Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-09-07
Special to Times Republican.

Des Moines, Sept Tn the inter-
.ests OF harmony and as an effort to
conciliate the boiling faction OF re-
pubicans in the legislature. Governor
Cummins has offered strictly legal
and sure method of letting the result
of special senatorial primary de-
termine the election of senator for both
the short and the long terms. In q
letter to the standpat committee, which
served notice OF the bolt on him, he
offers, If regularly elected by the leg
islature now, to resign in the event
that the fails to carry the primary and
a republican legislature Is elected in
suring the election OF some other re-
publican for the long term. The acting
governor could then appoint to the
short term the successful primary
nominee for the long term and he
would fill both terms as the legitimat,
choice of the people.
The governor points out that the
federal law requires this legislature to
elect senator and to remain in ses-
sion until one is elected. Both the
attorney general and himself believe
that IL the legislature should adjourn
until November there could be no legal
election then, and that reconvening
then would entail enormous expense.
His plan would be strictly legal, would
stop expense and accomplish the
avowed purpose Of the stRndpatters as
expressed in their letter.
On Friday Of last week the stand
patters presented the following mani
festo to the governor, claiming that 1t
was signed by forty republicans:
"The undersigned republican mem
bers of the Thirty second general as
sembly, believing that an election OF
senator at this time without instruc-
ton from the voters of our party. is
utterly inconsistent with the purpose
fo1 which this session was called and
with the position heretofore taken by
.he party on the nomination OF a can
d:date for Ua.ted States senator by
the adoption of our primary law, hereby
protest against such election and will
refuse to enter a caucus to nominate
a candidate for senator; but we pledge
ourselves to return on the 9th day OF
November without expense to the state
and elect the candidate who receives
the largest number of votes for sena-
tor at the primary expression taken IN
the election. We believe the members
Of the republican party have the same
interest in and the same right to be
heard upon the question of the sem
.atcrship for the short term as for the
long term"
The regular and customary caucus
of republicans was held with forty
three deliberately absent, six excus-
ably absent, t1fty-nine present and
fifty. eight voting for Cummins, a clear
majority of eight Of all the republican
membership of both houses. Seven more
are believed to be ready. to vote for
Cummins in joint session. But IN or
der to .conciliate the boilers the gov
ernor has agreed to the purpose
ayowed. in their letter, Of letting the
primary decide both terms and replies
as follows:
cumrins' Proposition.
Governor Cummins' letter to the
standpat minority in the Legislature
follows:
"Hon. w. P. whipple, senator and
Hon. w. l.. Harding, representative:
yesterday morning, you presented TO
me statement on behalf Of certain
republican members of the Thirty-sec-
ond general assembly whose names
were not given, protesting against the
election of a United States senator : at
this time and advising me that these
members would refuse to enter a re-
publican caucus for the nomination. OF
a candidate for senator for the unex-
pired term. replied to you, when the
paper was presented to me. that in my
opinion it was the constitutional duty
of the extra session of the general as
sernbly to elect a United States sena-
tor to fill the vacancy, but that had
not asked any man to vote for me and
would not ask any man to vote against
me. I further replied that it seemed to
me that the protest should be sub
mitted. not to me, but to the republic
an members of the general assembly