Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-02-13
Prouty's Friends Now Conf
dent of His Superior Strength
Over Captain Hull
THE SEVENTH DISTRICT POLITICS
Congressional Campaign at Present Is
Concentrated In Des Moines, and
Polk county-consresional Primary
Will Be Square Test of Support Of
the iowa Platform In That County.
Special to rimes-Rerublican.


Special to Times Republican.
pes Moines. Feb. 13-The congress-
iona, campaign in the Seventh district
Is concentrated for the present in the
city of Des Mones and in Polk county.
The contest has many features that
make it especially interesting in Des
Moines and yet there is not manifest
quite the enthusiasm Of two years ago
when the same men fought for su-
preanacy. and delegates. The ground
having once been gone over carefully
Is not so fruitful of surprises.
Up to three months ago the concen-
sus OF opinion among the business men
of the city and among politicians who
try to keep informed as to the trend OF
dffalrs was that Capt. Hull was
stronger this year than two years ago.
while Judge Prouty had not materially
strengthened himself by two years OF
organizing work. Few save the most
ardent Prouty men disputed this view
Of the case. There were many business
men, who. for purely business reas-
ons. had turned to be strong ad-
vocates OF continuing Capt. Hull In.
once. He had been doing things and
he was entitled to credit therefor He
had unfinished work ahead. and he
should be allowed to complete 1t. On
the other hand Judge Prouty suffered
the handicap OF one defeat and the loss
of prestige natural to a defeat even
tho Il was a technical and not real
defeat.
The f,rst sign of a change was IN the
fact that the republican county COM
mittee, w1HNct was two years ago In
ft,r, control OF the friends of Hull hal
become a Prouty organization. and this
with Overwhelming majority and with
on. any apparent reason therefor
Tn.. came fhe municipal campaign
wsfth tts attendant complications and
wien Judge Prouty deemed It Avis
able to can the primary for congress-
man ne did SO. He had already COM
rrenced his campaign and was engaged
In making speeches all over the cuqin-
ty. His work OF organization was
started. Capt. Hull came home Inn
rneddately. He has been Ill o part Of
the time and ds not able to stand hard
campaign, but is now engaged in per-
sonally directing the campaign for re-
nomination.
Over the entrance to The Hull head
quarters are banners calling the atten-
tton OF the business men TO the Army
Post" the million dollar postofice,"
and the proposed appropriation for
"River Improvement These consti-
tute the platform on, which CAPT. Hull
he Aslcng a denomination. In his be-
half II IS pointed out that he got the
army post located in Des Molnes and
worked the appropriations thru. He
secured tire start OF a new postofffce
and he IA now fa,therdng a bill to have
the sovernment expend a vast sum in
cutting channel fof the Coon river
and building leveea to hold back the
water from certain property In Des
.Molnes In case of foods. Huil's friends
refer to the fact that II Is Huh who has
been doing things first last and all the
time for Des Moires, and ne ie now
a position as chairman OF the military
COMMITTEES of the house 10 practically
dictate what shall be done. He can
compel congress to do things for Des
Moines. and this no new man could do.
II Is because Of this fact that business
men of The city. who care nothing for
politics, are more united today 10!
Hull than ever before.
But the friends OF Prouty scout this
clatm Of the Hull men. They are say
ing. and saying II publicly, that the de-
mand for the postoffice has been forced
on the department by long line OF COM
plants as to the inadequacy of thu
present building until it came as a
matter OF course. that as for the army
post there is still some serious doubt
as to whether it will be good thing
for Nhe city in the long run. and the
scheme to get the money for dikes in
Des Moines is irnerical. And so there
Is room for argument on this point.
Judge Prouty's advocates are also
claiming for him a great deal OF person
al ability and aggressiveness and they
say that II will not be long until he
will be in far stronger position in con-
gr.ss than Capt. Hull is today.
There are a number of complications
IN tAe CdTnpdlSII. r VI aiaSeoA1NSs ~ -
certain that the Hull forces compelled
Mayor Brenton to get of the track and
they named Mattern as their candidate
for mayor This incensed the friends
OF Brenton: and while he fought for
Mattern largely because he hated
MacNicar. former mayor, he is nov
with Macvicar at work in the Pro,ity
camp Mayor Brenton is very conf
dent that Prouty will win. He is
shrea-d politician and familiar with all
elements i'm the city and he declares
there is no question about the success
of Prouty Two years ago he was for
Hull. Then there Is the fact that
among Hulls supporters there Is
jealousy and disagreement. There is
o postoffice crowd that is quarreling
With the federal court and pension
crowd and the city hall crowd is op-
posing both: yet oil are for Hull. Be
fore Hull went away he left his cam
radgn in the hands OF two men. one for
each side OF the river. When he re-
turned he found them working at
cross purposes and he was forced to as
sumo full control of the campaign him