Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-03-28
Cummins Has the Only Machine
and it is Hard at Work.
HERRIOTT is BUSY IN THE NINTH
His Attitude the Cause of Consider
able Alarm Among the Forces Of
Mr.. cummins-campaign of Perkins
Meeting With Favor.

Des Moines, March 26.-As the time
for holding the primaries over the
state approaches it becomes notice
ALE that the political activity
is becoming greater but is more
under the surface. All of the
candidates are working hard and
with the exception of Mr.. Cum
Minis are pursuing much the same
course. Mr. Cummins is sending
workers out all over the state while
his opponents are devoting their time
and effort largely to their own dis
tricts. The convention will decide
which method is the better.
1t is generally conceded that Cum
minis has the best organization of any
candidate. His political fights in the
past and especially his recent sena-
torial contests have left him with a
machine all ready organized and i'll
running order The other candidates
have to create their energy to max
ing themselves as strong as possible
in their own districts. They realize
that to come to the convention with a
divided district means almost certain
defeat.
A meeting of the state central COM
mittee was expected before this but
there seems to be no more indication
of one than there was a month ago.
The Cummins men are naturally any
ious for committee meeting. They
want an early convention and moth
ing in this direction can be done I'M
til the committee meets and decides.
They hope to be able to influence the
4 members of the committee to call the
convention early. The reason for
this anxiety is obvious. The boom
of their candidate will soon be at its
height. If the convention does not
meet at the proper time reaction
may take place which they fear would
be fatal to the interests of their man.
In the judgment of politicians it is not
probable that the committee will call
the convention any earlier than usual.
1t is possible however, that the con-
vention may be called early.
All of the candidates are working
hard. Mr.. Herriott spends most of
his time in the Ninth district looking
after his interests and organizing his
friends. His attitude is the cause of
much alarm to the Cummins forces.
He will insist that the men on the
delegations from the different coun-
ties must be Herriott men and not
men who will go for Cummins after
one or two ballots. Mr. Herriott has
refused to confer with Cummins and
sydesires it to be plainly understood
that he is not merely organizing the
district for Cummins as the Cummins
menStry to intimate.
Tho campaign of George D. Perkins
is meeting With great encouragement
everywhere. His frank, straightfor-
ward articles in the Sioux City Jour
nal have been the occasion of favor
able mention in the editorial columns
of almost every paper in the state ex-
cept one or two, the so-called 'inde-
pendent" organs. Mr.. Perkins
friends are numerous and are widely
scattered. He will certainly come to
the convention with almost the entire
Eleventh district, if not with all of it..
Mr.. Hartman also has many
friends. The Third district will be
with him and the First will lie be-
tween him and Perkins. 1t is prob
able that both men will have many
votes from there. Should Mr.. Trew-
in not come out greater part of the
Fourth district will go to him. Be
sides strength in certain sections,
Hartman will have much strength
from over all parts of the state.
Considerable indignation has been