the Chicago, Milwaukee & 81:
Paul road; Robert Mather, Chicago, general
solicitor for the Chicago, Rock Island d
Pacific.
ANTI-RAILROAD END.
The anti-railroads have lined up for Camp
bell, and Kemble of Muscatine, who has lit
tie support. His only hope is that when
Dobson is named for secretary OF state the
delegates will decline to nominate another
man from Des Moines and he will receive
the votes which are now for Campbell. II
has been practically decided that E. II.
Conger of Des Moines, eX-Congressman and
eX-minister to Brazil, and eX-United States
| Senator James Harlan of Mount Pleasant
will be named as candidates for electors-at-
large. The present state central committee
is to be reelected.
Speaker H. w. Byers of the last house of
representatives. who was defeated for the
congressional nomination in the Ninth dis
trict, has been making a fight against Com
mitteeman Treynor Of Council Bluffs OF that
district, but the trouble was patched up