The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1910-08-11
REPUBLICAN STATE CONVEN-
TION.
Insurgents Were in Complete Con-
troll, Having Majority of 247
Over Standpatters.

Over Standpatters.
The republican state convention
held at Des Moines last week was in
absolute control of the insurgents,
who had SIS votes to SOS standpat-
tiers. Senator A. B. Cummins was
temporary chairman and he made
speech which filled the hearts of the
insurgents with delight and caused
the standpatters to grind their teeth
and swear both under their breath
and quite volubly. In his address
Senator Cummins in making climax
said, 81 cannot permit myself to
doubt that the party of Lincoln, of
Grant, of Blaine, of Garfield, of Nc
Kinley or of Roosevelt will rise tri-
umphantly above the clouds of its
cival war
.'Why not Taft, too?" demanded
Major Lacey, leaping from his seat
into the aisle beside the section oc-
cupied by the Sixth district delega-
ton.
why not Taft?" echoed the stand
patters in the other district delega-
tions, and cries of Taft, too?'' re-
sounded through the hall. Then
some one Kissed. No one knows who
started the sound, but it seemed to
originate close in front of the plat
form. 1t spread as rapidly as had the
cries of Taft" and those who heard
it were unable to retermine whether
it were unable to determine whether
patters for interrupting the speaker,
or the speaker for refusing to include
Taft in his list of notable leaders of
the party. After the interruption,
Senator Cummins proceeded, but did
not depart from his text.
The insurgents also captured six
of the eleven members of the state
committee which gives them control
The only nomination on the state
ticket which went to the convention
was that of state superintendent of
schools and A. M. Deyoe, of Hancock
county was nominated on the second
ballot
Senator Dolliver was the perman-
ent chairman of the convention, the
balance of the temporary officers be-
ing made permanent.
The convention clashed over the
platform, but the insurgents won out,
and their report was adopted. The
fight for the minority planks of the
standpatters was led by ex-congress-
man w. P. Hepburn, but he could
not hold his former sway over re-
publican state convention in Iowa,
and he had all kinds of trouble in
reading the minority report.
The standpatters were prepared to
cheer as heartily for their resolutions
as had the progressives for those that
pleased them, and they arose to their
feet and shouted when Colonel Hep
burn read the Taft plank AS he
neared the close of the resolutions
the hall was comparatively quiet, and
a single amen" from far up in the
balcony, was shouted in Endorsement
OF the commentator of Taft's ''pru-
dent, business-like and economical
administration of all the affairs of
the nation" as the report read. ;
All was comparatively smooth
thus far, but it was when Colonel
Hepburn attempted to read the reso-
luton regarding the Iowa delegation
in Washington that he had his
troubles. Laughter from the progress
siyes stopped him almost before he
had begun to read the proposed
plank. He stopped talking while
Chairman Dolliver demanded order,
and when the room was more quiet
he began again:
I'VE indorse and commend the
Iowa delegation in congress for all
efforts in support of the administra-
ton of President Taft-''he read.
Then the laughter again drowned his
voice
Undismayed, the veteran smiled
Senator Dolliver beat tattoo with
his iron bound gavel. When quiet
was again restored he began again
not where he had left off, but at the
beginning of the resolution.
Again the shouts of the progress
sives overwhelmed his voice in vol
sume, but Colonel Hepburn had APP
sparently determined to read that
resolution if it took all summer, and
he kept bravely on to the end,
despite the fact that people within
ten feet of him could not hear word
he said
The following are the minority
and majority resolutions:
The Minority Resolutions.
Resolved, that we view with salts
faction the action of the republicans
of Iowa taken thus early in the nat
ional campaign and in convention as
sembled in March, 1908, at which
time the following expression was
unanimously given:
Resolved, that we favor the nom
nation of William H. Taft by the re-
publican national convention to as
.semble on the 18th of June. We have
confidence in his ability, his indepen-
dent manhood, his comprehension of
large and vital public questions, his
uncompromising integrity and un-
falterlng courage"
And we now take pride in the fact
that he was nominated and elected to
that high office with the aid of Iowa
republicans, and that during the year
and half of his service as president
of the United States he has fully
justified the confidence placed in him
by the republican party. The record
of achievement of President Taft's
administration and the Sixty-first
congress is unequaled in our history
and guarantees faithful adherence to
all the pledges of the last republican
platform. We also indorse the Taft
No ri in, ri