Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-09-25
6. c. D)NELL NAY
OPPOSE Mr.. Hull
Polk County Senator Likely to
Try for Republican Nomina-
tion for Congress
HULL MAY NOT MAKE A FIGHT
Some Talk That He Will Give Way to
Mcdowell, but That Seems Unlikely
The Seventh District Situation
Ha. Long Reen an Interesting One
Capital Gossip.

Has Long Been an Interesting One
Capital Gossip.
Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines, Sept 25.-There seems
to be little doubt but Senator C. c.
Dowell of this city is prepared at the
epportune time to become candidate
for congress from the Seventh con-
gressional district against Captain j. A
7. Hull. Rather, it may be said, he
expects Captain Hull to step aside and
let him have the field. Senator Dowell
heretofore. has been a supporter OF
Captain Hull in all his contests and
also has been a warm supporter OF
Governor Cummins. The promises that
Hull has made to other local politicians
are said also to have been made to
Senator Dowell. 1t is understood that
to keep Dowell out of the field as cam
didate he was told that he could have
the support of Hull and the Hull ma
chine at the proper time. This was
also told to N. e. Coffin and James
Berryhill of this city. Then all three
We're told collectively that they could
have the support of the Hull people
just as soon as they agreed on which
one of the three should have the office
The matter has stood in that condition
for some little time till it is said thar
Senator Dowell now sees his oppor-
tunity in circumstances that would
make it difficult and undesirable to
either Berryhill or Coffin to become
candidates thus making 1t necessary
for them to accede to the candidacy of
Senator Dowell and bringing the sight
draft promise of Captain Hull to a
question of payment. 1t Of course re-
mains to be seen what view OF the
matter will be taken by Captain Hull
but it is undoubtedly true that Senator
Dowell, who has served with credit
from this county in the senate, and his
friends have very strong hopes of land
ing the congressional nomination about
a year from this time.
The seventh congressional political
situation has long been an interesting
one and seems likely to remain SO. The
friends of the primary election and the
friends of the other possible candidates
for the office are asking what the
probable effect of the passage of pri-
mary election law will have on the sit
uation in this and other congressional
districts. It Is understood, drawing
the conclusion from the speeches which
the governor has delivered this sum-
mer, that his desire is for a primary
election law requiring the primary to
be held in every locality Of the state on
the same day, and that the vote in the
political district shall decide the re-
suit. For instance the candidate for
congress in the Seventh congressional
district who gets the most votes would
get the nomination. Such situation
would afford great possibilities. Every
candidate would be a candidate in the
entire district and not in his own
county first as under the old county
rule If the majority of the votes is to
elect and Senator Berry of Indianola
and Senator Dowell Of Des Moines were
candidates, each would be forced to &c
after the votes in the others home
county, and each candidate would be
sure to get some votes in the other
county. If Congressman Hull should
step aside for Senator Dowell, which
possibility most politicians seem to
think is as far removed as
the poles Of the earth. the
results with new candidates in the
Des Moines field might be difficult to
forecast. 1t is conceded that Captain
Hull has been getting the nomination
from time to time by getting Polk
county, which he has sometimes Sc
cured by small majorities However
small the majority, after getting the
delegates he has had the county, and
with the delegates of one other county
has been sure Of election. II the big
minority Of Polk county under the new
proposed primary plan unites with the
big majority of the outside counties
which is supposed to oppose Hull, 1t is
easily to be seen that under the pri-
mary election law the results might be
far different from those under the
present plan of a convention made up
of delegates from the various coun-
ties.
Ex-Speaker Bowen, of Allamakee
county, was in the city last week at
tending the convention of railway sur
geons. He has been mentioned as a
possible candidate for governor. "Po-
litics is not setting the prairies afiTe
in our county at ALL said DR.. Bowen.
"There is very little political discussion
at this time, either on the rate ques-
tion or the tariff question. There is
somewhat Of a feeling that the rail-
roads have the big end of it, and a
feeling that the president should be
supported in his attitude to the rail-
road question"
There was minor attempt at the
Grant club banquet the other night
to Major Conger to make capital of the
fact that Gov Cummins was not pres
ent. A few were overheard to mention
the fact that the governor was not
there, and then indulge in fit Of en-
forced laughter 1t is more than prob
able that il they ever knew that the
absence OF the governor was due to the