The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-03-03
Attempt of Citizens to Induce
Mayor Elder and Candidate
Lotion to Withdraw Made
Some Progress.
THEN THE PLAN BLEW UP
John A. Dunlap Was to Have
Been Compromise Candidate
and Now Finds His Hat
in the Ring.

The attempt to eliminate Mayor j.
F. Elder and Candidate Ed. 8. Lotion
from the mayoralty contest blew up
late Saturday afternoon and both can
didates are in the race to the finish.
Maneuvering across the municipal
political chessboarti in the elimination
game which started last Thursday,
had proceeded with varying degrees Of
success and failure but all efforts fall
ed and as a result Of an attempt made
to secure a compromise candidate
John A. Dunlap now finds himself an
unwilling candidate for the mayoralty
because OF his inability to legally with.
draw HIS name from the official ballot
which has been made up and gone to
the printer.
The movement to induce Mr..
Lotion TO withdraw was first present
ed to the Industrial Association about
three or four weeks ago by J. A. Ira
wick, manager for Stone & Webster,
and Hugh L. Cooper, chief engineer
for the Mississippi River Power Co.,
at meeting held in the Industrial
Association rooms They viewed with
alarm the possibility that the city
government OF Keokuk might get into
the hands OF politicians and met to
suggest to the Industrial Association
that some action be taken to prevent
any return to old political methods.
They were informed that the Indus
trial Association was not political
organization and would take no part
in politics and that matters Of a polit-
ical nature we're not and could not be
properly discussed in the Association
rooms.
1t was plainly stated that the In
dustrial Association would not take
part in political fight AS result
of this Information the meetings by
citizens to clear the political atmos-
phere changed to new quarters and
what action that has been taken since
that time has been as citizens and
without the sanction or endorsement
of the Industrial Association, SO it Is
stated by an officer OF the organiza-
ton.
Developments came thick and fast
the last few days. The citizens who
had been meeting from time to time
decided that it was best for Lotion
to withdraw and 1t was put up to him
to get out OF the race He met the
request with counter proposition that
Mayor Elder also be eliminated and
that a petition signed by 300 citizens
requesting him to withdraw be secur-
ed. It was then up to the citizens
to get compromise candidate and
John A. Dunlap was selected. He
consented only after much persuasion
and with the understanding that
Messrs. Elder and Lotion were to
withdraw in his favor. 1t appears that
the conditions Lotion imposed were
not forthcoming and the elimination
and compromise plan Of the citizens
committee proved futile and the may
orally race is on In It's original form
with Mayor Elder and Candidates
Lotion and Rovane still In the race
with Mr.. Dunlap's name appearing or
the ballot by reason Of legal inability
to remove 1t, but he does not want
MS IrlenuS 10 vote Tor him
Mr. c. R. Joy, who was requested tc
act in the negotiations to solve the
political tangle. did SO as citizen ant
in no other capacity and when 1t wa.
apparent that nothing could be done
the citizens committee was called anf
notified. Mr.. Dunlap was also ad
vised and also Mayor Elder and Can
didate Lotion and the endeayor IL
reach what certain citizens believed
would be for the best interests of tn,
CITY failed and from now until eIectio,
day an aggressive campaign will b.
waged on the part of the friends o
the mayoralty candidates.
The above is history of tho nre
ceedings in the political contest pi,
en- by participant in the proceeding
who says they are correct.
gentleman who is in close tone
with Messrs. Trawick and coone
tells The Gate City that neither hav
any personal feeling toward Mr.. Lo
ton but that they fear the city is abo,
to return to former political wa,
which they feel sure will militia
against the best interests of the eli
and they claim that the city shou
be above it's politics."
Lotion First Approached
Ed. S. Lotion was first approach
by Mr.. JOY Thursday afternoon. t
latter stated that certain business