Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1908-03-18
COUNTY CONVENTION.
WHILE CUMMlNS CARRIES COUNTY ALI.
SON HAS STRONG FOLLOWING.
Cummins Majority Controls Convention with
High Hand. Putting Through cummins
Slate and Binding Delegates with
Strong Resolutions and
Positive instructions.

although 1t was hoped by many
that the convention on Saturday to
select delegates to the state conven-
tion to be held at Des Moines today
might be in every sense a republican
and not factional convention, yet
the Cummins organization having a
majority captured everything in sight
and sent delegation from this county
bound by resolutions and instructed
for Cummins in every possible man
ner One man would have been
sufficient to have sent to represent
Winneshiek county. so limited are the
instructions.
II did not develop until shortly be-
fore the caucuses that the Cummins
organization had plans made to force
the issue in this convention. A couple
/ of hours before the caucuses in the
|city of Decorah the Allison forces
learned that printed tickets would be
used by the Cummins forces in at
least three of the wards, and accord
ingly tickets were printed by the
friends of Senator Allison and distri-
buted at the caucuses in these wards.
The result in these caucuses and
throughout the county was very salts
factory, considering the fact that two
years ago the county was practically
solid for Cummins. Solid Allison
delegates were elected from the fifth
ward, Decorah. Madison. Military
and Burr Oak. while the delegations
from Bloomfield. FrankviIle, Glen
wood. Lincoln, CaKoe, Orleans,
Hesper, Decorah (outside) and pos
sibly other precincts were divided.
In Decorah there was majority of IL
in the first ward for Cummins, the
secoLd ward divided. Cummins won
the third ward by three votes and the
fourth ty 90 votes, while the fifth
went for Allison solid and the outside
township divided. Under all the con-
ditions the Allison forces have no re-
grets to offer. Ii shows that the
county is not all one way, by any
na ans, and the result at the primaries
will undoubtedly be close. n Ms
The convention was called to order
by the county chairman, who an
nounced that the committee had Sc
lected Hon. w. H. Klemme of Ridge
way for temporary chairman. Mr.
Klemme accepted the honor with a
few we'll chosen remarks. l.. NJ En-
ger was chosen as temporary secretary.
On motion of Hon. Nels Larson of
Highland the chair appointed the fol-
lowing committee on credentials !:
Hon. Nels Larson, Hon. p. M. Jewell,
D. A. Tenold. After deliteration the
committee reported the following
townships duly represented in the
convention: Military, Bloomfield,
Calmar. Springfield. Burr Oak. Lin
coin. GlenwoOd, Canoe, Pleasant,
Highland, Hesper, Madison. DEBORAH
(outside), first. second, third, fourth
and fifth wards. The following town.
ships were not represented: Washing
ton. jackson. Frankville, Sumner,
BlufftOn, Fremont. Upon recon-
mendation Geo. M. Anderson and Jas.
Birdseil of Frankville were seated as
delegates.
@. N. Houck then moved the tenn
porary organization be made perma-
o. p. Ode, John Young. W. J Paley,
John Hegg and Dr. p. M. Jewell be
appointed committee to select four
teen delegates to represent Winneshiek
county at the state convention at Des
Moines. 1t has been the custom for
years for each supervisors district to
elect its member of this committees
HI. L. Coffeen spoke briefly. calling
the attention OF the convention to the
former work OF the party in this
county, the necessity for harmony in
the ranks at this time. and moved
that this committee be instructed TO
select seven Oummins men and seven
Allison men as delegates After re-
marks by Nels Larson and j. j. Hop
perstad against the motion of Mr..
Coffeen it was put before the conven-
tion aud lost The Cummins forces
were in control and they did not pro-
pose to ooncede anything to the other
side Darn Harmony.
After deliberation the committee re-
ported the following as delegates:
0. q Haugen. Springfield
Il. r. Webster. Military
Fl. A. Thornton, Bloomfield
JAS. Blrdsell, FranKvllle
t. w. Hazelton, Calmar
A. o. Flaskerud, Calmar
Henry Butz, Lincoln
A. T. Holton. Glenwood
Nels Larson. Highland
John Young, Hesper
Q. N. Goddard. Decorah
H. Engbretson, Decorah
l.. b. Whitney. Decorah
p. M. Jewell. DEBORAH
G. #. Baker moved the report be
accepted and tha committee dis
charged Nels Larson moved that the
delegates present at the convention be
empowered to cast the full vote of the
county Then came the fireworks. j.
II. Hopperstad offered a verbal reso-
luton indorsing Roosevelt. Taft and
Cummins, and l.. b. Whitney moved
that the delegates to Des Moines be-
instructed TO cast their votes for
Cummins delegates from the state and
from this congressional district to the
national convention. And then the