Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-07-31
Controversy over Contests

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hearing, be permitted and are request
ed to make such showing and present
such evidence as they may have touch
Ing the questions raised in said notice
and petition.
BY order of the republican state cen,
trail committee.
R. H. Spence, Chairman.
Governor Cummins Replies.
Governor Cummins took up the chal-
lenge of the standpatters and came
back in a statement that if they want.
ed fight they could have it.
| His answer was in the most vigor-
GUS English and he made it plain he
would fight to the last ditch. 1t took
the shape of letter to Chairman
Spence of the republican state commit
tee. In it he distinctly refuses to sub
NIT his claims to the state committee,
and, after accepting notice Of contests
intwelve counties served on him Sat
urday, says:
THE moment has arrived for speech
so plain that it cannot be misunder-
stood. l deplore the discord which
seems inevitable, but l will not swerve
hairs breadth from the course I al
ready have outlined to Mr. Perkins in
my reply to his former letter. I have
no authority from the delegates from
any county to speak for them or to sub.
NIT their disputes to any tribunal.
They must and they will protect their
own rights in the manner which seems
to them most effective
"For myself, and myself alone. say
to Mr. Perkins, his manager, to the
committee. and to the republicans of
Iowa, that l recognize in the notice
| simply another step in the execution of
plan conceived months ago to over
ride the majority of the convention and
rob us Of any victory that we might
win.
Styles Plan Revolutionary.
Many of the contests specified in
the notice were determined upon by
the Perkins management before even
caucuses in the counties were held,
and 1t requires some effrontery to ex,
pect me to assist in carrying out dis,
honest scheme so adroitly prepared.
II have no doubt that Mr.. Perkins
and his counselors believe am unwor'
thy Of the Office 1 seek. Il cannot
change their belief. but l shall give
them conclusive evidence that | am
not weak-minded in so far as am
personally concerned. l absolutely re.
fuse my assent in the jurisdiction
which the committee is asked to as,
sumo.
THE committee has no authority to
decide contests or protests for pur.
poses of organization or any other pur.
pose. No republican state convention
ever has invested the committee with
any such authority. No republican
state committee in Iowa ever has ex
ercised any such authority. The course
proposed is revolutionary and over
turns the long established custom OF
the party.
Sees lniquity In Scheme.
"a convention that would permit 6
sham contest to be imposed upon it fol
the mere purpose of decimating its
members would be unworthy of it's par
ty, and would forfeit the respect of al
decent men. When such contingency
arises it must be met with resolute
spirit and the obstacle surmounted
with fairness and courage.
"a moments consideration must
demonstrate the iniquity of the scheme
now proposed. Do not forget the state
central committee has been called to
gether to hear these contests under
the demand contained in the resolution
adopted by the adherents of cand>
date for Office The majority of the
committee is in sympathy, it is vel
known, with the ambitions of this can
didate. ask you all this question: Dc
you believe that, if a majority of the
political friends, the demand would be
made? If the attempt Is successful &
minority always can be converted into
a majority by the mere creation OF
even suggestion of contest. One
man in each county could exclude dele
gates from that county from the organ
ization of the convention by merel.
writing lie on paper.
ut is useless to disguise the situa
ton. A defeated faction has deter
mined to accomplish by artitice wha
:. it could not accomplish in fair figh
before the republican voters. 1t in eff
feet bolts the nomination made by thu
voters in the customary way. This fac
ton has the right to bolt, but l intent
to do what can to make 1t clear tina
it is boiling.
II will not consent to the exclusion
of the delegates who have been in
structed for me in Scott, Allamakee
:, Carroll, Audubon, Dallas, Lyon, Boone
and Polk unless they are excluded b!
vote of the organized republican state
convention, and I will not consent t.
the submission to the state centra
committee of their right to sit in thu
temporary organization of the conven
ton"
Proposed in Bad Faith.
"The bad faith of the present pro
ceeding and the absurd pretense tina
is involved in it may be easily shown
by review Of the counties which are
brought into question.
'In Des Moines and Lee counties
Perkins delegates were selected.
have never suggested contest in eth
err of them; | know nothing about {
contest in either of them; l believe
) that Mr.. Perkins is entitled to thu
votes of these counties. both in TEN
: porary and permanent organization, 70