Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-12-24
Torbert Letter Reveals That He
Did or That Its Meaning is
Being Misrepresented
MEYER MAY HEAD DEMOCRATS
Newton Man Discussed as Candidate
for Governor Railroads Have
Good Reasons for Keeping Out Of
Iowa Politics in the Coming Cam
paign.
Special to Times Republican.

opeCldl W 4 hSPdbiStIh.
Des Moines, Dec. 24.-NoW that poll
ticians have had an opportunity 10
take the second sober thought OF the
Torbert letter from Governor Cum
Minis they are convinced that either the
standpatters and the standpat press
are trying to read into the letter what
is not there or else they gave Governor
Cummins what sporting men call the
double cross at the time the letter
was written. Whichever view OF the
| matter the st;ndpat press of the state
persists in taking it shows evidence oil
bad faith.
The publication few days ago OF
extracts from the news and editorial
columns of the standpat newspapers
such as the Burlington Hawkeye, Des
Moines Capital, and Sioux City Jour-
nal, discloses that they all interpreted
the withdrawal Of Kretschmer from
/ the race for state treasurer as peiis
necessary to save Allison. lncldentaiiy
when Kretschmer withdrew he naiheo
a Perkins delegation and III was the
naming of the Perkins delegation that
was the real vital motive for the ex-
ultations of the standpat newspapers.
The letter from Governor Cummln3
to Torbert was written the middle OIL
| April. 1906. Kretschmer Withdrew To-
wards the last of May, 1906. For
months after the date In April WheH
the Torbert letter was written the
standpat newspapers all persisted IN
! claiming that Governor Cummins was
candidate for governor merely 10
get into position to defeat Alilson
| for the senate II the Torbert letter
was a pledge, Gs they claim now, then
| they acted in bad faith then II they
did not interpret the letter as pledge
at that time then they are acting IN
bad faith now.
Incidentally in the same connection
the resolutions adopted by the Webster
county republican convention on May,
| %, 1906, are being recalled by those who
took part in that memorable campaign.
The convention was held in Ft. Dodge,
the home of Senator Dolliver, and II
will be remembered that Senator Dol
liver wrote letter expressing ms
preference for Mr.. George d. Perkins
for governor. Webster county in
structed for Cummins and in doing so
passed some gentle hints to its distin-
guished resident, Senator Dolliver
| The resolutions adopted by the Web
| ster county republican convention call
attention to the letter of Senator Dol
liver favoring Perkins and in explana-
| ton Of the instructions for Cummins
say: 1--WE have enjoyed greater lib
erty Of dissent (rfom Delivers posi-
tion) since Governor Cummins in the
opening speech of this campaign clear
ly and without reservation stated that
he did not purpose an attempt to dis
place Senator Dolliver in the senate" !"
| The unequivocal statement of the
governor at that time and the inter-
probation placed upon it by the repub-
licans of Delivers home county leaves
no doubt in the minds of politicians
| that the standpat friends of Senator
Allison never interpreted the letter
| from the governor to Torbert as a
pledge at ALL In reality with politicians
generally there is no secret of the mat
! ter one way or the other. The stand
| pdL pISSS uui iu5 lilS ie.Sl SethAtPseioAA -
made use of the claim that Cummins
was after Allison's seat in the hope
that they would injure the governor 5
candidacy and they are making use Of
the claim now that he wrote letter
pledging himself not to be candidate
against Allison for just the same rea-
| son.
The name of P. o. Meyer, of New
ton, Iowa, is being talked of by demo-
Gratis as a possible candidate for nomi-
nation as governor. There is no sure
(; ty as yet that his name will be pre-
sented to the primaries. Among the
/ greater number of democratic politi
/ clans it is being taken as sort of tacit-
| ly understood that Hon John Dennison
of Dubuque will be a candidate and
many go farther and indicate that they
are convinced that there is little doubt
/ but that he will be nominated at the
primaries.
Mr.. Meyer is recognized by the DEM
ocrats generally as man of excellent
| character and they claim he would in
many respects make an ideal candi-
date. Beyond holding the position of
one time he has never been in public
life other than to take an active part
in the affairs of his party. He is now
practicing law.
/ Publication in the Chicago Tribune
and Iowa standpat newspapers of a
story under Des Moines date line to
the effect that the railroads have de-
! cided TO keep their hands off the Iowa
political contest this year is not a
surprise to progressive politicians.
| neither would it be surprise when
the campaign opens if the railroads
| did take a hand
A railroad man of this city who has
| been active in politics in the state has
told his friends quite recently that he