Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-07-07
REMARKABLE COMPLICATION
DUE TO CONVENTION CALL
FACES REPUBLICANS OF 9TH
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
PROUTY AHEAD
WHEN CALL ISSUES
DOCUMENT HAS NOT YET BEEN
FILED AND MAY BE ALTERED
BUT WHAT WILL THE CON-
vENTIoN DO ANYWAY


troll the congressional convention of
July 10, Hull or Prouty?
What will he, whoever is in control
of it, try to do under the call of Cohen
and Mentzer which recites the bust
ness of the convention to be the nom
nation of a congressional candidate?
Can the convention legally nomin-
ate candidate?
And if one is nominated, will appeal
be taken to the courts to stop pro-
readings?
These are few of the scores of in
guiries which were being thrown
about promiscuously by the politicians
yesterday as result of the publica-
ton of the call for the convention as
(, Issued by Messrs Cohen and Ment-
+ Ter.
There is what AL Moore would call
a status of qui vive among the poll
ticians. They can't figure out why
Hull men issued call in the language
quoted and they wonder what the con-
gressional candidates are going to do
when the convention meets
Prouty Ahead Then.
The call is dated June 20. On that
date Judge Prouty was understood
generally to be about seven or eight
ahead in the recount then going on
In the district, and it was thought
that he would be the nominee, without
question, so far as the primary results
we're concerned Judge Prouty's
friends assume that Chairman Cohen
and Secretary Mentzer of the con-
gressional committee, both adherents
Of Captain Hull knew the situation
rs to the primary election results at
that date.
County conventions were held on
June 90 1t was not certain that Judge
Prouty would control the conventions
In Story and Polk counties so COM
pletely There was an intention to Sc
cure the election of delegates by pre-
cincts, but this was baked by the
Judges friends
AS the county convention turned out
The whole of the forty-three delegates
IN Polk county and all of the thirteen
In Story county were cinched for
Prouty and there are ninety-six in the
district. Dallas county can have no del
egates in the convention, apparently,
The canvass being tied up in the
courts. Polk county would furnish a
majority of the remaining IS dele
gates.
Judge Prouty said yesterday, how
over, that he did not know whether
he would be in control of the conven-
Non or not
What Can 1t Do7
Anyway, the politicians are wonder
Ing what the convention can do
Conventions are called under the pri-
mary law to make nominations when
nominations are not made by the
people, directly, at the primary cleo
ton. No nomination will have been
made at. the primary election when
the convention meets. 1t also Is re-
garded as certain as anything finite
can be that no nomination will have
been effected in time for the secretary
Of state to certify out the name of the
candidate for the official ballot, since
the question is in the courts.
The primary law provides that the
secretary of state shall certify to dis
trict conventions as to whether nom
nation has been made or not. So far
as the secretary of state Is concerned
or knows, there has been no nomina-
tion for congress in this district.
Hone has been disclosed by the can
pass SO far made. The law provides
that If the canvass discloses no nom
nation, the fact shall be certified to
the convention that it may act. The
canvass not having been completed,
because of the courts interference,
what is the duty of the secretary Of
state toward the convention of July
10?
If he certifies no nomination has
been made and the convention makes
nomination, will the candidate not
nominated by the convention proceed
to enjoin the secretary of state from
certifying out the name of the nom
inee of the convention for the official
ballots?
These are few more of the slath-
ers of inquiries in which politicians
are indulging.
1t is curious complication. In the
meantime the final hearings in court
are set for date two months in the
future.
Dun's Review on Banks,