Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-06-20
CRISIS IS AT HAND
Cummins' Boom for Governor
Reaches a Critical Point.
Has NOW 473 VOTES IT is SAID
Opposition Candidates Declare He Has
Worked Out Friedly Territory
Will Shortly Be Seen Whether He
Will Receive Further Endorsement.

Des Moines, June 19.-The COVER
norship crisis has presented many in
teresting situations, but the really
critical point appears now near at
hand, If the explanations of the anti
CumminS leaders concerning the
strength shown by Mr.. Cummins are
to be accepted. The anti-Cummins
men has said that the Cummins mana
ayers secured early conventions in
counties known to be for their candi-
date, and that when the friendly terri
tory should be worked out the Cum
minis boom would come to sudden
and lasting halt.
The counties that were conceded to
Cummins have nearly all held their
conventions, therefore it will shorty
be seen whether the Cummins candi-
dacy Is to receive further Endorsement
or be made to stand still while other
candidates are given support.
The candidate who receives the
nomination must secure 821 votes. At
the present time Cummins has 473,
Hartman 112, Herriott 48, Trewin 40,
and Conger IA. OF the three counties
in the Eleventh district that have yet
| to hold conventions it is fair to pre-
sumo Cummins will control two, and
| In the Second district 1t is equally fair
to say he will secure the votes of three
of the remaining counties.
| See 600 Cummins Votes.
| There remain but four counties in
the Tenth that have not held conven-
tons, and here Cummins probably will
capture two.
These seven counties are practical.
ly certain to 60 for Cummins will have
101 delegates, which brings his sure
list close to the 600 mark. If he shall
succeed in securing delegates in what
Is regarded as the doubtful territory
he will be brought near to the number
necessary to nominate, and as the fight
must soon be carried into these dis
tricts it may be said that the critical
period of the campaign is at hand.
The Importance of the results in the
doubtful territory Is shown by the fig
ures representing the relative strength
of the candidates, but to be fully un
derstood one must be familiar with the
whole situation. Each candidate fol-
| governor has some second choice
strength-that is, each may reason
ably expect to gain some while his
own support remains intact, although
in this there is always the possibility
of great disappointment.
| In the present contest Cummins is
supposed to have larger second
choice strength than any of the others
and, this being true, the importance
of additions to his strength when he is
already SO close to the goal is appar
emit. If the opposition can prevent
| CT
mark there will still be a chance to
efforts during the next few weeks will
be directed.
Whether Cummins has reached the
limit Of his strength is the all-absorb
ing question just now, and the answer
will be Forthcoming in the results Of
conventions soon to be held.
New to Iowa Politics.
The governorship contest presents
many features that are new to Iowa
politics. Never before, for instance
have so many counties tied up theil
delegations on the governorship by
Instructions. The convention probably
will contain twenty times as many in
structed delegates as any convention
of the past.
The republicans in many counties
have taken advantage of the opportun
ity presented by their county conven
lions to express themselves upon othel
/ subjects. The reelection of senators
Allison and bolivar have been almost
universally recommended by the Cum
minis counties for the purpose, ne
doubt, of disproving the charge thai
Cummins had designs upon Senator
Allison's seat in the senate.
| Railway assessments have received
consideration in many instances, Car
roll, Dallas, Montgomery, Guthrie, Cass
and other counties having passed reso
| lutions demanding a more equitable
DISTRIBUTION of the burden of taxation
In many counties railway assessments
lhaYe been and are the leading issues