Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-02-27
Appears Now That Several Can
didates May Try For Seventh
District Job
DowELL, PRouTY AND CLARK
If DoweII Seeks Nomination, Prouty
Will Enter the Race-Clark is Law
Partner of Byers-Hinted That Hall
is Becoming Alarmed and Withdraw
al Would Not Surprise.
,ecial to Times-Republican.

Srecial to Times-Republican
Des Moines, Feb. 27.-Politicians IN
the Seventh district have been saying
for weeks that there was nothing do
ing in the Seventh against Hull. Ihes
have declared that Hull would be NOM
mated without opposition and that the
ONLY man who could oppose Hull with
any probability of being successful Is
Judge Nichols, of Dallas county, VINO
has said all along that he will not be
y candidate. There was, too, every rea-
son for believing that the politicians
were correct.
But it begins to look now as tho
Hull is to have opposition even IL
Nichols does not become candidate
and it even begins to look as tho there
was a possibility that Congressman
Hull, who has remained In congress
for eight terms, or sixteen years, III
spite of all attempts to jar him loose
from his seat, may have to look care
fully after his political fences. 1t is not
impossible but he may decide that six
teen wears in congress has satisfied
his ambition.
It is becoming understood In political
centers here that Senator Z. Z. bowen
will be a candidate for congress. DOW
ell has been strong Hull supporter
for some years. He supported Hull IN
the first campaign when Prouty was
candidate and he supported him In the
second campaign against Prouty Last
campaign Hull had no opposition.
Dowell has been in the legislature for
some terms. He was in the house Tor
the 25th and Goth sessions and the
extra session Of the 26th and in the
senate for the 29th, 30th, 31st and 32d.
He has two years more to serve as
state senator before the expiration OF
his term. 1t Is understood that Sena-
tor Dowen while not ready to give out
formal statement. has fully made up
his mind to be a candidate.
| If Dowell is candidate Judge S. r.
Prouty will be a candidate Judge
Prouty was candidate twice against
Hull and all but wrecked the Hull ma
| chine. He believes that If DoWell is a
candidate he will draw from Hulls
strength and will draw practically none
of the opposition to Hull, thus giving
Prouty an excellent chance to win. AS
soon as Judge Prouty is suggested as
candidate the cry is raised Of "tis-
sue ballots which were alleged to
have been used in his interests in his
second campaign with Hull. That was
in the days before the legalized pri-
mary, when the party central commit
tee controlled the primaries and the
central committee at that time was
composed Of men favorable to Prouty.
AS a matter Of fact there never
were any tissue ballots" That was a
campaign cry raised on Saturday
night preceding the Monday primaries
for the purpose of obscuring the issues
and defeating Prouty and it did the
business. Judge Prouty has recently
gathered documentary evidence to
prove that the ballot was not tissue
but ordinary paper. The writer voted
one of the ballots and is ready to make
oath that it was ordinary white paper
of the thickness ordinarily used for
ballots and there was nothing tissue
about it. 1t was not even extra thin
paper but was of the ordinary thick
ness.
Friends of Judge Prouty are anxious
to see him in congress. They claim
that he had Hull defeated twice and
still didn't get the election. The first
time they claim Hulrs election judges
deliberately counted him out and the
second time defeated him by false
claims of which the tissue ballot was
one. They see in the present situation
every reason to believe that Prouty
can win. 1t is known now that N. e.
Coffin will not be a candidate. He
had hoped for time to unite all the
opposition to Hull but this has been
proven impossible and he has decided
to stay out. With Dowell drawing
friends claim he can unite the bulk
of the opposition and they believe
Prouty can easily get more than 35
per cent of the vote.
But in addition to the situation as
to DoWell and Prouty there is another
movement under way with some in
dications that it may be successful.
This is a move to unite the opposition
to Hull upon Howard Clark of this
CITY, Mr. Clark is law partner of At
torney General Byers. He has been in
the practice of law for some time in
this city and is recognized as one of
the ablest lawyers in the state. He is
Furthermore said to entertain an ambi-
tion to go to congress. Further than
this it is said that Mr.. Clark has re-
Gently been given assurances OF sup
port from powerful influences in this
CITY Cnot Governor Culnmins) If he
will allow the use OF his name. 1t is
not improbable but that Senator Dow
ell might be induced not to be can
di,]ate if Mr.. Clark entered the field
It is more than likely that Judge
Proutv would not be candidate if
the opposition centered on Clark and
| El.,&a IN