Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-11-01
Possible Loss of Legislative Dis
tricts Disappearing as Election
Day Draws Near.
Good Work Of Republican Managers
Hard Fight in Clay-Palo
Alto District.
State Agricultural Society Makes a
Good showing-Kinne and
Convict Labor.
pecial to Times-Republican.

Des Moines, Nov. 1.-As the cam
paign nears the close the threatened
loss of legislative districts is disappear
ling before the good work of the repub
lican managers. This is especially true
where certain strong political interests
are at stake. The only real difficulty is
where certain agitators in the interest
of Mr.. Cummns have started politi-
cal prairie fire that no one can stop
They made an issue against Senator
Gear on the ground that he, with his
long service in the state and nation,
was not as good d friend of labor as
Mr.. Cummins, because the latter wrote
some letters and interested himself in
| the Rock Island arsenal trouble. Now
| these same agitators, some of whose
records will not bear the light of day,
one of the most prominent of them be-.
ling an ex-convict, are going farther
and are fighting the election of some of
| the republican nominees for the legis-
lature because they are understood to
be for Gear. They are using the same
literature in this fight that they used
in the fight to get Cummins men nomi-
mated by the republican party. This is
1 a sort of troops that can not be con-
| trolled, when they once get a taste of
blood.
| One of the hardest legislative fights
| in the state. from the amount of noise
made about it, is in the Clay-Palo Alto
Representative district, where Z. P.
Barringer, Of Ruthven, Palo Alto coun-
lty, is the republican nominee and H. S.
Parker of Peterson. Clay county, is the
democratic nominee. Mr.. Parker is a
brother OF c. n. Parker, formerly of
lSpencer now the partner of former
Judge George II. Carr, who came to
Des Moines from Palo Alto county sew
eral years ago and is now very proni-
Inent, both III his profession and in poll
tics He was sent to the legislature
two years ago to get in training to bs
| useful TO Mr.. Cummins at this time,
land he is now returned, the recognized
manager for MIR. Cummins. Judge
4 Carr and Mr.. Parker naturally wanted
la Cummins man sent to the legislature
from their old district. but the contest
i there resulted in the nomination of a
/ Gear man. Now the chief trouble thar
| Mr. Barringer has to contend with is a
lswamp land suit, into which he was
brought by the action of the law firm
llof Carr K Parker. as attorneys for
some other rarties in interest. The Re-
Iporter the republican paper in Spencer.
i Ieharges that this was done unnecessa-
lrily and for the purpose of injuring Mr..
/ Barringer politically Mr.. Parker
wrote q lengthy letter denying this
and going into the merits of the ease
lin detail, declaring that the action
lagainst Mr.. I5arringer was purely
business matter, and saying further
that neither he nor Judge Carr had
taken any part in the politics of the
Edstrict since the convention. The sub
stanee of the denial was printed in the
republican paper. and it was printed in
Huh, with numerous comments calcu-
llated 10 injure Mr.. Barringer. in the
democratic paper. the Herald. 1t is
Icharged in this district by republican
LEADERS living there that Cummins men
nave been Very active in bringing out
Mr.. Parker as a candidate. He was
formerly a republican and was a can
ldidate for the nomination for repre-
sentative against w. W. Cornwall in
1886 Being unsuccessful. he has since
been democrat. The situation in this
district has somewhat improved within
the past few days. No one accuses Mr.
Cummins of personally inspiring any
such tactics as this. and friend of his
who recently visited the district took
the matter IN hand and it is believed
, lproduced some good results. This sort
lof thing is just what was predicted by
many prominent republicans when it
was proposed to carry the senatorial
fight into every legislative district.
That more of it is not apparent is a
high tribute to the loyalty OF republic
ans.
At the last accounting the State Ag-
rlcultural Society had sl6.723.55 on hand
latter paying all but few small bills
as the result of the last state fair
This pays all the debts the society
owes, and for the improvements made
this year. Ii Will be sufficient to make
! more improvements and pay all the ex-
penses of the fair for next year ano
start it off in good shape. The society
will not appear as a nendicant before
the legislature this winter. 1t stands
on its own bottom, big and strong
enough to stand alone. This result is &
, combination of energy. good manage
, ment and good weather and good crops
1t may occur again next year. and il
, may not Ii shows that skipping {
year could not ruin the fair. anyway
) The return of Judge Kline and hi.
firm stand in favor of contract convic
labor settles all prospect of interfer
enee Nith the Fort Madison pearl but
: Iton contract. 1t has been approved AM
\ will stand for five years, no matte
3 what the legislature may think abou
lit. The board had the right TO max,
the contract. and no power can annu
n the contract, once made. Judge kinn
, says the complaint against convict III
n Dor being hired out TO contractors a
. the best rate procurable is based on ig
: norance Of the conditions. These mel
. are supposed to have been producer
before they became convicts.' sal,
Judge Kline They We're competing
then: what difference does it max
n where they are working? 1t is merel
d a question of whether or not the me-
shall be required or given the chance I