Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-06-29
The Perkins Letter Regarded AS
a Confession That Cummins
Has the Delegates
TEXT OF THE PERKINS, LETTER
Politicians Generally Regard It as
Virtual Admission That He Has Been
Defeated in the Governorship Race
Processes to Desire Harmony in
the Party.
Special TO Times Republican.

Des Moines, June 29.-The letter Ed
Hunter has sent out under George d.
Perkins signature offering to submit
the question of contested counties to a
can committee is regarded here as a
confession of defeat and acknowledge
ment that he mas been beaten by Cum
Minis. Governor Cummins' reply viii!
be issued within a few days. The al
legged Perkins letter is as follows:
Des MONIES, June %, 1906.-6toy. AL
bert B. Cummins, City.-My Dear Gov
ernor: / am reluctant to take the in
itiative in suggesting any plan looking
to peaceful solution of the perpleX
ing situation now confronting the re-
publican party of this state. l assume
that you, equally with myself, desire
that the convention shall be orderly
and above suspicion OF Intentional
wrong. We are mutually DESTROYS.
am free to say, to shield the party
name from dishonor and to bring about
the nomination of ticket that the sin
cere membership of the party can 10y.
any anu lHiteQiy Suppoll Liz tlLllS
for calm action is now.
The pre- convention campaign has
been heated. The struggle for dele
gates has never been equalled in our
state. The contest has come down to
the closing days without a clear set
tlement as to the choice of the party
for the gubernatorial nomination. The
balance of power is with delegations
that are contested, and these contests
to my mind, should be impartially and
intelligently determined, to the end
that confidence may be established in
the integrity of the conventions de-
Examinations Neither you nor want
a nomination involving a doubtful title,
or the suspicion Of 1t.
Now what can be done to provide a
fair adjustment?
1t has occurred to me that we might
ask for the Intervention of the repub-
lican national committee
Would you be willing to join in re-
quest to the chairman of the national
committee that he appoint from the
m embership Of the committee a COM
mission of three, the choice to be made
from states sufficiently separated from
our state to secure impartiality and
freedom from pre-determination, to
hear and determine the issues that
have arisen? My thought is that such
commission should be empowered to
hear all contests and upon their find
ing make up temporary roll to be
binding upon all parties; and, further,
that such commission be authorized
to prescribe the parliamentary rules
by which the convention should be
governed in all its preliminary work.
If a plan of this kind were to be
agreed to. it would be necessary, of
course, that we should personally OBJ
ligate ourselves to abide by the action
of the commission, to use our full in
f1uence to have their conclusions ac-
cepted by the convention and to exert
all our power to have the plan and
thus framed carried out
in good faith.
If this suggestion, prompted only by
my desire to place the common well
fare of the party above personal con-
Germ, does not meet your specific APP
prevail. I trust I am not mistaken in
assuming that the object in view has
your cordial Endorsement. Therefore
I am not without confidence that some
plan can be mutually agreed to that
will secure a creditable adjustment
and save the convention from hasty
and imprudent action, harmful to the
party and notifying to those against
whom responsibility might be lodged.
l am not personally disposed In this
matter to ignore the authority Of our
state committee, and my suggestion
would be, if you should agree with
me on the general proposition, to petit
ton our own committee to take up
the matter with the chairman of the
national committee.
I should consider it an honor to be
favored with your early reply. Re-
specially yours.
GEORGE D. PERKINS.