The Oskaloosa herald., 1904-10-06
JOINT DEBATES
ARE CALLED OFF
CoNGRE SSloNAL COMMITTEE RE.
FUSES CHALLENGE.
WOULD BENEFIT BREWSTER
Unable in Any other Way to Attract
Attention, He Would Thus Get
Advantage of Major Lacey's
Popularity.

AT meeting of the republican con.
gressional committee held in Ottum-
wa Saturday, the question of joint
debate throughout the various coun.
ties in the district, between Hon, John
F. Lacey and s. A. Brewster, candi-
dates for congress ON the republican
and democratic tickets, was thorough.
/ ly canvassed and discussed and the
result. of the deliberations was that
no joint debates will be held.
| Chairman Ellsworth Rominger OF
the committee was instructed to for.
ward to Geo. F. Rinehart, chairman
of the democratic committee, at once
the following reply to the challenge
recently issued by that body to the
republican committee:
| Ottumwa, Iowa, Oct /, 1904
Hon, G.. F. Rinehart,
Chairman of the Democratic Con-
gressional Committee, Newton, Ia.
My Dear Sir:-Your challenge was
duly received and after consideration
by the republican congressional COM
mittee on the above date, l am author
lied to respectfully decline the same.
Very respectfully,
Ellsworth Rominger,
| Chairman of the Republican Congress
sional Committee
Rominser Interviewed.
| AS to why the challenge was de-
clined, and why no joint debate was
desired, Chairman Rominger gave out
on behalf of the committee the follow,
ing authorized interview:
| "Hon. John F. Lacey, our candidate
for congress in the Sixth COMPRESSION
al district, was busy in the campaign
| in northeastern Iowa when the chal-
| lenge for joint meeting was printed
in the newspapers. He at once mott.
| fed the committee that he was ready
to accept the challenge and fixed the
dates and places of meeting and minor
details Of the proposed arrangement,
| in his letter of notification. The re-
| publican congressional committee met
in Ottumwa October and recognize
ing the eminent ability of Mr.. Lacey
as. debater,r legislator, statesman
and scholar and knowing him to be a
fearless exponent of republican prin-
ciples, they were of the unanimous
opinion that joint meeting was not
desired in the respective counties in
the Sixth district, The challenge con-
tained discOurteous language but the
| committee did not consider that suffi-
| cient upon which to decline the cfal-
lenge. but they believed that Major
Lacey will be elected by an increased
majority in the district that will ex-
| coed all former years. The substan-
tial business interests, farmers, labor
ers, mechanics and miners of the dis
trict have given him earnest assur-
ance of their support. The republi-
can candidate is known as one of the
ablest representatives in congress and
has earned a national reputation by
his able work for the Sixth district of
Iowa and the entire country and this
year the business prosperity that has
| come as the result of wise republican
policies for the past seven years en-
pnasizes the record in behalf of an
| unparalleled progress of our candi-
| date for congress and we believe he
will be endorsed by great republican
victory. Fully understanding that a
| joint discussion is the easiest mode of
campaigning and that the audience
and subject matter is always furnish
| ed by the stronger contestant, the
committee does not deem it advisable
to engage in the discussion of demo
| cratic principles for the reason that
the platform upon which the opposing
| candidate stands has caused wide
spread dissatisfaction in the ranks OF
| the democratic party and many demo-
Gratis have publicly refused to support
the platform or the candidates named
| thereon, and they offer nothing under
| present conditions that could interest
the happy, prosperous voters of the
Sixth congressional district and only
hopeless defeat awaits the challeng-
| ing party. The committee contem-
plating sweeping republican victory
in every county in the district and the
election of Major Lacey by an over
whelming majority and Iowa by at
least 100000 and the triumphant cleo.
ton Of Theo. Roosevelt and Cnas. w.
Fairbanks by vote that will forever
bury the discordant notes and theo-
ries of divided democratic party in
the United States of America, there.
fore, the challenge was respectfully
declined" 80
Brewster Still Unhappy.
Monday morning, Major Lacey re.
ceived in his mail the following let,
ter from Mr.. Brewster:
Ottumwa, Ia, Oct. /, 1904.
! Hon. John F. Lacey,
Member of Congress Sixth District Of
! Iowa. Oskaloosa, Iowa:
/ Dear Sir:-On Sent % tha chair.