Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-02-21
Contest Narrows Down to Bleak
ley, Of Ida County, and Hop
kins, of Guthrie County
HEMPEL HAS WITHDRAWN
Elkader Man Decides He Does Not
Want to Make the Race = Recent
Attack on Fred Larrabee May Result
in Making Him a Factor in Contest
for Lieutenant Governor.
,racial 10 Zines Republican.

Special to Republican.
Des Moines. Feb. 21.-John G.. Hem
Eel, of Eikader, attended the state as
sociation Of clothiers in Des MONIES
this week He stated while here thal
he had practically decided that he
would not go before the people OF the
state this year as candidate lor auu-
tor. Mr.. Hempel is very popular al
home and as soon as there was d Sug-
ne wspapers Of the northeast corner m
dcrsed him in most sincere manner.
Mr.. Hempel was county auditor two
or three terms and served on the re-
publican state committee. But he Is
ergrosscd in business and will not this
year take the time to present his name
fer state office.
This leaves the contest, thus far,
fairly between Senator Frank NJ. Hop
kins, of Guthrie, and Senator John L..
Eleakley of Ida, one in the Ninth ana
the other in the Eleventh district
There will perhaps be no place where
the clear line of demarcation between
standpatism and just plain republic
canism will be more clearly drawn
than here.
AS an Illustration of the temper OF
the people an incident is told here. a
short time ago one of the standpat
6aily organs in Des Moines made a
fierce bitter personal attack on Hop
kins and in a brutal editorial de-
rounced him as utterly incompetent
and lacking in ordinary sense. 1t was
declared plainly that he did not have
sufficient education to conduct the Of
fee. A few days after nomination pa
pers We're put in circulation for Sena-
tor Hopkins the business men, the
bankers, the merchants, the lawyers
and the best class of Des Moines peo-
pie signed the papers almost without
exception 1t was their pointed answer
to the attack.
AS matter of fact Senator Hopkins
is a graduate of the Iowa State Uni
versity and finely educated and cul-
tured gentleman. He has had exper-
ience which even without the college
backing would make him competent for
almost any position. He was county
clerk a term or two, mayor of his
town for long time and has engaged
in the management of strong bank
for number Of years. Besides he has
lad experience for two terms in the
state senate where he has become
familiar with every detail of the pub
lie service.
A new turn was given to state poll
tics by peculiarly brutal attack on
Frederick Larrabee, of Fort Dodge,
and incidentally upon Iowa's grand old
man, the distinguished ex-governor, in
one of the standpat organs of this city.
The attack was incidental to the re-
sentiment shown by the grain dealers
of Iowa toward an outside political or
ator who sought to use the grain deal
ers' association for political purposes
at Fort Dodge.
The effect has been to start small
boom for Larrabee as a candidate for
lieutenant governor. There being two
good candidates in the field, it has not
been regarded as probable that anoth-
er will come into the race, but the
bringing of the name of young Larra-
bee into the game because he hap
pens to live in Fort Dodge, where the
grain dealers met, has created sem
sation.
The selection of precinct and town
ship delegates to the republican county
convention in this county next week
will be by primary caucus system
with voting by ballot for delegates.
and the polls to be kept open for at
least one hour. In this way every
in the county will have
chance to participate in the selection of
the delegates. Tickets will be pre-
pared, and on one ticket at least. there
will be something to indicate definitely
what the delegates stand for in ma
tional affairs These tickets will be
headed Taft Progressive Delegates" or
similar, to indicate not only
that the delegates are for Taft for
president. but also for the progressive
policies of the president, and con-
tinuation of the same.
The populists of Iowa held their
state convention at the Iowa hotel yes
terday, selected delegates to their ma
t!cnal convention and elected six dele
gates at large and district delegates.
They adopted the Omaha platform. l..
Fl. Weller of Nashua. father Of popu-
lism in Iowa, was present, and j. K.
Norman head of the state committee,
tho sick. came up from Abba to attend
1t They have been true to the faltn
while James B. Weaver and other pop
nlists have abandoned the party and
gone over to democracy. The delegates
end alternates to the national conVen-
ton We're elected without opposition.
The national convention will meet in
ST Louis April .. 1t is said that 1t Is
possible that Mr.. Weller will be nom
irated for president. He was suggested
for vice president at the last national
convention of the party.
The following were selected as the