The Washington times., 1908-08-22
Leaders Fear Proposed Cau-
Gus Will Provoke Only
Greater Enmity.
CUMMINS IN LEAD
FOR SENATE SEAT
Republicans, 1t Is Said, Would Pre-
fer Seeing Democrat Elected
Than to Unite Factions.
By T. c. wELLIvER.

Iowa Republicans have called a great
Harmony caucus" - lie held at Des
Moines August %. 1t will be remark
able gathering, almost without parallel
in the politics of the country, Its pur-
pose will be to get the party leaders to-
gethcr and seek a way oJt Of the COM
plication which threatens the Repub-
lican control Of the State Legislature
and State ticket in the coming election,
and which menaces even the electoral
ticket.
Present indications are that ins cad Of
producing harmony the conference more
likely will widen the breach between the
tue factions. Both in and out or the
state great. concern is felt among party
leaders about the results Of the gath
ering-
Briefly, the Iowa situation may be
stated thus: The Republican primary IN
June named Allison for Senator over
Cumnnins, by a close vote. All coacede
that against any other than Allison,
CumuIns would have won. Allison died
two months after he was nominated.
Consequently. the instructions which
the primary had given 10 Republican
legislators 70 vote for Allison were null
uhed. Unless some other nominee is
named by the party, the legislators win
be free to support whom they choose.
Cummins is a candidate. There will be
several others.
VIII Knife Opponents.
The Cummins partisans all over the
State are ready TO knife anti-Cummins
legislative candidates, and the anti-Cum-
Minis people propose to defeat Cummius
"a FrTf will
ing TO let the Democrats have the Sen
ator. rather than 10 allow the victory
TO go to the opposing Republican fac
ton
With Allison gone there is a vacancy.
Governor Cummins has the power to ap-
point for the remainder OF the Allison
term, or until the Legislature-which
meets in January-shall elect Whether
he Will do this, or cali the Legislature
in special session to elect. or allow the
vacancy to continue ad interim. has not
been decided.
Some OF Cummins' friends want him
TO resign as governor, and at once be
appointed Senator by his successor. the
present Lieutenant Governor GaTst. who
IS a strong CumHins supporter. Others
want him to leave the vacancy. Others
urge that he call the Legislature to
elect.
SIN others insist that he call the
Legislature together and get 10 TO adopt
an amendment TO the present primary
law. under which provision shall be
made for a second primary when a
vacancy occurs as an the pres
ent case. Then they would have the
Legislature elect to M the present va
Cancy. and adjourn. The governor
could announce his candidacy for the
nomination at the second primary. and
F= u H.
would be named
Plan is Opposed.
But the and-Cummins element op-
poses this idea. It urges that the ex-
pense Of a second primary Should not
be saddled on the State. More than
this, and much more forCibly, it urges
shat II a primary be held the nominee
OF that primary, whether he be OF one
faction or the other, will be knitted at
the polls by his ancient enemies Of the
other crowd. The Legislature viii go
Democratic. and Claude r. Porter,
whom the Democrats have nominated to
receive their support fer Senator, will
get the seat vacated by Allison
The situation is a complex and diffi-
guilt one. As a possible way out OF II.
the big harmony conference has been
called. All the Republican members of
the Legislature, nominees for the next
Legislature. State officers and nominees
for State Offices. editors of Republican
newspapers and various classes of party
leaders. have been invited to attend
They will al accept. Chairman c. Z.
FRANKIE, Of The State central committee,
will preside.
Against the Caucus.
There have been many protests
against holding the conference. on the
ground that 1t surely would do more
harm than good. II will have none of
the authority Of a State convention: Il
can only advise, not bind anybody. II
IS insisted that the factions viii get to-
gether and have a good, hard night.
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