Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-07-30
STATE COMMITTEE
N SESSION TODAY
Routine Work Taken Up First
and Later Matter of
the Contests
THEY ARE RELUCTANT TO ACT
Sham Contests in Dozen Counties
Which They Are Asked to Aid and
Abet Give Them Cause for Much
Observation-Disclosures Clever Move
to Put the Radicals in the Saddle.
Special to Times-Republican.

SDecl2l TO 'lll0eS-tIe
Des Moines, July 3O-The republican
state committee met this morning as
per agreement. Not all were present
but those who were seemed to fully
appreciate the seriousness of the situ-
alton confronting them. They entered
upon their work with evident reluct-
ance-some brazen with effrontery,
others almost sullen, none in jovial
mood.
Routine work was taken up at the
outset. Matters relating to the seat
ing of the convention hall and ar
rangement of delegations were taken
up. The ticket question caused worry.
But these things are trivial.
This afternoon the committee start
ed out to play the first official moves
in the great game Of contests. Rather
it was like an improvised court, sort
of kangaroo court, taking up hypo-
thetical case There appeared before
this court attorneys representing the
railroad political interests and there
was read the somewhat bombastic no.
tice of contests. 1t was headed by
the mystic words, State of Iowa, >.
s." as If it was a real case In court
The make believe went on to present
petition and an Indictment of the re-
publicanism of about dozen counties
of the state Nominally the effort was
made in this sham to put Gov. Cum
MINIS and the representatives of the
majority in the position of being de-
PENDANTS in lawsuit.
But the case went to trial without
the defendant being brought into court
at all. 81
No appearance was entered for the
accused republicans.
The jurisdiction of the court was
not acknowledged even by the small
recognition of appearance to resist or
deny.
The kangaroo court therefore pro-
ceeded to try the accused-the repub-
lican majority-upon vague and gen.
eral charges. with nobody in defense.
and really nothing to try.
1t was Spence. Stevens and Wilson
who decided, assisted by Proxy Mem
Der Wright, that the state committee
termine whether credentials are cre-
dentials. They agreed to the plan to
have the state committee proceed to
determine who shall sit in the state
convention. The Hunter committee ar
ranged the preliminaries. 1t was a
caucus Of railroad attorneys which
prepared the notice of contest" and
asked the state committee to start in
with Hunters prearranged program
and secured consent of those who were
here to represent the state committee.
So far as outward Indications go the
kangaroo court is prepared to do what
ever Hunter says may be necessary to
consumnate his scheme for the seizure
of the state convention by governing a
minority into a majority.
1t cannot fairly be said that all de-
pends on what the state committee
does in the next two days, but it's ac-
tions will indicate whether or not the
Hunter committee is able to place re-
lance on that committee.
Attack Twelve Counties.
The anti-Cummins people, in the pc
tition to their mock lawsuit, indicated
that they attack the republicans Of
twelve counties, as follows: