Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-03-17
PEACE IS RESTORED
Political Strife in Seventh Dis.
trict Over for Two More
Years.
The Polk County Convention
Was a Notable Occasion
Trouble Prevented.
Prouty Makes a Scathine Speech
Will Be Candidate Two
Years Hence.
special to Times-Republican.


the state the republicans oil roih
county have got over or thru 'iieii
county convention without riot,
strike. a walkout, bolt or even one
abusive word. Conditions We're right
for almost anything. and perhaps IN
any other state of the union than Iowa
something serious would have resulted
from the combination of circumstances
under which the convention met. 1t was
full o'clock Saturday evening peiore
the convention finished its work. Inc
thousands of Des Moines and FOLK
county republicans who crowded INTO
the Y. NJ. C. A. auditorium waited inn
patiently in anticipation of the prom
ised quarrel and possible bolt Plans
for a bolt could not have been better
laid. The minority have insisted all
along that no bolt was ever contein-
plated, but it is certain that more than
half of the people who went into the
hall expected division of the conVen-
ton or worse and We're agreeably dis
appointed that it did not come.
What really happened was that with
the Hull men in full control of the con-
vention the Prouty men made spirit
ed fight for what they deemed their
rights, demanded 4 postponement or
the congressional part of the conven-
ton. set forth what they believed to be
good and sufficient reasons for this ac-
ton. and when they were fairly beaten
by the solid Hull front they submitted
gracefully. Capt. Hull delivered him
self of pleasing speech of thanks He
did not say much. but showed himself
thoroughly glad it was all over Judge
Prouty appeared and pledged his sup
port. He delivered an address which
his opponents declare was as bitter and
cutting as anything ever spoken. and
his friends say was as severely scath-
ing as they could wish. But the main
fact was that he accepted the result
and spared the rest of the Seventh dis
trict the horrors of campaign of per-
sonalities.
The two sides to the Polk county con-
troversy We're stated by the credentials
committee in the two reports present
ed. The majority of the committee
made the following statement in re-
porting the list of delegates as returned
by the county central committee:
1T has been charged by the oppon-
ents of Capt Hull that the majority re-
ceived by him was secured thru false
and fraudulent votes and demand has
been made upon us to investigate the
charges in detail. We submit to this
convention the following conclusions:
First. to the charge of repeating, we
have to say that it would be impossible
for this committee to determine wheth-
er or not there was repeating without
an investigation extending over weeks
of time. The evidence invoked to es-
tablish such charges would be unrelia-
BILE in the extreme and the witnesses
unworthy of credence, and 1t would
then be impossible to determine wheth-
err such illegal votes if any. We're cast
for Captain Hull or Judge Prouty. We
have investigated the returns of the
precincts where such illegal votes
would be most likely to be cast and
have concluded that from the face of
the returns of said precincts it is evil
dent that the votes cast for the oppon-
ent of Capt. Hull in those precincts
were largely in excess of the normal
vote and must have included votes cast
by members of opposition parties"
The committee here gave statement
Of returns and comparisons showing
that the vote cast at the primary was
far in excess of the normal republican
vote in many precincts. especially some
precincts carried by Judge Prouty; and
continuing the report said:
to- 1,a of
returns that democrats voted for the
republican candidates for congress in
the primary contest and In view of the
fact that all the ballots were placed in
the ballot boxes without marks of iden-
tification. it would be impossible for
this committee to determine how the
illegal votes We're cast. In view of these
facts your committee has decided to re-
port the list of delegates as returned
under the rules of the county commit
tee and are of the opinion that said
delegates were elected and are duly au-
thorized to represent the republican
electors in this convention.
This committee is of the opinion
that we are not at liberty to go behind
the returns as made and certified by the
judges of the election"
The minority report, which had been
prepared in advance, called in question
the right of the Hull delegates TO sit
from certain precincts named because:
the names of the Hull delegates We're
printed first on the ballots wrongfully,
the judges appointed in these and all
other precincts contained q majority
of Hull men. contrary to fairness and
the following specific accusations:
"Third-That there was presented to
the committee convincing proof that
either precinct committeeman or Hull
judges gave out and distributed official
ballots other than We're handed to the
voters during the balloting, which bal
lots We're marked by the supporters of
Capt. Hull previous to their being given
to the voter and who voted such tick
cts and returned to the person marking
the same the official ballot handed him
by the judges just prior to his entering
the booth; and that such practice was
irregular and illegal and in violation of
the rules of the primary.
'Fourth-That it is further claimed
and the claim was shown to have foun-
dation, that many voters in said pre-
cincts We're offered and received money
ranging from So to $40, in exchange for
vote for Capt. Hull. which practice
was illegal, corrupt and debauching,
and no candidate should be permitted
to profit by such despicable practices.
"F'ifth-That there is claimed that in
many of said precincts many repeaters
were permitted to vote In the interest
of the candidacy of Capt. Hull, which