Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-07-13
Will NOT CONTEST
POLK DELEGATION
Major Mckenzie Denies That
He Will Make Any Legal
Objection
DECLINES TO BE cATspAw
Des Moines Candidate for Attorney
General Does Not Propose to Pull
chestnuts Out of the Fire for Per-
kins and Hunter-The Plan Regard
ed as Futile.
LBy Ora Williams.l

Special TO IlmeS-Repupllcdli.
Des Moines, July 13.-.Score anoth-
er failure for Colonel Hunter and his
corruption machine.
He found another man he couldn't
buy.
ago Hunters press bureau sent out
a dispatch to the newspapers in the
service of Blythe to the effect that
the Polk county delegation was to be
kept out of the state convention and
that Major Charles Mackenzie, of this
city, would take the matter into court
to test the right of this county to be
represented in the convention. Some
of the dispatches stated that he had
already brought suit.
The men who seem determined to
keep Polk county out of the state con-
vention and who would profit by such
outrage made to Major Charles
Mackenzie most tempting offer
If he would go into court
with suit to ennbarrass the men
who will in the convention represent
more than $4,000 republicans.
This offer to Major Mackenzie was
one which would have turned a stead
ier head than that of the gallant old
major. Many man not half so much
in need would have snapped at the
opportunity. And that is one of the
elements which doubtless led to the
making Of the offer.
But Major Mackenzie was not to be
thus made the catspaw to pull the
Perkins chestnuts out. He turned
down the proposition cold He knew
Ed Hunter of old. 1t was when
Ed was high ,nogul of the democratic
party that he caused the major loss Of
profitable railroad client. The old
scores are not forgot. Major Macken-
zie is not in mood to go into courts to
overturn the will of the Polk county re-
publicans on technicality.
Il am not going to question in the
courts the right of the Polk county
delegates to sit in the convention -
said the major. Il have not at any
time had any such intention, and have
never said I would do it. I do not
hIlOW lIldl IL VIII OG QOIlS. nave Idu
the matter brought to my attention,
and I discussed the matter with my
old army comra lie, Colonel Palmer, but
l do not think he will go into court on
the matter. l certainly shall not. l do
not believe that the courts would in
terfere or have right to do so.
did say, and am still of that opinion,
that I thought 1t was contrary to the
spirit of the law for the convention to
permit one candidate to name the dele
cation. But that was something for
the convention to decide. In this con-
test have been absolutely neutral as
to candidates for governor, and l shall
not now take sides in the matter"
Some of Major Mackenzie's friends
resent the unwarranted use of his name
to lend responsibility to scheme
sprung on the public by the Hunter
press bureau, but which has no founda-
tion other than the desire Of the po-
litical wreckers 20 score another wreck.
Very little attention is being given
here to the chatter about getting the
courts to unseat the seventytwo Polk
delegates. 1t is so absurd that it is
difficult to get anybody to discuss it
seriously.
Captain Hull has announced the
name Of his delegation. 1t was regard
ed as significant that the railroad or
gan in this city did not mention the
fact nor give the names of the dele
gates. 1t is perhaps a coincidence only
that the list does not include the
names Of Lafe Young, Charley john
ston, Jim Berryhill, or Ed Hunter
who have claimed the right to speak
for Captain Hull in other days. Two
years ago they led the captain over the
rocks and badly damaged his machine.
This year he is taking no chances with
the wreckers FIe may not know who
are his real friends but he has at
least found out some who are not his
friends.
The list of Polk county delegates to
the state convention has been practic-
ally completed some time, and only
waits announcement. When announc-
ed it will be seen that the delegation
contains the names Of men who stand
high in the business and political cir
cles of the capital city, and they will be
republicans quite capable of properly
representing the republican party of
the biggest county Of the state.