Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-07-02
Little Doubt But That Present
Railroad Commissioner Will
Be Candidate For Governor
WILL HAVE STRONG FOLLOWING
Support Will Come From Reservation,
and From the Old Soldiers of the
state-candidacy Will Not Interfere
With Present State Office To
Round Out Career.
Special TO Times-Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines. July 2.--lt seems to be
coming more and more about political
centers here to be taken for granted
that Col j. D. Palmer. who has been
a member of the railroad commission
since March 90, 1898, a period of about
nine and a half years, is a candidate
for governor of Iowa. Colonel Palmer
is an old soldier and q standpatter.
He would probably welcome all kinds
of republican votes at the primary but
| it is recognized that he is a stand
patter
Colonel Palmer has variously been
mentioned as republican candidate
for governor a number of campaigns
He was mentioned last time but the
standpat forces united on George d.
Perkins as the candidate and Colonel
Palmer never announced his candidacy
tho many urged him. He was re-elect-
ed railroad commissioner without any
very dangerous OppOSltlOn.
This year Colonel Palmer is being
urged to be a candidate for governor
thru feeling on many of the old SOL
diers that there will never be another
opportunity to elect an old soldier as
governor. Colonel Palmer won his title
of colonel serving during the civil war.
He has been a prominent speaker at
G. A. r. camp fires all over the state
and is we'll known. Some of his en-
thusiastic friends claim that there is
not a man in the state better known
than Colonel Palmer. His home is at
Washington. Iowa, where he owns
good farm. Situated in the reservation
where he would pull strong reserva-
ton vote. combined with the old SOL
dier vote. his friends think he could
win.
When the Blythe following took UP
with George d. Perkins it was with the
hope that he would bring with him the
entire northwest section Of the state.
The campaign developed that he got
but few counties in the Tenth and
Eleventh congressional districts, and If
the Cummins people had been a little
more vigilsnt and had gone into these
COuullCS anu louSul lS Soulu Ie1NC
been prevented from getting a single
county in those districts. Having seen
the folly of trying to capture the north
west it is said the next move for the
standpatters to make is to have can
didate in their own country. Further
more, there is at this time practically
no mention of any other anti-tariff re-
vision standpatter as candidate and
some of that clement insist that they
have ca candidate.
Furthermore Colonel Palmer can lose
nothing by being candidate. At the
election last November he was elected
for term of three years, beginning
Jan. 1. 1908. The term to which he
was elected has not begun to run yet,
and will not expire till Jan. l, 1911.
Since the office he occupies at this
time is not to be filled at the election
next year, and will not be before the
people till 1910 he can be candidate
for governor without losing his hold
on the office of railroad commissioner.
If he is not elected governor he will
still have the office of railroad COM
missioner and his farm to fall back
upon.
Thru his election as commander Of
the Iowa department, G. A. R., at the
recent encampment at Dubuque, Col
onel Palmer is in a position of special
prominence before the old soldier of the
state, and will be called upon in the
months to come to appear frequently
before campf1res and soldiers gather
ings and will be in demand ini ievery
county of the state this summer at the
old soldier reunions
Some of his friends have for years
been keeping Colonel Palmer in mind
as a possible candidate for governor.
The things enumerated make them
think that now is the logical time for
him to be a candidate, viz: First, he
is the only standpat candidate; sec
ond, he does not have to sacrifice his
present office; third, is the only old
soldier candidate mentioned; fourth,
may be last opportunity to elect an
old soldier governor; fifth, lives in res
ervation; sixth, has good chance to
win because Of prominence as COM
mander of Iowa G. A. R.
1t might be said that there is one
further reason and that is that term |
as governor would round out his ca
reer." Colonel Palmer served two
terms in the senate, which included the
extra session Of the Twenty seventh |
general assembly, during the4Minter of
1897. In March, 1898. he became rail-
road commissioner, and has thus been
in official life for many years. Being
a man of advanced years couple of |
terms as governor would probably be
the close of his official life
80
This is moving day at the state
house. Down in the basement there
are a lot of rooms that are being va
Gated for other tenants and prepara
tions generally are being made for |
the accommodation of new officials.
The rooms in the basement in the east
extension occupied by the supply de-
partment are being vacated for the
new parole board. The supply de- !