Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-12-14
Iona at National Conventions.
BY Ora Williams.

this and made the most of it against
the Iowa plan. But all who had any
thing to do with the convention de-
clared that it was in 1888 that Iowa
came very close to naming the presf-
dent. A large delegation OF Iowa
democrats went to Chicago to boost
for the Iowa candidate.
Eight years later Iowa was ready tc
try it again. The national conven-
ton was held at st. Louis. The state
convention at Des Moines was held
March IL, 1896. Mark Hanna had al
ready got the Mckinley movement
well under way, but there vas some
hope for a western The silver
question was still at the front and
Mckinley was known only as a tariff
expert.
Again D%olliver was temporary chair
| man and performed his office Of key
note striker. A. B. Cummins, who
had been chairman of the state con-
vention four years previously and a
Harrison presidential %elector, was the
permanent chairman. All was har-
mony again.
The delegates at large were Clark
son, Gear, Henderson and Hepburn,
Among the delegates We're George M
Curtis, A. B. Cummins, j. M. Davis
C. j. A. Ericsson, George M. French,
G. d. Bevington, r. HI. Spence, George
c. Call, H. w. Macomber, +. H. Hell
sell, E. c. Roach, G. r. Brenton, J. A
Mills and F. M. Hopkins.
The Iowa delegation took a band
to st. Louis and a club furnished en-
| +l.,.;o.-, ,,ni+o1 Frop+ roc nra-
sented once more. The old c%ontrover-
sy over silver and gold alone caused
some disturbance. The party was
still fighting shy Of the word gold"
Senator Gear, the Iowa member Of the
committee on resolutions asked In
structions. In the Iowa caucus a
financial plank was presented which
was notable in that it did not contain
the word gold. A fierce controversy
arose over this. Five Iowa delegates
stood out staunch for gold, but the
remainder opposed, and the plank
which did not refer to gold was pre-
scented in the resolutions committee
as the Iowa plank. The plank adopted
was hat presented by c. G. Kohlsaat
said to. have been written by Mckinley
himself.
] In the convention but n ballot
was taken: Mckinley SCI ", Reed 84k
Morton 57h, Quay 61k, Allison 35k.
1t was at this time that A. B. Cum
minis was elected unanimously n by
reclamation to be the Iowa member OF
the national republican committee,
succeeding Clarkson, who was i'll at
hat time, and who declined longer to
serve. Cummins had asked not to be
elected but the position was thrust up
on him. AS a member Of the commit
tee he was identified with h famous
Mckinley campaign and was urged by
Hanna to take charge of western
headquarters at Chicago.
On one other occasion did Iowa
come near to having a republican pres
idential aspirant. That was in 1892
when Harrison was renominated. A
large part of the Iowa delegation was
opposed to the denomination of Harr1-
son. J. s. Clarkson, then chairman OF
the executive committee of the nation
al committee and lately first assistant
postmaster general. was opposed to the
denomination of Harrison and had
pointed out the impossibility Of re-
eleclllS the p~IeSlueIll. LIE WdS uiSSo
by some Of his friends to become a
candidate himself, and but for the fact
that he was i'll at the time it is prob
| able tina he would have entered the
race with Iowa back Of him.
1t was in 1896 that Iowa democrats
presented the name Of Governor Boies
as their choice for the democratic nom
i%nation. AS against Bland and the
rest of the avoWed candidates he would
have stood a good chance of nomina-
ton.
AT the Philadelphia convention OF
1900 the Iowa delegation had arranged
to present the name of Dolliver as the
Iowa candidate for vice president, but
long before that time was reached il
had become evident Roosevelt was the
choice of the delegates and so Iowa
presented no name.