The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1906-02-22

Make You Like a Pape
81 did not go as has often been
stated, to Burlington. had never
seen Mr.. Blythe and did not see him
until after the day before the conven-
ton convened. l had heard so much
about railroad domination and of the
machine that in my innocence l
thought possible overtures would be
made to me and conditions imposed,
and.I prepared myself accordingly. l
even thought out what would say,
and was prepared to tell this arch
boss, as had conceived him to be,
that he and his road could go to any
place which it was proper for a
Methodist to describe; that l did not
have to be governor of Iowa, and was
MT in the fight on my own motion.
You can imagine my surprise when
Mr.. Blythe said to me: l think you
will be nominated tomorrow. don't
know whether we could beat you if
we should try. am very certain we
could insure your nomination, if we
should try, but it is great deal bet
tear for you and all concerned that the
matter take its own course. You will
then be under no obligations to any
one." During the four years that l
was governor Mr.. Blythe seldom sug
gested an appointment, and never
asked one. His few endorsements
were to the effect that he thought the
man competent and honest and that he
would prove satisfactory to me.
When appointed Colonel Palmer rail-
road commissioner remember he tele-
graphed me, congratulating me on my
selection and saying that l would find
Colonel Palmer honest and absolutely
free from outside influence.
"During the senatorial contest
which resulted in the reelection of
Mr.. Gear, Mr.. Blythe never asked
my influence, but after it was over he
came to my office and thanked me for
having remained neutral throughout,
and also for having declined overtures
which were made looking to my selec-
tion. After Mr.. Gears death l con-
ferred with Mr.. Blythe, as did with
Judge Prouty, Judge Stevens, c. Cd
Mccarthy, George Roberts, Senator
Allison, and nearly all of the Iowa
delegation, but Mr.. Blythe never
asked me to appoint anyone and never
asked me not to appoint anyone. At
no time did he seek to put me under
obligation to him and at all times
avoided anything that might seem to
place him under obligations to me.
The convention met and the first dis
trict never cast fifth of its votes for
me. OF its 116 votes, 1T gave me IA
on the first ballot, II on the second, Is
on the third, and % on the fourth.
Des Moines county, the home of Mr..
Blythe, had "a votes. On the first
ballot it gave me three, on the next
ballot one, on the third ballot five,
and on the last ballot five. The Chi
cago papers generally announced the
result as defeat of the machine, and
one Of the papers l remember (oos-
sibly the Record HeraldD gave a car
toon showing great pile of "geared"
wheels broken and smashed in a heap.
Inside of week all the opposition
papers announced that l had been
nominated by the railroads, and fac
tional republicanism, has laid great
stress upon the railroad influence in
my nomination. AS matter of fact,
the delegations came down to Cedar
Rapids and were there three days.
They visited headquarters and sized us
up as we'll as they could. was
fortunate in having some good friends
who said every thing in my favor that
could be substantiated, and then some.
l had lived in Linn county and there
was little county pride, though did
not get the solid delegation. There
were Cornell college boys in most Of
the counties of the state and quite a
number of them in the convention.
My partner and Judge Conner, former
partner, were Iowa City alumni, and
that insured me aegood per cent Of
the state university influence. All
the other candidates were in the field
lbefOre Governor Drake declined tc
run again, and this insured me the
support of the ardent Drake men
throughout the state. l had spoken a
good many times in the campaign OF
1896, and had made few friends. AS
a result l was first choice of quite a
respectable number, and second choice
of very many. l returned home, the
nomination having cost me all told
less than $3.50.
"What show, my dear Senator,