Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-06-23
TO BOOST WALSH
BRYANITEs BELIEVED TO BE.
SEEKING HIS REELECTION.
FAVORING KANSAS CITY PLATFORM

Ale9eQ IhaC OttumWdn'S FRIENDS ARC
After Control of Democratic conven-
ton Next Year-Judge Babb of the
First District Said to be in Politics.
The placing of Hon. Chas. A. Walsh
of this city in line to succeed himself
as a member of the democratic nations
al central committee is alleged to be
the end sought by number of promin-
ent Iowa democrats, who are this year
apparently making a vigorous cam
paign in the interest of the Kansas
City platform Concerning this phase
of the Iowa democratic situation the
Des Moines correspondent of the Bur-
lington Hawk-Eye says:
skMful Campaign.
Are Chas. A.. Walsh and his friends
conducting a campaign for the re-elec-
ton Of Mr.. Walsh as member of the
national democratic committee of
Iowa under the guise of an unselfish
devotion to the principles of the Kan
sas City platform. This is the indict-
ment that is to be brought against
Walsh, ]. B. Weaver, Walt Butler, G.
Rinehart ct al, by the democrats who
are opposed to the ratification of the
Kansas City platform this year, after
1t was ignored by the convention last
year. The gold democrats and other
democrats who have not been consid-
cred gold democrats, are of the opin-
ion that the whole plan is simply to
place Walsh in line to succeed himself
as a member of the national democrat
ic committee from Iowa. His cam
paign has been very shrewdly managed
they say, but it has been managed
with but one end in view. His friends
are of the opinion that if they can
control the state convention and die
tate the platform this year, they will
have sufficient influence to dominate
the convention next year and select
the delegates to the national conyen-
ton. The scheme has been very care
j fully worked out, IL this be true for I'M
til very recently Walsh's name has not
been mentioned at ALL
Had Headquarters Opened.
It will be remembered, however that
Walsh was the most earnest advocate
of the Kansas City platform at the last
! state convention. He opened head
i quarters in Des Moines two or three
Rdays before the convention and made
rseveral attempts to stem the tide
against the Kansas City platform. He
ssproposed one compromise after anoth-
Yer, when he saw that AN unequivocal
Teafirmation was out eff the question
He was unable to save anything out of
the wreck, however, ana many wonder
Led why he was SO per sistent. 1t was
Whispered at about that time that Mr.
q II 10 f,,t,
was striving to hold his organization in
the state together. Tine gold demo-
Gratis are of the opinion that he and
his friends are doing this at present
and that they care dor the Kansas
City platform only as almeans of keep
Ing their own organization together.
Whether this be tr,ae or not, there
is no question but that they are busy.
leading democrats in every county in
the state have been Deceiying letters
urging them to stand by the Kansas
City platform. Most of these letters
are sent out by Rinellart who is the
chairman of the reor ganizers. There
is in no doubt that they are in better
touch with the silver men than they
were last year. The question is wheth-
er or not there are enough silver men
left for them to get in touch with
First District United.
Last year the First, district was pref
ty much divided but this year the gold
men seem to be in a. large majority.
Some of the old line democrats even
claim they will have every county in
the district. There is some dissen
sion in Louisa couItty and the silver
men claim to have won out. Whether
they did or not remains to be seen
when the state COW ention meets. The
old line democrats have been quietly
organizing all over the district. The
results of their work are just beginning
to be apparent Seed'ley of Burlington
Palmer of Mt. Plea SAINT, and several
others have been . rominent in the
work. They have said nothing but the
developments in THAI; part Of the state
would indicate that they have been
busy just the same-i
One of the significant features OF
the movement is the fact that Judge
Babb is a delegate Ito the Henry coun.
ty convention which meets Saturday
and it is understood that he will be q
delegate to the den locratic state con
vention. 1t has beef some years since
Judge Babb was ac tive in democratic
politics. He was on of the leaders OF
the gold democracy in 1896 and pre-
sided at Palmer and Buckner meet
ings all over southern Iowa. Since
that time he has n OF participated in
the actions of the pslrty, though he has
continued to be a democrat. Two
years ago he attended the state con
ventlon in Des Moi les. or rather was
there before the con vention. The gold
men expected to win out in that con
yention but Judge Babb discovered
before the convention met that their
hopes were. without foundation and not
being a delegate, hi, went home.