Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-11-17
Mr.. Baboock's Destination.

Milwaukee, Nov. 1T.--The Wisconsin
republican delegation to the fifty
eighth congress decided Saturday af-
ternoon to support the candidacy of
Joseph G. Cannon of Illinois FOR the
speakership, This action was taken
after the delegation had unanimously
offered its earnest support to Joseph w.
Babcock of the Third district of Wis
consin. Mr.. Babcock, however. declined
to be a candidate and advocated unan-
imous support of Mr.. Cannon.
Mr.. Babcock thanked his colleagues,
but declined their support. saying:
Gentlemen, want to thank you from
the bottom of my heart for your kind
and cordial support. The office of
speaker of the house is one Of the high
est Importance and of great power and
responsibility; his power is limited only
by the will of the house. The speaker
of the fifty eighth congress should, in
view of present environments, be select
ed with peculiar care and with serious
regard far party harmony in republican,
policies. He should be chosen without
mourning obligations that might weak
en- the organization of the house, so
that he would be free to use his best
Judgment to make the organization
the strongest possible, to the end that
public measures may be considered
without prejudice, and to the end that
the greatest good may be accomplished
for the greatest number.
''While / appreciate the great honor
you have conferred upon me and the
great compliment to me and to our
state involved in the offer of support
1 believe that / should consider this
subject in an absolutely impersonal
way, laying aside all merely personal
ambitions. My time as you know, has
been given for the success of the re-
publican party and republican princi-
pies by the election of republican
house of representatives We have
elected republican house by a major
ity of thirty, according to the latest
reports.
THE first and most important thing
to be considered Is a harmonious Or
ganization, one that will bring to the
speaker all the elements of strength in
the party. The east has several dis
tinguished gentlemen whose names
have been mentioned for speaker,
among them the Hon. Serene T.. Payne
and the Hon. John DalZell of Pennsyl-
vania, the Hon. C. e. Littlefield OF
Maine, and in the middle west the Hon.
Theodore z. Burton of Ohio.
THE west, proper, has but one an
nounced candidate, the Hon. Joseph G..
Cannon, of Illinois, the veteran leader
of the house, ripe in experience, cour-
ageous, wise, and above reproach
whose highest ambition would be to
faithfully promote the success of re-
publican principles, to give due heed
to public sentiment on the great ques-
lions that confront us now and that
are likely to be considered, and to
maintain that CO. cooperation of the house
with the senate so necessary to wise
and careful legislation.
eff I should enter the field as a can
didate it would be long drawn out
contest that might leave scars that
would in the end prevent that harmony
of organization which, in the public
interest, should be preserved, especial
ly in the west. We must not forget that
our first duty is to the people, and that
we must give President Roosevelts adj
ministration strong and united sup
port, and, while / assure you, my COL
leagues and friends, that / gratefully
appreciate your kind tender of support,
I am constrained to believe that the
best interest of the great northwest, the