Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-07-27
QUIET ON SURFACE
At The CAPITAL
Apparently Little Indications
of the BIG Fight Before
Convention
COMMITTEES IN CONFERENCE
Some Talk Of Proposition From the
Perkins Crowd Looking to Com
promise-Nothing Definite Has Been
Accomplished as Yet-Poltical Cos
sip.
[By Ora williams.l
, Times Republican.

BY Ora WllllamS.J
Special to TimesR Republican.
Des Mones, July 27.-One would
hardly believe, from the actions OF two
of the candidates. that there was any
prospect of a desperate fight in the
state convention within less than
week.
In the cafe of the Savery house. at
lunch yesterday, sat A. b. Cummins at
one table and G.. D. Perkins at anoth-
er The former was with State Treas
urer Gilbertson; the latter with Tom
Bevington and others.
When the lunch was finished. Gov
ernor Cumlnins hied himself to the golf
grounds for an afternoon of cheerful
abandonment to the delights of pleas
ant summer day He did not betray any
signs of worry. He was in happy
mood. Life seemed very bright to the
governor.
Mr.. Perkins was resplenhent in a
new suit of pearl gray cloth He was
handing out cigars. He talked in
pleasant vein. He was also cheerful
He laughed out loud. 1t was plainly
evident that he was not taking mat
ters seriously as they relate to him.
If there were things a doing of great
moment, it was others who were
sweating. Occasionally Carroll Wright
or James C. Davis could be seen. and
Bevington, the personal representative
of Mr.. Perkins. was vibrating between
the general headquarters in the Saw
cry and Hunters private office. Mr..
Chassel and Mr.. Cummings. of the
progressive committee, We're about the
hotel lobbies What was done2 Moth
ing definite.
But there have been exchanges OF
more or less definiteness both here
and in Chicago. and some preliminary
overtures looking to the reaching of a
basis for harmony. The start was
made by the railroad attorneys making
proposal which, when analysed
looked like this:
For the Ma jorityIThe governor.
For the Minority-All else
That was not regarded by the pros
gressives as a very good start toward
harmony, but it was a start. Nego-
tiations have not got very much far
ther.
The first effort to get the commit
tees into conjunction was not entire
ly satisfactory On the one side ap-
peared number of republicans having
no Interest other than that of the good
of the party and of the state\at heart,
ready and willing to consider any rea.
sonable proposition governing the con-
vention Who was it confronted them?
Two general railroad attorneys. 1t was
explained that another would have been
present but for physical disability.
The fact was soon disclosed that these
general attorneys for corporations
any question. And so it was that
nothing was done. Now they are here
in Des Moines, where the conference
will be held and in order that what is
done. if anything, may have the au>
thority Of those most concerned, Mr..
Perkins also came here to remain.
The anti-Cummins committee is de-
voting much of it's time as yet, to
preparation Of Contests" and securing
what is called ''evidence" in relation
thereto. Some of the most absurd
stories are given out in regard to these
matters, and the stories will fall flat
when the delegates from these counties
arrive on the scene. The committee is
still making pretense of accommodating
material to show that legally and ac-
cording to precedents the state COM
mittee is the whole thing.
The progressive committee is patient
ly waiting for developments. 1t Is CIV
ing fine example of how to really
stand pat at the the right time Prac
tically nothing has been done to offset
the accumulation of nonsense which is
relied on by the minority to sustain
the fake contest game. But the pro-
gressive committee is quietly urging
that all delegates regularly selected be
present.
But there is a perceptible lessening
of the high tension which was no-
ticeable ten days ago. and which gave
promise Of an irreconcilable difference.
Not all of those who essay great
roles in politics are as familiar with
political methods as they would have
US believe Take for instance the spe-
cial attorney for Mr.. Perkins, who is
here going thru the law books to find
out how to do it. In a small group of
men the other night Mr.. Bevington was
discussing the situation and he made
objection to Senator Healy being made
temporary chairman.
why" he said. "Healy would name
a credentials committee that would be
dead against us. and that would never
do at all.''
His auditors managed to refrain
from laughing. But it seems that the
eminent Sioux City attorney was not
aware of the manner in which creden-
tials committees are selected at Iowa
state conventions.
1t is surprising what large amount
of misinformation the Chicago news
papers can secure for placing under