Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-05-28
RAILROADS PLOI
IO SEIZE CONTROL
Well Defined Plan of Blythe
and Perkins to Steal the
Convention
REVOLUTION IN POLITICS
All Precedents in the Matter Of Organ
izina the State Republican conven-
ton to Be Thrown to the Winds In
An Attempt to Defeat the Will of
the People.
tBy Ora williams.l

Special to Times Republican.
| Dcs Moincs, May S.-Revolutionary
| tactics are now threatened as an ad-
! iunct to the plottings of the railroads
i for seizure of the machinery of the
republican party and regaining con-
| the form Of an open or substantial bolt
of the convention II necessary; revo-
| luton, in the manner OF taking charge
OF the state convention IL that will
fenable these piotters to gain the end
they seek
! The warning comes direct from
| Washington The threat cannot be
mistaken. The brandishing OF the
bludgeon is in plain sight of all who
revolution is TO be bold. 1t is to be
done In the name of the p-a-r-t-y
/ The air of sanctmony is to be as
sumed by and for those who are to take
| part.
The news from Washington is to
the effect that 1t is being talked there,
among the Iowa politicians of course,
and experience teaches that such talk
is generally followed by well laid
plans to act In accordance with the
talk, that the traditional policy of the
republican party in its state conven-
tions of permitting the convention it.
self to be the judge of its own MEM
lbership. is to be overturned, and that
in short, the state central committee
Is going to assume the role of dcta-
torship for the republican party.
The thing seems so utterly foreign
to the whole history Of all political
parties in Iowa that 1T is hard for the
people to comprehend it, But there
is no doubt that the warning and
threat have been given.
The proposal is that the state CEN
trail committee. or campaign committee,
shall prepare the roll call for the state
convention and shall decide in secret
session and in whatever way it may
see fit, all contests and declare who
shall and who shall not sit in the con-
vention.
The plain purpose Of this is to re-
verse the will of the republicans of
the state. 1t is to give the anti-Cum-
minis faction control. This is now re-
garded as the only way that Blythe
and his associates can gain control
of the state convention in Des iMoines
August 1, and be in position to name
candidates forsoffice who will do the
bidding and the will of the railroad
politicians.
The invarable rule in Iowa, as in
"a n INV Wi y,
undisputed authority, is for the state
convention itself, constituted of dele
gates whose authority and right is not
questioned, to decide an contests on
the open floor. upon report from a
properly constituted committee. This
maintains the theory of the absolute
authority of the convention.
That which is proposed in Washing
ton would be revolution in methods.
1t would never even be suggested but
because of the desperate deterrnina-
tion of the Blythe faction to gain con-
troll of the state at all hazards. 1t is
being considered solely in the hope
that in this way the contemplated
bolt may be made unnecessary. But
If revolution does not win, then it is
to be bolt.
The fact that the original talk of
revolutionary tactics comes direct from
Washington indicates the frame of
mind of the leaders in the Iowa dele
cation, and the federal crowd general
ly. But will it help in the congress
sional contests, especially in the
Blythe districts which are so nearly
democratic? 4f men gain their ends
in convention by revolutionary TAG
tics can they appeal to honest voters
to sustain them at the polls in the
interest of clean politics?
1t will be recalled that ever since
the conversions in Dickinson and En-
met counties. the railroad politicians
have carried in the claims department
in their Des Moines daily newspaper.
the pretepsion that the delegations
from these counties are contested and
that contesting delegations will be
seated Now they realize that this can
never he done unless they do it out
side Of the convention itself. They
propose having the committee which
is entrusted with managing the polit-
ical campaign take upon itself the di
rection and control of the state con-
vention also. 1t will be a proceeding
never heard of before, but they figure
that it is just as reputable as buying
a county delegation from one who
has it for sale. and if the people will
stand for the latter they will for the
former.
viii a revolution reyolute in Iowa
any better than in Wisconsin? Are
Iowans subservient?
There is no doubt whatever
that w. w Morrow had an
important part in the maki'.
Of the corrupt deal for the s.s
QUESTION by the Blythe faction of the
Dubuque delegation. Another candt-
date for state office received from
! friend early Friday morning letter
written by Mr.. Morrow, which must