The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1908-08-25
IOWA MIGHT 60
DEMOCRATIC IN
FACTION S.! ;
Conference Called for This
Evening Will Do More
Harm Than Good
BOTH FACTIONS NAY CUT
The OPPOSITION CANDIDATES

lature and Battle Will be to Defeat
Legislative Candidates Opposed to
Senatorial Candidate Of Faction.
Washington. D. c.. Aug. 25.-Iowa
Republicans have called a great
harmony caucus to be held at Des
Moines tonight. It will be remark
able gathering, almost without paral-
lei in the politics of the country. Its
purpose will be to get the party lead
ers together and seek way out Of
the complication which threatens the
Republican control Of the state legis-
lature and the state ticket, In the
coming election, and which menaces
even the electoral ticket.
Present indications are that in
stead OF producing harmony the con-
ference will more likely widen the
breach between the factions. Both in
and out of the state, great concern is
felt among party leaders about the
results of the gathering.
Iowa Situation Serious.
Briefly, the Iowa situation may be
stated thus: The Republican pri-
mary in June named Allison for SEN
ator over Cummins by very close
vote. All concede that against any
other than Allison, Cummins would
have won. Allison died two months
after he was nominated. Consequent
ly, the instructions which the pri-
mary had given to Republican legis-
lators to vote for Allison were nulli-
fed. Unless some other nominee is
named by the party. the legislators
will be free to support whom they
choose. Cummins Is candidate.
There will be several others. The
Cummins partisans all over the state
are ready to knife anti-C Cummins leg
islattve candidates, and Cum
minis people propose to defeat Cum
minis candidates. Either side assg4a1
fully willing to let the Democrats
have the senator, rather than to al
low the victory to go to the opposing
Republican faction.
With Allison gone, there Is a va
cancy. Governor Cummins has the
power to appoint for the remainder
Of the Allison term or until the legis-
lature-which meets In January
shall elect. Whether he will do this,
or call the legislature in special ses-
sion to elect, or allow the vacancy to
continue ad interim, Is not decided.
Cummlns Might Resign.
Some of Cummins' friends want
him to resign as governor and at once
be appointed senator by his successor,
the present Lieutenant Governor
Garst, who is q strong Cummins sup
porter. Others want him to leave
the vacancy. Others urge that he
call the legislature to elect. Still
others insist that he call the legisla-
ture together and get 1t to adopt an
amendment to the present primary
law, under which provision shall be
made for second primary when q
vacancy occurs, as In the present
case. Then they would have the leg
islature elect to fill the present
vacancy and adjourns. The COVER
nor could announce his candidacy for
the nomination at the second pri-
mary and there is considered little
doubt he would be named. /,
The situation is. most complex
and difficult one As a possible way
out OF 1t, the big harmony conference
has been called. All tho Republican
members Of the legislature, nominees
TOR the next legislature, state officers
and nominees for state offices, edi-
tors Of Republican newspapers and
various classes Of party leaders have
been invited to attend. They will all
accept. Chairman G. F. FRANKIE, Of
the state central committee, will pre-
side.
There have been many protests
against holding the conference, on
the ground that 1t would surely do
more harm than good. 1t will have.
none of the authority of state con-
vention; 1t can only advise, not bind
anybody. It is insisted that the fac
ttons will get together and have q
good, hard fight, which will do no
good, but make new enemies and AMI;
mosities. There will have to be q
vote, and nominees for the legislature
will have to declare themselves ON,
one side or the ether. II they do;
they will be marked for slaughter by
The crowd opposed to the position
they take
The anti-cummihs people seem Is
want the whole fight dropped till the,
Legislature is elected. They are beg
ging that everybody join to elect the
legislature, and then fight out the;
senatorial matter In that body. But
the Cummins people have no conf
dence in the sincerity Of their ene-
mics. They are positive that the
Cummins legislative candidates would
be knitted at the polls. In the effort
TO assure that the anti Cumins crowd
should control the Republican cau-
Gus. In such event, they say, the
sCummins people would pay tit for TIT
and defeat the anti Cummins cam
adates. The Democrats would stand