Omaha daily bee., 1898-08-03
IOWA'S POLITICAL OUTLOOK
Four Lively Weeks Before Republican State
Convention Meets,
CANDIDATES WORKING LIKE BEAVERS
Eight of the Republican Congress
sional Convention Have Been Held
democrats Have Done
Little ms Yet.

Little ms Yet.
CEDAR RAPIDS, Ia, Aug. 2.-(Special)
The four weeks from now until the first
of September, when the republican state
convention will be held at Dubuque, are
likely TO be hot politically as well as ca
lorically speaking. The situation in re-
gard to the nominations which are likely
to be contested has changed but little in
the last few weeks, save that the atmos-
phere has cleared away through the decisive
victory of Hon. Frank f. Merriam at Man
chester the last week. Haeberle has been
defeated and Heinscheimer has said that
he is not a candidate for the nomination
for treasurer, and it therefore looks as
though John Herriot is to have n clear
field. Merriam's victory makes him a for
midable candidate in the race for state au-
ditor against e. ]. Hartshorn of Palo Alto
county and w. G. Allen of Van Buren,
county. This, in all probability, will be
the biggest fight at the convention.
Eight of the republican congressional
conventions have been held. Those nomi-
mated are: Thomas Hedge of Burlington
in the First, David b. Henderson of Du-
buque in the Third; Robert G. Cousins of
Upton in the Fifth, John f. Lacey of Os-
kaloosa in the Sixth, John A. T. Hull of
Des Moines in the Seventh, William p. Hep
burn OF Clarinda in the Eighth, Jonathan
p. Dolliver of Fort Dodge in the Tenth
and Lot Thomas of Storm Lake in the
| Eleventh. The situation in the Second dis
trict is peculiar. Congressman Curtis some
time ago declined a denomination, stating
that his personal business would not allow
him to sacrifice any more of his time to
public life. Yet there seems to be a well
| founded and growing belief that he will
yet be the nominee of the party for the
place.
During the past week the situation in the
Fourth district has been still further COM
plicated by the announcement of the candi-
dacy of E. p. Johnson, county attorney of
Winnishiek county. 1t is said that he will
be a much stronger candidate than eX-
Senator Haugen of Worth county. The lead
ing contesting delegate in this district, how
ever, seems to be James f. Blythe Of Mason
city. The friends of Congressman Updegaff
are making a hard fight for him and hope
to be able to secure his denomination. The
other candidates in the district are Senator
Trewin of Allamakee county, Judge Reed OF
Howard, d. w. Clements of Fayette and
Representative Eaton of Mitchell. The con-
yention will be held at New Hampton Au-
gust "a.
In the Ninth district the fight is fast and
furious, with ex-Speaker Byers of Shelby
county apparently in the lead. A. L. Hager,
who is a candidate for denomination, has a
strong following. He has twenty-one votes
from Adair and Guthrie counties Byers has
twenty votes from Pottawattamie and Shelby
counties and has some strength in Audubon.
Hager hopes to get Harrison, and it is
, ,,@- N
is working for him. Smith Mcpherson of
Montgomery county will have twelve votes
there and some in Mills. Major Curtis of
Atlantic has the thirteen votes from Cass
county and will get others.
Only one democratic congressional con-
vention has been held thus far. In the
Eighth district George l.. Finn of Bedford
has been nominated. Finn is an eX-repub-
lican and ex-prohibitionist and claims that
/, he can beat Colonel Hepburn. In the other
districts the democrats are expert
encing considerable trouble in find
ing candidates. No one in the Third dis
trict seems to be willing to try conclusions
with Colonel Henderson. In the Eleventh
district Matt NJ. Gray, police judge of Sioux
City, who has been prominently mentioned
as a possible candidate, has declined, stat
ing that he was satisfied with his present
| position. Judge j. Z. Allison, another man
who has been prominently mentioned and
who was considered the strongest in the
district, has stated emphatically that he will
not make the race. The only man being
mentioned at present is A. S. Garretson OF
Sioux City and it is doubtful whether he
will consent to be a candidate.
In the First district Henry NJ. Eicher OF
Washington, who was assistant United
States attorney under Cleveland's admins
%tration, and Sabert M. Casey of Fort Madison,
who was the candidate two years ago, are
the only men mentioned in connection with
the nomination.
Hurst of Jackson county will probably be
the candidate in the Second district, al
though Judge Ney of Iowa City is being
pushed very hard by his friends. The other
candidates are Judge Hayes OF Clinton
Representative Baker of Scott county and
ex-senator Baker of Muscatine county. The
sound money democrats of the district are
favorable to the nomination of John Gobble
Of Muscatine.
In the Sixth district A. C. Steck of Wa
pello county and Editor Anderson of the
Oskaioosa Journal are the candidates. Thu
nominee in this district will have the as
~sistance during the campaign of w. j.
nesota. A strong effort will be made ia
down Major Lacey. In the other districts
there are practically no candidates.
Bids for Bonds Opened