Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1910-06-01
ABOUT IOWA POLITICS
NOn-FactiOnal Political Letter From
Representative at State Capitol.
CANDIDATES BEFORE PRIMARY
j. $. WOOdhOuse Outlines Situation
As Viewed From Unbiased
Standpoint of Impartial
Investigation.

Is, not the SuDernatOrlal contest
which because of the generous pub
iicity campaigning has submerged
from public attention all others,
but the contests for republican nom
ination to the Offices of Railroa
Commissioner and superintendent
OF Public Instruction. 1t is an as
sured fact that at the primary June
18th republican candidate for gov
ernOr Will Oe nominated. This is
not true with respect 10 these other
two Offices because of the large field
of candidates in each. AS is we'll
understood, to secure a nomination
it is necessary for the candidate 70
receive thirty-five per cent of the
are six candidates for nomination
10 the office of Railroad Commits
sioner, and while it is generally
conceded one of these nominations
will go to Col. David ]. Palmer of
Washington county. present chair
man of the board and a member for
several years. one other nomination
is TO be made from among the five
remaining candidates. If none Of
these secure thirty-five per cent the
second nomination will be made by
the convention. Palmer's nOmin-
alton is accepted as g fOregone con-
clusion because of his statewide
popularity. At the last general
election for railroad commissioner
in which he participated he received
the largest vote Of eny candidate.
His large following is easily ac-
counted for by the fact he has been
an Iowa farmer ever since the Civil
War in which he made n l'k-
able record as soldier and the
record he has made on the board,
which during his membership has
decided 1854 complaints, of which
number per cent were dismissed
for want of jurisdiction, 2 per cent
were denied, leaving 2.707 cases
closed to the satisfaction of the
compliments against the railroads.
The fact of his conceded nomina-
ton precludes the possibility of
nomination for Clifford Thorne of
Washington, as ii is extremely i'm
probable that the electors will NOM
mate two candidates from the same
city and county. OF the remaining
four candidates James H. Wilson Of
Adair county appears to have the
best of the struggle because of his
wide acquaintance among the old
soldiers and among citizens gener-
ally gained through. mis- service as
secretary to lieutenant governor.
Christopher Ottosen of Humboldt
county and Ed. Sitz of Clay county
have the disadvantage of both being
in about the same territory and will
probably divide votes so as to pre-
vent either getting the nomination
at the primary. Earl Ferguson Of
Page county mas not made an ag :.
gresSive campaign.
The campaign for nomination 10
the office of State superintendent of
Public Instruction presents the 9TH
er hard political nut to crack In
this there are seven candidates with
even greater possibility of the
nomination going to the convention.
Absence of factional politics in
this campaign makes it an enigma of
solution. The campaign by all che
candidates has been conducted along
non-political lines. However, there
is little question concerning the
political aftiliation of A. NJ Deyoe
of Garner for his campaign is being
managed by Senator John Hammill
of Britt, one of the most radical pro-
greSsives on the floor of the senate
in the last Iowa General Assembly
John F. Riggs. the present iEcum-
bent, is not looked upon as strong
candidate because of his general
unpopularity among the farmers.
who are generally opposed TO school
Mr.. Riggs. Adam Pickett of Cres-
ton is looked upon as one of the
strongest candidates because of his
educational qualifications and gen.
eral popularity. Other candidates
who have conducted their campaign
modestly are d. E. Brainard of Lo-
gan, A. l.. Hemmingcr of Keosau-
qua, l. c. Welty of Story county and
F. E. Lark of Monroe.
With the contest for the republi-
can gubernatorial nomination the
fight is clean cut. Either Governor
B. F. Carroll will be renominated
or Warren Garst will be chosen as
the leader of the republican party
in state affairs. Both have waged
strenuous campaigns and many in
teresting questions have been rails
ed for settlement by this contest.
Probably upon the nomination of
governor will largely depend the
fractional completion of the state
convention to be held after the pri-
mary. If progressives secure con-
troll they purpose to devote efforts
of the gathering to an endorsement
of Iowa's two senators in Congress
in their fight against the Taft adj
ministration measures proposed by
the president for passage. If the
standpatters control this convention
It is expected state matters of direct
interest to Iowa farmers and tax
payers will receive greatest consid-
Grafton. Many progressives have
announced thtir support of Carroll
and his opportunity for the nomin-
alton is now looked upon by his
friends as the very best.
Remarkable gains made by Guy
A. Feely of Waterloo, as indicated
by endorsements he is receiving
from all sections of the state, seem
to indicate his certain nomination
for attorney general. Geo. Cosson