Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-09-17
THE HENDERSON SENSATION.

/ NJ
Speaker Henderson's sudden refusal
4 to accept denomination for congress
4 after receiving the unanimous invita-
ton of his district convention and after
month OF passive acceptance is the
most astounding thing that has oc-
Cured in Iowa politics for a generation
Nothing apparently has arisen either
| in the political situation or his private
| affairs to alter conditions from what
they We're thirty days ago, yet the man,
with an almost certain prospect for re-
election, waits until the democrats have
centered their entire campaign on his
district by the nomination of ex-Gov-
ernor Boies and until within few
weeks of election day, to tell the public
that he is out of harmony with his
party and must therefore drop the
party cold with scarcely time left be-
fore election day in which to select
campaign fairly started.
Mr.. Henderson's explanation for his
action will hardly be accepted as salts
factory by republicans generally. On
the fourth of this month he met with
other republican leaders at a. confer
ence in Des Moines and there he was
the most outspoken In his declaration
the there was not thing in the Iowa
republican platform that he could not
of all who spoke in his denllnciation
of newspapers that persisted in find
ing fault with the platform after it
had been adopted saying, There is a
battle ahead and this is poor time for
republican orators or republican news
papers to be throwing shells into our
own camp" Which expression was
loudly applauded. 1t is difficult to con-
ceive of a greater shell or more dis
publican ranks just as the enemy is
about to make a determined attack,
than Speaker Henderson has himself
exploded seemingly without cause or
justification. His reply to a friends
telegram that he cannot acqtliesce in
administering free trade poison to cure
the trust evil is rather lame and in
consistent after such vigorous support
as he gave the Iowa platform at Des
fair ~ off al it,1- ITO,
ton as he has given Governor Cummins
to campaign In his district.
The impression can not help but pre-
vail that Mr.. Henderson has not taken
the public into his confidence in this
matter. He certainly consulted none of
the recognized leaders, and most of
them unite in the assertion that he has
made mistake. II he has encountered
some irreconcilable difference from the
views of his district committee he
should have made clear statement of
the case. To wait until this late date
to find out that he is at variance with
republican sentiment IN Iowa is either
inconsistent. to an extreme or sadly
mistaken judgment as to what repub-
lican sentiment really is.
1t has become conspicuous that
Speaker Henderson is not thoroughly
in accord with President Roosevelt's
included among the leaders invited to
Oyster. Bay for consultation and it Is
barely possible that his return to con-
gress would mean contest and possi-
bly, defeat for a reelection as speaker
of the house. AlthO such situation is
not now apparent to the public. and 1t
has been accepted as almost certain
that he would be the next speaker he
may have information that would dis
for reluctance to return unless to the
speakers chair. He can be blamed
only for waiting so long in deciding.
Other republican candidates can be
elected in the Third district. Few, tho,
could be stronger than Mr.. Henderson,
with the power Of his personality back
Of him. and 1t is inconceivable that the
in Blackhawk county fol-
lowing the petition of last winter, the
reply and the Parrott postoffice disap-
pointment, could have endangered his
political chances. It will be difficult to
prove that Mr.. Henderson was not ac-
tuated by fear of the Boies candidacy,
altho his republican friends could see
no particular cause for alarm. The |
general verdict will be that he has
made a great mistake for himself, has
inflicted wholly uncalled for punish
nent upon the whole republican party
FOR the opposition of a few personal en-
emies and has given the public an ex-
cuse which is either not sincere or
nos egregiously mistaken one.
FOR THE TRUST BUSTERS"
Some conclusions for trust busters"
gathered at random by the Times-Re-
publican from various fields: A trust in
is legitimate scope is a great corpora