Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-10-31
CANDIDATE FOR ATTORNEY GEN.
ERAL MAKES VIGOROUS REPLY
TO NEWSPAPER ATTACK.
DAVE sRANr, OF IOWA CITY,
SEEKS TO eELITTLE cossoN
Republican Candidate in Open Letter
Says Facts Are GarbIed-Points to
His Record in the Legislature to Re-
fute Vicious Attack From Member Of
Own Party-other Iowa News.

Des Moines, Oct. 31.-George Cosson,
special counsel in the office of At
torney General Byers and republican
nominee for attorney general. is out
with hot reply to the editorial Of
David Brant, the Iowa City editor. who
recently advised republicans of the
state to bolt the state ticket insofar
as Mr.. Cosson and Clifford Tnoin-.
candidate for state railway commits
sioner, are concerned.
Editor Brant gave several reasons
why republicans should "cut" Senator
Cosson. He asserted that he has been
the attorney generals office has al
ways been hatchery for progressive
republican plots. that Senator Cosson
will continue the office as it mas been
run in the past, that he voted against
republicans of good standing nominate
ed by Governor Carroll for membership
on the state board of control, and that
Attorney General Byers had written an
opinion that delegate ballot with
squares printed on it was illegal.
To all these charges Senator Cosson
enters vigorous denial.
Malicious Untruths.
He refers to Editor Brant's editorial
as an editorial of INSTRUMENTATION"
and asserts that some of the charges
were made either with malicious intent
or else with a reckless disregard for
the truth.
Senator Cosson's letter in full fol-
lows:
Mr.. David Brant. Iowa City. Iowa
Dear Sir: In recent editorial you adj
wise republicans to vote against Cliff
ford Thorne and myself The first rea-
son given why republicans should vote
against me is because you say that
Attorney General Ryers wrote an
opinion holding that delegate ballot
with squares printed thereon was not
legal. You also state that l was a bit
ter factionalist in the senate and voted
against confirming both Judge Conner
and Representative Jones for mem
Der of the board of control, and you at
tempt to impeach my record, but con-
tent yourself with mere generaliza-
tor
l have made 1t rule to disregard
newspaper comments in SO far as they
We're confined to opinions and conclu-
sions, and I should make no exception
with YOU were it not that you have as
Sun1od 10 dUNISG TepuDuCduS as W Gel =
tain facts, but instead of giving them
the facts you have made positive mis-
representations. I assume. however.
that your sense of fairness is such
that you will be glad 30 be- apprised of
the truth and that you Will give this
letter as much prominence as you did
your editorial Of misinformation.
Delegate Ballot Opinion.
AS to your first objection, General
Byers did not at any time write an
opinion holding that a delegate ballot
was illegal upon the ground that
squares were printed thereon. On the
contrary he held that squares on the
ballot were legal. but that the sam
should be marked by the voter him
self after he entered the booth to vote.
The opinion was written by Mr.. Byers
himself two years ago, and is entirely
sound in law, but / was not ia any
sense responsible for the same.
You make the positive statement that
in the senate l voted against confirm :
ing both Judge Conner and Represent
alive Jones for a member of the board
of control. This statement is absolute
| ly false, and it was made with either
the malicious intent to prejudice the
friends OF Governor Carroll. Judge
Conner and Representative Jones, or
else it was done with such a reckless
disregard for the truth as to be almost
criminal in its nature.
l signed a petition which was circu-
lated by one of the senators requesting
| the governor to reappoii,i Mr. Cownie.
but 1 believed then and believe now
that the theory of the law was to give
the governor the right to nominate and
appoint with the authority. however, of
the senate to veto any appointee who