Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-07-16
ATTORNEY GENERAL REPLIES
TO LuRlD AND FAKE STORIES
Says He Has Not Been Called Upon to
Rule on Question as to Power of
Convention to Select State Commit
tee-Standpat Literary Bureau Also
Attacking State Chairman FRANKIE.
to rlmes-Repuhlican.


threats OF boiling the republican state
convention. is taken to indicate that at
least among the leaders they know
certainly that the Jackson claims as
to the state convention have all along
been baseless. The latest form Of yiru-
lence runs against Attorney Genera
Byers, whose only offense in fact is
that he isn't saying a word. He has
been credited by the corporation press
bureau with having rendered an opin-
ion on the legal rights Of the state
conventions. ard then with advising
all sorts of awful things to be done,
and especially with having made the
"discovery" that the state conyen-
tons are, under the law, required to
select the party committees. Upon
being shown series OF these iurl0
takes as printed in the Sioux City
Journal. Burlington Hawkeye and sim
liar papers, Mr.. Byers said:
ut would seem from what / have
read in the papers that great many
people in Iowa are just discovering the
primary law. 1t was passed three years
ago. 1t is so simple and plain that il
has not been necessary for the courts
to pass Judgment on any OF IT'S many
phases except where al effort has been
made to violate its letter and spirit by
those who are opposed 10 the principle
of primary nominations
u have not been called upon 70 give
an opinion as to whether or not, IN
der the law. the state convention is
the supreme authority for the party.
I do not expect to be called upon for
any decision on the subject / have
given no opinion, nor have I suggested
any such thing. despite what some OF
the papers have been printing The law
is very plain, and everyone can easily
interpret it for himself. Neither is it
true, as 1 have seen minated, that
in this respect the law was amended
at the last session of the legislature
The state conventions this year Will be
governed by the law just as 1t was
two years ago and have the same rights
and duties.
81 do not know what the republican
state convention viii do. In common
with all good citizens hope 1t will
not violate the law nor do anything
inconsistent with duty to the party and
the state
The standpat literary agents are also
abusing Chairman FRANKIE for having
opened up republican state heacqUar-
tiers in advance Of the state conven-
ton and say this indicates he expects
the state convention to override pre-
cedents, etc. On the contrary Chair
man FRANKIE expects that the state
convention will not violate the law nor
neglect 10 perform duties plainly i'm
posed on the convention AS to whether
or not Mr.. FRANKIE will remain On the
state committee that IS for the con-
vention 10 decide; but inasmuch as by
law ne IS required TO make up the
roll of delegates ne very properly
opened up an office and VIII attend
10 the business imposed upon him.
Ii appears that the primary law is
wholly unknown in number of the
newspaper Offices of the state, the
copies sent out by the secretary Of
state having been consigned to waste
basket as rubbish. Some Of the edi-
tors, al least, are demonstrating that
they have never even seen the law.
Here is the Oskaloosa Herald for in
duties OF the state convention and
those of g county convention, and
pointing out that IN Mahaska county
the county convention did not elect
any OF the member Of the county com
.Tlittee. The convention could have
taken this matter upon Itself" the
Herald says" and 1t could have elect
ed q standpat committeeman in each
precinct if it cared TO-" but it deserved
credit for following precedent" and
not doing it. But the laws of Iowa say
that as to county committee, wa
cancies in such committee may be fl
led by majority vote of the committed
The state laws have done away with
the customs and precedents Of the
past and conventions are governed by
law
Then here is the Cedar Rapids Re
publican gravely discussing the right
of the convention to select the commit
tees Of the convention and referring tc
a Credentials" committee so thai
'there would be nothing in the way o.
unseating all delegations" Yet the
law has done away with all customs
In regard to contesting delegations
and any credential com mittee woulc
have absolutely nothing to do other
state committee has prepared the rol
of delegates in accordance with law
Even casual reading Of the law will
show that the old standpat trick OF
controlling a convention by contesting
delegations and fixed credentials
committee has been sent to the SCRAP
heap.
Again, the Sioux City Journal quote;
the call of the state committee ant
that part which states that the distric
caucuses shall select the usual COM
mittees of the state convention This
is held UP as proof that the distric
conventions will necessarily select the
members Of the state central commit
tee But the law specifically provide.
how this committee shall be selected
1t is not a committee Of the conven
ton: the district conventions can d
nothing that will in any way bind tn
state convention In such an importan
matter, and IL the state convention
fails or refuses to perform its duty b.
eiecting a state committee the part
will be without a state committee t
transact its business.
Copies Of the primary law may b
Rod hy addressing the secretary o
state They will be forwarded free {
any applicant