Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-09-04
Special to Times Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines, Sept. 4.-Before con-
vening of the legislature this morning
committee consisting of Senator
Whipple and Representative Harding
waited on Governor Cummins and pre-
sented him an ultimatum from the
standpatters. 1t was in the form of q
resolution asking him to efface him
self from the senatorial contest and to
permit postponenlent of the selecting
Of Allison's successor until after the
ballots are counted in November.
Threatens to Bolt.
The committee stated to the govern
or that there were gorty signers to
the ultimatum and that several others
had verbally agreed to 1t, and that un-
less the governor declines to permit the
use of his name these members will
bolt the republican caucus on senator
ship. They also informally offered that
if the governor would withdraw and
suggest the name Of some other person
they would unite and Immediately elect
for the short term.
Governor Could Not Yield.
Governor Cunlmins recited to the
committee how he had been once de-
feated for the senate and had ac-
cepted the result; how he had tri-
umphed when all these people now
threatening to bolt had in fact bolted
and how after the recent primary he
and all his friends had accepted the
result; then declared in most emphat-
ic terms that inasmuch as his friends
had made him candidate for the
short term he would not yield. He sug-
gested that the committee go to his
friends and not to him.
Standpats Urge Funk.
1t developed that prominent stand
patters had in the past few days writ
ten to Ex-senator Funk asking him
to be candidate, not only for the
short term but for the long term.
These standpat members Of the
houses of the Iowa legislature last
night laid their plans to defeat the
election of Governor Cummins as SEN
ater ror the unexpired portion of the
late S nator Allisons term.
The fight was laid ont in a series Of
meetings yesterday, participated in by
members of both houses and of both
factions. The net result of these was
that twelve republican senators agreed
not to go into the caucus if sufficient
number of the house members would
join with them to make the revolt sue
cessful. Twenty eight of the latter at
least gave indications of their purpose
when they attended the last meeting
last night.
If these carry out their intention 1t
will prevent Cummins from getting a
constitutional majority in either house,
unless he is given enough democratic
votes to carry him thru 1t was re-
ported last night that the democrats
might do this, but the leaders denied
it.
How Fight Was Wased.
The story of the move on the part OF
the standpatters to defeat Governor
Cummins for the short term as United
States senator was like this:
After an informal conference of the
standpat state senators last night, an
other conference was called for this
morning. At 10 o'clock Senators Bleak
ley, Elerick, Gale, Gilliland, Jackson,
Jamison, of Page, Jones, McElveen,
Nichols, Saunders, Seely, Stookey,
Stuckslager and Whipple met to con-
slider the situation and decide what
was best to be done in view of the fact
the progressives had Joined with the
democrats to force the election of the
United States senator this session.
Senator Gilliland took the position
that the election of Governor Cunmins
to the short term at this time would
ieopardize the legislature and prob
ably would lose three congressional
districts Others said the election of
Cummins as senator now would send
democrats from a majority of the
counties in the, entire south part of
the state.
All agreed that if the governor would
go before the people at the primary