Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-09-23
HARDIN WILL FIGHT ALBRook
Thursdays Convention to Nominate
Henderson's Successor Is Political
Event of National Importance Du-
buque Can Name tho winner-sweet
and BirdsaIl Strong Candidates.
Special to Tlmes-Republican.


tives, who SO dramatically Withdrew
from the contest recently. Already. thu
politicians have begun to migrate
toward the seat of Franklin county ant
the eyes of the nation are turned this
way to ascertain who will be the re-
publican nominee. The question who il
to win the coveted prize is still in the
air, but there are many good reasons tt
believe that the nomination will go tt
either Judge Birdsall. of Wright coun-
~, or Burton Z. Sweet, of Bremen
county. Dubuque holds the key and il
any one candidate can secure from the
beginning the united support of Du-
buque he IS almost certain to win. VI
till this morning there are but four an
nounced candidates. Judge Birdsall, OF
Wright county, has secured his head
quarters at the Rule Hotel and will be
accompanied by 100lusty followers. Bur
ton E. Sweet of Bremen. G. Z. Albrook
Of Hardin and c. e. Ransier of Inde-
spendence have also secured headquar-
tiers and with their friends will be or
hand early tomorrow. Pickett and
sCourtwright have both pulled out of the
race, the Blackhawk delegation having
decided not to present any candidate.
1t Is just as well. as no candidate
from Blackhawk has a ghost of a show
and the feeling in more than half the
counties in the district is as marked
against lackhawk as was the feeling
in Blackhawk against Colonel Hender-
son. Last year Blackhawk threw
Franklin down on the goyernorship and
Franklin has not forgotten it. Dubuque
would not look with any favor on
Blackhawk and neither would Delaware
and other counties be other than hos
tile. Sweet has the most elements OF
strength providing Senator Hartman
does not shy his castor, and the proba-
bilities are that he, too, will become q
candidate. It depends upon what the
counties outside of his recommend
Senator Hartman has letters today
from Dubuque urging him to announce
himself, and he has friends in Delaware
and Buchanan on the delegation. He
has large acquaintance In the dis
trict and would be formidable candi-
date; but his elements OF weakness are
in Hardin, which would not vote for
him In ,all probabilities, the campaign
Of last year not having oeen obliter-
ated, and that is another county which
proved untrue to Mr.. Hartman as g
gubernatorial candidate
Albrook, from Eldora, is not consid-
cred here as being in the lead. Albrook
is fine lowyer and an excellent gentle
man, and has been prominent In the
politics OF the district, but unfortu-
.nately he was mixed MP in an Illegal
contract with the tax ferrets in Hardin
county and was compelled to refund his
fees. which he probably earned, but
which YVES very unpopular with his
county. The supervisor who was In the
same legislation was defeated in a re-
publican county Of 700 majority and, re-
jpublicans here say that the delegates
will not choose him for this reason, as
1T would put them at once on the de-
fensive.
If Judge Birdsall could have the as
surance of Dubuque he would win out
for he could then count on eleven dele
gates from his own county (Wright),
eight from Franklin, twelve from Hard
In. all of these counties being in his jul
Cicial district, and large portion from
Blackhawk. These three counties and
Dubuque would give him fifty-five
votes, and it takes only fifty-nine to
nominat,a. tits doubtful If any of the
Dubuque strength will go to Birdsall
and hence he will fight an uphill
battle.
Burton Sweet is more likely to be the
winner. He is the Third district mem
Der of the state central committee and
has been elected twice to the house OF
representatives at Des Moines in a
democratic ounty. He will receive the
support of Bremen eleven votes, of But
Ter, ten votes, Ed Knott ought to get
him a bunch of votes in Blackhawk and
Delaware. and Franklin will give him
eight votes IL necessary. He ought to
have Knott's pull on the Dubuque dele
cation, and Ed Knott is popular in the
state Of Dubuque" so that his pros
poets are decidedly promising.
On the other hand, on the same
premise, C. e. Rapsier will form a
strong combination. If he can get the
vote of his judicial district, ,includlng
Buchanan and Delaware,
he will have thirty-eight to start with,
and Dubuque would finish the work. 1t
is conceded that if Judge Evans, of this
city, would become Il candidate that he
would make the best and strongest cam
vass of any He is stalwart in build
and mental activity, is big, broad
shouldered giant six feet two, with a
fine personality a splendid speaker, a
thorough student and a ready debater.
His friends are legion all over the dis
trict and they say that in two years the
district with him as their Representative
would be back its place in congress, eX-
Cept that it would not have the speaker
However, he will hardly consent to be
considered a candidate If Senator Har-
riman concludes to announce himself,
and he would not like to endanger
Judge Birdsall's chances, being in the
same judicial district. If the Franklin
county delegates had not already made
fight for him for the district Judge
ship they would now propose him and
he would be the most likely to win of
any in the field.
The convention may select a candi-
date on the first ballot or it may be a
protracted contest but in any instance
there seens to be no doubt that the
man selected will be elected over Hor-
ace Boies BlackhaWk, which had been
counted upon to give him a majority,
must now support the new candidate