Omaha daily bee., 1902-09-12
POINT OF THE IOWA FIGHT
Democrats Will Concentrate in the Con-
gresIional Districts,
NO INTEREST IN STATE TICKET
Facts and Statistics showing where
the Republicans VIII Have TO Face
Serious Contests and DO
Their Best.
(From a stan Correspondent

Sixth.
The democrats OF course, have no
thought of carrying the state. In their
convention there was no interest nor con-
test for place on the state ticket. 1t en-
braces the name Of no frst-class man, but
Ia filled out with unknown and obscure
persons rather as a matter Of form.
likewise in most Of the congressional
districts the democratic pr~edicament is ut
terly hopeless. In the Tenth and Eighth
districts the democratic nominees have de-
clined to make the race and withdrawn
from the ticket. The republican pluralities
in the last election two years ago in the
districts which will not be seriously con-
tested now were as follows: Fourth, 49,
sea: Fifth, 9,s6s; Seventh, 12,14S; Eighth,
5,451; Ninth, 6,947; Tenth, 1898; Eleventh,
1879.
But the other districts which will be
seriously contested this year have all been
carried by the democrats or by fusion OF
the democrats with the populists except
the Third, which is the home Of Speaker
Henderson. For two decades until four
years ago that district was normally demo-
cratic and was only saved for the re-
publicans by the personal popularity and
campaigning efficiency of Speaker Hender-
son, but always by slender pluralities and
once by q plurality OF only 267. His plural
ity two years ago, however, ran up to
11,325. The immense German vote In all
the counties on the Mississippi river came
over almost in a body to the republicans
on the money issue, having previously
acted with the democrats for a decade dur
ing the prohibition epoch, and this in large
part accounts for the landslide In the
speakers district in the last two or three
elections.
Similar causes have operated in the First
and Second districts, both OF them river
Districts" and both solidly democratic on
the liquor issue. For twelve years the late
Ex-Governor John H. Gear was the only re-
I publican who succeeded in carrying the
First, and he was repeatedly defeated. The
Second district was purposely made a DEM
ocratic district by assigning to 1t strong
democratic counties in order to make sure
Of republican districts elsewhere. and In
twenty years the republicans have con-
trolled 1t for only three terms. In the last
election the republican plurality was only
1895 and the majority over all was only
364. In the First district. the republican
majority was only $3.50.
The Sixth. district has, until recently,
been carried as often by the democrats and
fusionists as by the republicans. II was
the stronghold OF the greenbackers, whose
successors we're the populists, and since
the Bryan regime they have coalesced with
the democracy. Two years ago Congress-
man Lacey, whei has always had to fight
for his life, carried the district by only
2,74S republican majority.
In these four districts the democrats
either have or wfll put up strong candidates.
Judge Craig in the First, Judge Wade In
the Second and Ex-Governor Boles in the
L Third ara nrahah1u Tho afranOaaf laadaro
that 1t is possible for the democrats to
choose. They will make energetic contests.
The real aim is to break the now solid
Iowa republican delegation in congress, and
to that extent the republicans should know
that there is a real fight ahead.
Charged with Abusing a Child.
A life tragedy. eliminating in inhumar
cruelty to a babe, came to light in Dei
Moines today. 1. N. Thompson Of Dallas
Center was in the city about two weeks age
making inquiries about his wife, who had
come to Des Moines. II appears she had de.
serted him to live a life OF shame. He could
not find her. But he left with friends hi:
child, a boy about 2h years old. and today
, having heard that the child was not vel
treated, he came here again. He found thai
, his child had been in fact shamefully
treated. He brought the little one to polio,
headquarters and it's body was found to b,
; covered with stripes and bruises, showing
! that IL had been subjected to an unmercifu
beating at the hands Of someone. He sworI
out an information at once accusing Mr.. and
Mrs. Harry Lloyd, who live on Twenty-sec
ond street. with assault upon the child. Mrs
= Lloyd is a stepsister to Mrs. Thompson. III,
. affair created a great deal Of indignation
r and serious threats against the persons
4 guilty OF the crime. Thompson has beer
I unable to get trace of his wife.
: Fined for M~istFeatinG Horses.
, In police court this morning FIVE driver
0 OF horses were up for cruelty to animals
Four OF them, Bert Lawyer, T, NJ. Moore, J
B. Duncan and c. H. Smith, were fount
guilty and hned 800 each, in default o
$ which they were sent to Jail. Del West, tn,
n contractor under whom they worked, will
. have a trial later.
h Christian Church Convention.
s The reports made to the annual state con
y %vention Of the Christian churches OF low
indicates that this denomination has gainet
IS rapidly the last few years in this state. Tn
e next convention will be held in Centervill
o next year, as a compliment to ex-Governo
II Drake, who has long been one Of its mos
! prominent members. The following oficer
were elected; President, /. N. MeCash, De
q Moines; vice president, T. J. Dow, De
MONIES; second vice president. J. r. MeIn
tyre. Fort Dodge; secretaries. R. C. sargen
and +. S. Handsacker. Board Of Missions
20 President. A. NJ. Haggard. Des Moines; vic
20 president, 7. F. odenweller, Laurensi seere
tary, J. ]. Grove, Ames; treasurer, j. B. Bur
ton, Des Moines; corresponding secretary, I
"a s.. Denny. Des Moines. Trustees Drake uni
~ versity: C. L. Gilehrist, J. Mad Williams
D. +. II. Lemon. c. NJ. Porter, R. z. Mccoy,
S. Ames.
Concluding the Lewis Case.
o. The testimony for the state in the Levi
A case was finished this afternoon. Most
sIv the testimony related to conversations a
in legged to have been had by the defendaT
with others after the murder of the Pstei
son children. The state succeeded in show
h. ing that Lewis statements to different pei
70 sons were conflicting in the extreme and thu
eT but little dependence could be placed c
what he had said about II. That he was M
or far away when the murder was committs
was made plain. though his direct come,
VI. tion with II was hardly established. At Il
=, conclusion OF the states testimony the d
Tense moved to dismiss, claiming no ca