Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-09-07
PRoGREsslvEs OF EIGHTH DIS
TRIcr AWAITING ACTION OF
OPPOSITION CANDIDATE.
IF TowNER ENTERS RACE ,
HEPBURN WILL oPPos-
Progressive Element Ready TO Take Up
Cause Of Former Congressman as In
strument to Defeat Objectionable
Man - Desire TO Eliminate Judge
From Political Field.
pecial to Times-Republican.

s'peClal In IimeS-Repub blican.
Des Moines, Sept. 7.-Nothtng need
be looked for from the eighth congress
sional district for some little time in
the way of candidates for congress
sional honors. 1t is learned that the
matter has been pretty we'll threshed
out by the republicans down there and
while 1t is said that Judge H. NJ
Towner. of Corning, has declared to
many people that he is a candidate for
the congressional nomination he has
not made a formal announcement Of
his candidacy. Until he does the rest
of the prospective candidates will not
be heard from.
Progressives have practically decided
that until Towner announces him self
definitely there will be nothing doing
in their camp. That they expect to
have candidate in the field they
frankly admit but they are waiting for
Towner. The fight in the eighth district
has been a long drawn out fight. For
some years, according to the belief of
the progressives and the election re-
turns. the progressives have been gain
ing in numbers. But they do not feel
that they are exactly strong enough yet
to take the bull by the horns and try
the issue out.
In the first place they recognize that
Towner will ever be standpat factor
Of considerable strength in the eighth
district as long as he is In office They
realize that IL he does not run for con-
gress again this year he will be a can
didate for Judge OF the district court.
They propose that if he is going to he a
candidate for congress he must come
out and announce himself and burn the
judgeship bridges behind him. II he
does that they will promptly spring
Ex-Congressman William p. Hepburn
on him as their candidate and they
think Hepburn will win. III Towner
finally decides to remain on the district
bench they will spring some strong
young republican like Senator Dan
Turner. If they land Turner once they
have no fears but that he will stay, and
cannot be defeated by Towner when he
comes up for reelection.
On the other hand If Towner finally
cuts loose from the district judgeship
and runs for congress Hepburn will be
the candidate of the progressives Hep
burn has fought the Cannon house
rules and If reelected would not hold
the office many years because of his
age and once he has defeated Towner
for the nomination the progressIves
figure Towner would then be a dead
issue. In fact II is claimed that Hep
burn will be perfectly willing to run
against Towner and hold the office
again for only one term and then allow
some young progressive to get in just
to square things with Towner.
The fact is Colonel Hepburn has
never forgiven Towner for his defeat
and the election, of Jamison. a demo-
crat. He charges 1t all to Townar
Hepburn 1t will be remembered secured
the republican nomination quite easily
but was defeated on election day by a
small vote He believes that Towner
and his standpat following were re-
sponsible for 1t since the district IS
strongly republican, Hepburn's friends
think that Towner desired to have
Hepburn defeated at the election in
order that Towner could get the nom
ination in 1910
But whatever the merits Of the con-
tention between the friends of II ap-
burn and Towner. the fact is that the
plans of the progressives are made
They will not announce any progras
sive candidate until Towner announces
himself either for congress or for the
judgeship. They are laying their wires
to get Towner eliminated from the oo-
litical field In the meantime everv
election. they claim, strengthens then
numbers. Delay makes them better
able to try conclusions with him and
the standpat element If 1t comes tc
that If he decides to remain on the
bench they WILL have a candidate in
the fielR~ If hR decides to try for con
sress they believe Colonel Hepburn vii
be persuaded to become a candidate
and they, are sure Hepburn can defeat
Townerffois the nomination even II be
shouldn't get the election and the elm
ination Towner which Is their CHIEF
desire would be accomplished
Unless more plasterers and carpen-
ters are found soon. the work of erect
kee, Independence and Oakdale will be
tcct. returned today from trip tc
these institutions. Plasterers especial.
ly are needed at Cherokee and Inde-
pendence where the work is ready 70,
them and carpenters are needed at al
three places. Efforts are being mad,
to find them everywhere but they have
been SIhore or. less scarce all summe,
during the building season.
-: il sss
State Librarian johnson Brigham
has begun reading proof on his new
book which will appear about holida,
times s6n 'The Banker in Literature
The book will be the first to appear OF
the subject. In II he takes up banker.
who have been men Of note in history
bankers who have been authors and
bank characters in fiction.
The book will be published by the
Bankers Publishing Company of New
York, and will be handsomely bound ir
blue and gold.
Altho Iowa's team at the nationa
rife shoot did not capture first plac,