The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1906-11-22

llmeS-IlepuDllCdu SuOulu HOI TAKE q
more liberal view of the situation.
The press throughout the whole
country with almost one accord
voiced the general regret at the re.
suit. Some Of the kindest things that
have been said of Mr.. Lacey's service
have come from the Independent and
democratic press.
Two years ago the plurality in this
district was large, 1878, in fact,
equal to all the previous republican
pluralities from 1883 to 1904 added
together. The democrats did not all
vote in 1904.
These large pluralities of 1904 We're
not confined to the Sixth District. In
the Eleventh it was 1904.
To arrive at any intelligent COM
parison, it is necessary to take the re-
turns from the last "off year," 1902,
as the basis.
Major Lacey was elected that year
by 1913 pluraIlUy.
On that basis, it would not have re.
quired large change to have given
the district to the democrats.
In close district this year, condi-
tions were exceptionally difficult and
unfavorable. The factional contest
in the state had centered on Jasper
and Wapello counties in the Sikh
district.
The action of the state convention
in unseating the Perkins delegates
and seating those for Cummins from
these two counties, was bitterly re-
scented by men who believed that the
counties had, in fact, gone the other
way. 1t is not necessary now to dis
cuss the merits of these contests.
The discomfort was not limited to
the Sixth district, put was state wide,
and no local settlement in the inter
est of harmony could be effected.
Newspapers from all parts of Iowa
entered into the contest with an I'm.
exampled bitterness, and the flames
were persistently fed from the out.
side.
Major Lacey, in every speech he
made in the district, spoke for har.
mony and in behalf of the whole
ticket from top to bottom" Gov.
Cummins came into the district and
spoke in his own behalf,and also urg'
ed his friends to vote for Mr.. Lacey,
Both appeals were only partly heed.
ed. Many voters of one faction de-
clared they would not vote for Cum.
Minis and many voters of the other
faction asserted they would not vote
for Lacey. AS time rolled by, it was
hoped that this feeling would die out,
but the fire only smouldered.
On election day the vote shows that
enough of these threats were carried
into execution to give the democratic
congressional candidate a plurality
of 1926.
In a close district like the Sixth,
the result was fatal. Gov. Cummins
lost the district by 1,741. In 1908
Gov. Cummins carried the district by
1874; a change against him in 1906
of 6,535. Major Lacey carried the
district in 1902 by 1873, and now loses
it by 2,236; a change of 4,049. Gov
Cummins received a considerable
democratic vote in the district, which
Offset part of his republican loss
Major Lacey was in the storm center
and the victim of the contest raging
between the two wings of his party
which he was powerless to control.
In the First district the result
taking 1902 and 1903 as the fairest
basis, was as follows:
Cummins' plurality in 1903 was
1896.
Kennedy carried the district this
year by $50; loss of 1888, and Por
ter carries it by 1888; a loss to Cum
Minis of 1884.
In the Second district, Mr.. Dawson
was fortunate in increasing his slen
der majority of 1856. in 1904, to 1856