Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-10-02
CHAIRMAN OF THE REPUBLICAN
STATE COMMITTEES FAvoRs
REFERENDUM VOTE.
AGREES TO CALL PRIMARY
IF SENTIMENT IS SUFFICIENT
Some Disagreement Among Republic.
ans as to Time Election Should Be
HeId-Maiority Of Administration
Organs Line Ue For Plan, and Pro-
grsssives Will % So.
pecial to Times-Republican.

Des Moines, Oct. Zion. Car
FRANKIE, chairman of the republican
state committee. is in favor of having
the matter of the Iowa preSidentia
preference for 1912 and the delegates
who are to stand fer what Iowa repub-
file of the party. He will agree in call
ing presidential primary provided
there is sufficient agreement among
/. the republicans of the state TO assure
acceptance of the plan. But the state
! committee has taken no action as Yet
! nor has il been asked to do Sc. nor has
! there been any conference of members
| of the committee in regard thereto. 1t
! is known that some members of the
/ committee will oppose any plan for
pei hitting the voters to decide for
themselves who shall be the delegates.
but il is equally certain that major
ity OF the committee will favor the
referendum.
There is difference of opinion
among those who favor direct vote of
the republicans OF the presidential del
egote matter as to the time for having
up the matter soon after it was first
projected in these dispatches last July
and mas peen consistently ard earnest
~ for the plan. favors having an early
primary. He would rather have it in
December than in March. Inasmuch as
it has not been pretended by anybody
that the primary has any sanction in
the code Of Iowa the matter of the time
nj, 10
each for himself Mr.. Payne calls at
tertion to the fact that the federal Of
fec holders in Alabama have already
selected their delegates.
If the matter is of any interest what
ever outside Of Iowa. or is TO have any
influence whatever in determining the
course of the republican party nation
ally. Iowa ought to hold an early pri-
mary: but If the intent is to make Iowa
a negative influence then it should be
held late. This is the position taken
by those interested.
/ 1t seems that now nearly all the
leading administration organs have
lined up for the presidential primary
plan. The two here have subscribed TO
the plan unreservedly. One at Atlantic
| is denouncing the plan and at the same
advertising all primaries as frauds and
shams. The most noticeable thing
about 1t all is that a great many of the
newspapers appear to be withholding
their opinions on the matter just as
they are in reserve about who ought to
be the candidate next year.
i 1t is almost certain that the progress
sives, who have been pioneers in adj
vocacy of letting the people decide, will
more nearly all line up for the presi-
! Dental primary than the anti-progres-
sives. whose hatred of all things pro-
gressive includes dislike Of popular
rule.
Nothing that President Taft said or
did. important as II all was, has caused
half the comment in Des Moines as the
action of the Greater Des Moines COM
Inittee in ignoring the chief executive
of the city whose guest the president
was, and in a smaller way the ignor-
ing Of the chief federal official appoint
ed by the president, the postmaster Of
Des NJ ines.
The people OF Dies Moines have been
wondering how the commission form of
government has been presented to the
president when the mayor and the en-
tire commission are regarded as I'M
worthy TO ride in the parade with the
president.
| AS matter Of fact the president
himself not knowing how deliberate
insult nan been offered to the city Of
fciaIs. took occasion to discuss the
commission form of city government
and to give praise to Des Moines for
It's part in having the matter adver-
| tised But the commission itself had to
walk: while men whose names are I'M
known outside the offices of the cor
poration headquarters were given
places of honor.
The fact did not escape the attention
! of the laboring men of the city that
| aside from the persons holding office
F; or who want to hold office, and a few