Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-06-20
TRUTH AS TO coNeER.

10. Nj, KEY NOLDS. NJ. ~.
TRUTH AS TO coNGER.
His cablesram Accepting Nomination
for Governor Here Early.
Des Moines, May II. = Major Con-
ger is being viciously attacked and
vigorously lied about in a circular,
which is being circulated by the thou
sands about Marion county. 1t Is not
conceivable that Mr.. Cummins has
knowledge of the circular, and Will
condemn it, undoubtedly, in strong
terms when called to his attention, es-
pecially in view of the fact that for
gerry on him is included in it.
The circular is issued to attack the
right Of Major Conger' friends to urge
him for governor, on the theory that
he had said he would not be candi-
date; it being omitted that he had re-
peatedly added that he would accept
the nomination.
About February 1 the supreme court
decided the Titus biennial elections
amendment invalid. This meant an
election of governor in Iowa this
year.
On February 8 the Des Moines
Leader printed the following, insist
ing on Major Conger for governor:
There is talk in the republican
press of the desirability OF harmony
and of selecting candidate for COVER
nor who is not factionist. Can Sc
lection be made without getting into
factionalism? Can anyone name
conscientious Iowa republican whose
nomination would not be hailed as a
victory for one or the other side? Go
over the list of observation-disclosures,
Curtis, Perkins, Funk, Herriott, Harri-
man, Hull, Byers, etc - is there one
whose election would not be read
either as a machine or an anti-machine
victory? There seems but one-Mr.
!. Conger. Mr.. Conger is about the on
ly well known Iowa republican men
toned for the governorship not to be
regarded as machine or anti-machine
; and this neutrality would probably not
: attach to him except for the fact that
: he has been absent from the state dur
5 ing the critical period"
f On February II the Register receiv
+ ed dispatch from it's Washington, D
: c., correspondent, saying that Con
: gresham Hull had received a cable
e gram from Major Conger in which Mr.
/ Conger said he would accept the
e nomination for governor. Immediate
J. ly on receipt of this cable Mr.. Hull hat
n written to Iowans about it,
8 On February "a, practically two
t. weeks later. the Iowa correspondent
g for the Chicago Tribune, who is alst
q manager Of Mr.. Cummins' press bur
o eau, published in that paper simultan
1. eously with it's publication in othe
II newspapers to which he furnished
IL on direction of Mr.. Cummins the COP
a les of the cablegram sent to Mr.. Con
q. ger by Mr.. Cummins and one sent t
o. Mr.. Cummins by Mr.. Conger on tina
y date. The cablegram to Major Coz
q. ger sent by Mr.. Cummins, as given t
rs the press, including the Tribune, Eel
y ruary "a, was as follows:
u -Four candidates for governor no
rs in the field. l am one. My opponent
~ say you are a candidate. Settle til
dispute by cabling me-"
d The respon by Major Conger we
VI confirmatory of that sent to Congress
- man Hull, in which he authorized tt
40 40 use of his name by saying he woul
-. accept the nomination, but could NJ
90 make a fight for 1t. Major Conger
-, attitude throughout has been consis
- - emit. AS diplomatic representative
ao the government to foreign countr
IL he could not, with dignity, become
of buttonholing, active, log rolling ca
al. didate for the desired position. B,
in the Hull cablegram, in the CummiI
cablegram two weeks later, in his IL
~ tiers home and on four or five differe
q occasions since coming home he h
8 reiterated his dignified position
& willingness to accept the nominate
~ and authorizing the use of his nan
,ox But the anonymous circular scattt
ed about Marion county evident
NJ, commits forgery on Mr.. Cummil
,nr for it gives the dispatch sent to Maj
,rts Conger by him two weeks after t
by Hull cablegram as having been in t
u uiIs following language:
ed Eve candidates for governor NJ
eel in the field of which l am one. My {
!, u ral ponents say you are candidate.
bile hope you are not. Settle the dispr
low by cabling to me-
,res The change in language betWe
the the cablegram authorized in Februa
Thy, as the copy actually sent, and the o
ho os in the anonymous circular is quite s
its nifcant. The words, Il hope you 6
lies not" are undoubtedly forgery
lses nv Cuproire Thav make tho sit
ling W.. 1: 80, $3.50
of ZION more pain, as IL IHeu e8iSleu,
one. view of Major Conger's reply,
con- which ba declined to COW he would ,
ould "hisn AS ueo , ~ -
no accept the nomination, SIdhulhS NY
position of two weeks previous.
IN. Other misrepresentation of Ma
\, Conger appear in the anonymous {
rec. cular. 1t is confidently expected t
per- Mr.. Cummins will repudiate the cir
om ing lar when it is called to his attention
and Knute Apland, 17-year-old boy
saw Renwick, was terribly injured alb
Sc a the head by horse kicking him.