Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1906-07-05
x Local News *
Mr.. Elliott Replies to the
Van Gorder Article

The Republican and the Audubon
County Journal of last week contains
statement signed by Mr.. Chas. Van
Gorder issuedI TO the Republican Vot-
ers of Audubon County," attempting
to explain where to lay the blame for
i, the present condition of Audubon
county politics.
Ordinarily l pay no attention to
street talk, rumor, or even newspaper
report; but when a signed article like
Mr.. Van Gorders appears to be circu-
lated and read by hundreds, think
would lose respect for myself if 1
did not reply to his insinuating article.
L feel that it is not only due to those
who were in attendance upon the con-
vention, but other Audubon county
citizens who are readers of the Repub-
lican and Journal that such statements
as you have made should not pass un-
answered.
There is evidently something radical
ly wrong about the treatment that the
Perkins men of the recent convention
received at the hands of the Cummins
crowd or they would not be rushing
INTO the newspapers to explain.
Since the manifesto issued is largely
personal in its character, will reply in
the same manner. | quote here his
first paragraph:
s'In the first place the Cummins wing
of the party was desirous of avoiding
all strife and bad feeling, and although
it had majority, as the vote proved,
an offer was made first to Mr.. Breni-
man and then to Mr.. Elliott to divide
the delegation. If this was not fair |
do not know what would be, but the
propositions were curtly refused"
You say that your wing, "The Cum
minis Wing" was desirous of avoiding
strife and feeling. What statement
to make! Why, every one knows that
it was continual strife, not only in
Audubon, but all over the county. 1
am sure that the facts warrant me in
saying that the Cummins crowd were
doing everything in their power to
carry the county. 1t does seem puerile
to say that your wing wanted no strife.
1t may be that you were under the inn
preston that thinking, self-respecting
men would permit you and your crowd
to run over them without protest. If
you had such impression, how mistak-
en- you were in it. Both sides were
striving to win. Impossible to have
such contest without strife.
Your next statement referring to me
is that an offer was made to me to di-
vide the delegation. No such offer was
made to me atany time either before or
after the convention.
Who had any authority to offer to
divide the delegation? No such author
ity was assumed by any one that T
know of the Cummins wing, and 1 am
sure that did not even
presume upon my part to accept any
division. There had not been any in
dication in the different townships of
any division whatever. But in order
to have the impression go out over the
county that the Cummins wing We're
unusually magnanimous on convention
day, you have used some stuff that is
not true. | think you have done this
ignorantly-I could hardly credit it be-
ing done any other way.
The next two paragraphs of your ar
ticle refers to Scott county and to state
ments made by the Nonpareil and 9TH
er papers concerning the situation.
This has no particular bearing on our
case in Audubon. l may add that 1
would expect Scott county to go for
Cummins, the same as the State of Car
roll. These two counties have been
noted violators of the liquor laws of
Iowa for years, they haven't forgot
their obligation to Cummins who en-
couraged them in their open defiance
several years ago. The statement that
l was in conference with the Cedar
Rapids man is absolutely false. /
know nothing about any Cedar Rapids
man, no such man called upon me.
Now, as to the chairmanship; this is
the third assumption that has no truth
in it. | did not intend to be the chair
man of the convention and since this
seems to have been the bugbear that
you offer as a preteXt for your high
handed methods, will say that the
only man on the Cummins wing that
said anything to me about chairman
ship was Judge Green, to whom /
stated that was quite sure that Cum
minis crowd would not permit me to
act as chairman, and that did not ex-
pect to be sat on. This was before con-
vention day and L thought this was
notice. / well knew that I would have
been deposed by the Harmony Wing
committee on permanent organization
just as soon as they could have gotten
together, and hence 1 did not intend to
be chairman. 1t occurs to me that if
you had been up on parliamentary
rules the Harmonious Cummins Wing
would have known that you could have
deposed any chairman that Mr. Breni-
man and the county central committee
might have named.
Your next climatic assumption is
that L was not member of the conven-
ton. l have never taken part in 81
convention or assembly when l had no
right to do 80. i was member of the
convention and add my authority for
my part in the convention.
Audubon, Iowa, June %, 1906.
L, }. G. Rosel duly elected delegate
from Audubon township, to attend the
Audubon county Republican conven-
ton, to be held in Audubon June 23d,
1906, do hereby appoint w. c. Elliott
as my proxy to act in my place and
stead withoutany reservation whatever
the same as if l were there in person
myself. j. C. ROSE"
You insinuate that the Perkins men