Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-07-24
What Representative Republic
ans Think of Ed Hunters
Fake Contests
1T is NOT A SQUARE DEAL
Proposed Plan Of Allowing Central
Committee to Make Up tho Conven-
ton Roll Declared by Fairninded
Men to Be Unwarranted Usurpation
Of Rights of Delegates.
by Ora W.illiamsl

of consideration has been given the
past two months to various new ques'
tons arising out of the peculiar con.
ditions confronting the republican
party because of the bringing of scores
| of fake contests for the purpose OF
making it possible for minority tC
control the state convention. In re-
Spouse to a letter written June 81 the
Times Republican correspondent has
! obtained the views of number OF
representative republicans upon the
manner of properly organizing a state
convention, the rights and duties OF
/ the committee which Is organized to
| conduct campaigns, the rights of the
chairman in calling the convention to
order, the time for holding caucuses
to select new committee MEMBERS etc
Some of these expressed opinions will
be of general interest.
Hon Thomas Updegraff, one of the
party veterans, said:
I know of no standard by which to
make answer to your queries. A gem
| erai treatise will not always solve a
particular case, and l do not feel COM
petent to write one. About all / ought
to say is that wrong generally comes
home to roost,' and involves loss of
morals. know of no snapshot rule
or principle by which to test a spur
ious contest; nor of any source whence
campaign committee or chairman OBJ
tains power or authority to make or
apply test; or to decide whether
a delegation may or may not vote on
temporary organization. / incline to
the opinion that no such power exists
in either committee or chairman. /
think may add that if there has been
prior usage any departure therefrom
by any tribunal which would be likely
to favor its views or wishes or the
views or wishes of its majority, would
be regarded certainly, and think just
ly, as unrighteous'
Hon. j. H. Darrah, of Lucas coun-
ty, wrote:
Il am in favor of square deal and
that means that the man who has the
most votes should win am thor
oughly opposed to any departure from
the ordinary methods of conducting
conventions think that all matters
pertaining to the convention should
be settled by the bonafide delegates to
that convention. If the contests are
to be settled by the state campaign
committee it will be unnecessary to
hold a convention as they can decide
the contests and announce the results
in advance
IN nf 1fca NV
wrote among other things:
I'm my Judgment the authority Of
the central committee over the dele
gates to the convention ends when
they have been called to order in con-
vention. The duties Of the committee
precede this particular act, and are
limited to the issuance of call for
the convention, the selection of a place
for holding the same, and providing
for its deliberations, possibly with the
added service Of preparing a roster
of all delegates selected, both con-
tested and uncontested. to be delivered
to the temporary officer selected to
preside over the convention
Neither the central committee nor the
temporary chairman has been, or
should be, vested with authority to de-
termine the membership of the con-
vention AS well might the chairman
of the national committee determine
the right Of members of congress to
sit in the senate or house of represent
tatives. The duly accredited members
of the convention should determine the
right Of contested members to sit in
the convention and take part in it's
deliberations This custom, so long
followed, should not be ignored or
abandoned until better method shall
be deemed advisable. All contests for
seats in the convention should be
heard and determined before district
caucuses shall be held, and the MEM
bership Of the state central commit
tee be made up after the convention
shall have determined who are to
constitute it's membership"
Hon. ]. B. Harsh, of Union county.
wrote:
"The authority Of the state central
committee ends with making provision
for housing the delegates, preparing
roll of the counties having unques-
toned and uncontested delegations and
calling the convention to order. The
convention in first instance is the body
of unquestioned or uncontested dele
gates. AS thus constituted it has the
authority to organize by selection OF
temporary chairman and appointment
of committee on credentials and usual
officers, such as secretary, sergeant a.
arms, etc. The custom of providing
temporary officers for the convention
and suitable quarters for district eau
cuses is permissible only in cases
where the number of contestants is
relatively small and decision as to
them will not materially affect the
proceedings of the gathering. AS it
now appears Dune 2D the convention
about to assemble will be at variance
with the known views of the majority
OF the members of the state central
In other words, the views
OF the rank and Ale OF the party as
expressed In selection of delegates are
NOT in accord with those of the state
Therefore it would be i'm
polite for the committee to forestall
the action of the convention by Sc
lection of temporary chairman who by
custom is expected to voice the pre-
vailing belief of the party on public
questions.
1T follows from the above that the
deIepafae who arc ppoue STONED and