Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-31
POLITICS IN IOWA
The State May This Year Be
Considered Doubtful.
CUMMINS THE REAL ISSUE
Republicans Are Divided Into Two
Factions.
THE CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS
Democrats May Make Inroads Into the
Present Solid Delegation, and
the Reasons Why.
CUMMINS THE REAL ISSUE
THE CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS
Special Correspondence of The Star.

| DES MONIES, Iowa, october II, 1905.
| Strange as It may seem to those who have
| come to consider Iowa as a rock-ribbed re-
publican state, there is ample reason for
CHASING it among the doubtfui ones at the
coming election. This statement may be al
! most unbelievable to politicians outside the
| state who remember that Iowa rolled up the
tremendous plurality of 15s 766 for President
Roosevelt but two years ago.. Every one
| acquainted with Iowa politics knows, how
ever. that this was abnormal plurality
for a republican ticket in Iowa and does
| not represent the relative strength Of the
| two parties. This becomes apparent to
any one by a comparison of the Iowa vote
| in 1900 and 1904 which shows that while
Roosevelt received only ninety-nine more
votes than did Mckinley. Parker received
| 60, 124 less than did Bryan in 1900.
| Other comparisons will also show that the
democratic "stay-at-home'' vote in Iowa
| has been from 10000 to 10000 ever since the
presidential election of 1896, when Bryan
ism divided the democracy of the nation.
| There is every indication now that this
| ''stay-at-home" democratic vote is going to
| the polls November 6, and while 1t Is not
sufficient in itself to defeat the republican
I ticket, it is. nevertheless, formidable
| enough to cause considerable alarm in the
| republican camp. which is not presenting
| harmonious front to the enemy.
Lack Of Harmony.
1t is, in fact, this lack OF harmony among
| the republicans of Iowa, their division into
two factions known as progressive" and
| ''standpatters," coming as it does at time
when the democrats appear to be united
| for the first time since 1896. that makes
Iowa a doubtful state this election. From
| the fact that the republican factions in
| Iowa have assumed the names progress
| two nd sscfa If might he n
| ferred that the tariff is the issue In Iowa
| politics this year. But that is not the situ-
alton Republican candidates, especially
| the representatives, are trying to talk tarfn
| to the voters in hope Of arousing them to
party loyalty that issue. 1t is pointed
| out by the stump speakers that the repubii-
can state platform declares in favor OF the
| American system of protection" while the
democratic platform says, I'VE believe in
| tariff for revenue only" The mass OF the
| Iowa voters, however. are paying little
| or no attention to the tariff, at least as far
| as the state ticket is concerned Despite
| the strenuous efforts of the republican lead
ers of both factions In an effort for har-
| mony in, the party. they cannot make the
| tariff issue stick.
The truth is in plain black and white,
| Gov Albert B. Cummins is the chief issue
| in the Iowa campaign this year. The
burning question among Iowans is whether
| Gov. Cummins shall be accorded the ex-
ceptional honor of third term as the chief
executive of this state. Thus far only one
| Iowa governor, Samuel ]. kirkwood. the
| war governor" has been given the honor
| of a third term. and his was not in con-
| tinuous service Gov. Cummins has al
| ready had extra year added to his sec
| ond term by reason of the adoption OF the
| biennial election system. and If he is elect
| ed again he will have seven years service
as governor of Iowa. Gov. Cummins, how
| ever, is not nearly SO ambitious to be seven
years governor of Iowa as he is to secure
| seat in the United States Senate. He
,-{l
aspirations to continue in the governor
| ship for the present and retain control of
| the state house machinery, with its gener-
| Gus patronage that is at his disposal.
There is little likelihood that Gov. Cum
| minis will try for the toga of Senator Dolli-
| yer, who comes up for reelection before
| the next legislature, which is to be chosen
| at the November election. 1t Is Senator
| Allisons place that the Cummins hope is
centered in, and here is to be found one OF
! the cruelties of the campaign. 1t is well
known that Senator Allson's health has
been in a precariouS condition all summer,
| and, with this in view the governor and
| his friends carefully formed a plan for the
| Cummins succession to the senatorship.
At a conference of the Cummins leaders.
| who are also the head Of the progressive
| faction of the Iowa republicans, early in
| the year, 1t was determined as necessary
] for Gov. CumminS to seek a denomination,
and that he should take to himself candi-
| date for lieutenant governor who would,
| in event Of an 'emergency' such as Sena-
tor Allison's death; appoint Cummins
United States senator. he resigning the
gram was carried out to the letter by the
| ''progressives,' Senator Warren Garst be-
| ing nominated for lieutenant governor when
the Cummins faction secured control of the
state convention, after the most bitter fight
in the history Of Iowa politics.
The Congressional Delegation.
The republican representatives. Iowa now
/ IL alt,
beavers to avoid being buried in a demo-
cratic landslide should one come, but 1t is
not considered that there is any danger of
their defeat. except in the first. second.
sixth and eleventh districts
In the first district Representative Thorn
as Hedge declined to be a candidate for
denomination and the republicans chose
State Representative Charles A. Kennedy
of Lee county to succeed him. The demo-
Gratis Of the first nominated George 8. Ira
cey Of Burlington. and the indications are
that he will be elected, the progressive re-
publicans showing an inclination to knife
Kennedy, who is a Standpatter.
The second district was originally planned
to be the democratic bailiwick of the state,
the heavy democratic counties being group
ed in 1t, but the republicans have succeeded
in capturing the district a number of times
In recent years. Representative A. r. Daw-
son, a republican, defeated Representative
Wade. democrat, there two years ago by
1856 plurality. and now he has another siren
uous fight on with Mayor George w. Ball
of Iowa City. The chances are believed to
be in favor of Dawson. but 1t is impossible
to pick the winner Dawson has endeavored
to keep out OF the fractional fight among the
republicans, and it is asid that in SO doing
he has lost votes in both factions
Representative Laceys district, the sixth.
was the scene of some of the most strenu-
GUS battles between the progressives and
standpatters during the pre-convention hos
Titles, and much bad blood is still evident
there. Lacey has made almost a school
house campaign Of his district in an effort
to get the republicans there together. La
ceys opponent is Dan F. Hamilton. an at
torney of Sgourney, who was temporary
chairman of the democratic state conven-
ton this year and by his speech there won
the congressional nomination. which had
been conceded to Gen. James B. Weaver.
who was twice presidential candidate-on
the greenback ticket in 1880 and the peo-
pies party ticket in 1892.
It seems hardly possible that the eleventh
Iowa district which gave Representative
Hubbard majority of 1901 two years
ago, should now be debatable ground. but
yet the democrats profess to be confident of
carrying that district for Charles A. Dick
son of Sioux City. who was the democratic
candidate for secretary Of state two years
ago Here again Is a fight between the pro-