Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-07-21

l w
secure proxies resulted in considerably
more than 100 such proxies being in the
convention. But Ketchum. two years
| ago. had been supported largely by
Cummins counties and this year he
was easily their first choice, aside from
some district obligations, owing to To-
also had the strong support of the
standpat element of his own district.
thru whose efforts he drew many votes
from the standpat counties of southern
Iowa and as Porteriield was not desir-
ed by the railroad attorneys these
powerful influences threw no obstacles
in ketchum's way. His was an easy
victory from the start, practically ev-
cry vote coming as it had been prom
boys rallying on the second ballot just
as they had said they would.
The Fifth district itself made start
toward harmony altho the baking of
some OF the team was eXasperating In
the first place the candidacy of Mowry
for the same office sought by Ketchum
after two of the largest counties in the
east end of the district had instructed
for Ketchum was inexcusable. The
representative republicans of Tama
county, however. are not to be blamed
for i. as they regretted it as much. II
not more. than anyone, and the home
paper that encouraged the old man To
make so foolish a move can not feel
very nrotid of its work. The GrundN
men. toe, got very little glory out OF
their actions, and to be left stranded
on a lonely Mowry island, when the
Tama delegates of Mowry's own APP
pointmertt, had already made up their
minds to vote for ketchum, was fitting
nay for their folly. Ordinarily the
Crundy men are royal good fellows.
loyal to Marshall county. but they were
mad at ketchum this time for things
some one had told them ketchum had
said discouraging to Buehans candi-
dacy of TWO years ago. The grievance
may or may not have been justified but
the wisdom of their course was faulty
when viewed from a political stand
point.
In all the convention was pleasant
one because of the lack of strife, and
as Messrs. Gilbertson. Martin and Car
roll stood up together in the receiving
line at their headquarters the picture
presented of intelligent honest, clean
lived, stalwart Americanism was Il
striking one. A man could not look
upon these men knowing that they.
ecutive council without nursing the
thought that the struggle Of the past
four years had accomplished some
thing for good government.
Practical politics We're played, of
course, and IN instances the methods of
the heelttr appeared. For Instance, the
candidacy OF Kretschmer turned out to
have been for no other purpose than to
allow the bosses to control the Du-
buque delegation in the matter of Sc
lecting a member of the state central
committee from the Third district
which was accomplished without a
struggle, and in the Fourth district the
factional contest over committeeman
was decided by the same tactics. The
Floyd county delegation. selected by a
Cummin.I county convention and COM
posed OF Cummins men, but amateur
politicians, allowed Blythe bench
man TO lead them straight into the
Blythe camp under the hoax of his
for district elector. To men
who could see the real situation 1t was
amusing to behold the strenuous cam
paign this play-aetor was making for
a place nobody wanted and which he
or anybody else could have had for the
asking, while the unsophisticated
members of his delegation were prom
Using and re-promising their votes
every thirty minutes. The Fourth dis
trict merely repeated what usually
happens when the busy men stay at
home AMI the professionals, ever-pres-
ent. have their way. 1t was another
demonstration Of the fact that eternal
vigilance is the price of good govern
nent.
A CONVINCING CAMPAIGN DOCUMENT
The bureau of commerce and labor