Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-05-15
Especial Correspondence.l

Especial Correspondence
Washington. May l5.-Follls who &c
about suspecting that the movement to
have Congressman Oscar Underwood
of Alabama. nominated for president
on the democratic ticket Is a sort OF
forlorn hope affair are likely to be
suddenly and rudely awakened when
the Baltimore convention is held. A
strong undercurrent of talk among
democratic leaders in the house and
senate in recent weeks is found, the
more it is sounded, to be extremely
favorable to Underwood.
The Underwood talk is assuming
formidable proportions in spite OF the
fact that Speaker Champ Clark latterly
has been making such gains as to COM
pei everybody to take his candidacy
with the utmost seriousness; in spite OF
the representa- of the Harmon
leaders that in the long run the Ohio
governor is going to get the bulk OF
the Clark strength and the Underwood
strength: and in spite of the we'll
known conviction IF large share of
the Bryan forces that Underwood is
reactionary and that If nominated he
would be deserted by hosts of progress
sive democrats.
Underwood Has Delegates.
It is now settled that Chairman
Underwood is going into the convention
with a large contingent of delegates
in his own right. He will have the
Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi and
Florida delegates; and parts of the
delegations from North Carolina and
Tennessee. The Kentucky, Arkansas
and Louisiana delegations will contain
large number of uninstructed I'm
derwood men. Mr.. Underwood will go
into the convention with something
over 100 delegates and when the bal
loting begins he will be in a position
Of advantage.
Wilson Strength Wanss.
When for weeks it seemed as II Wood
row Wilson were going into the con-
vention with a majority Of the dele
gates and was likely to sweep the plat
ter, the fire Of all the rest Of the OPP
posing candidates and influences was
centered on him. Now that the Wilson
candidacy Is weakened, this fire has to
some extent slackened. At the same
time, the Champ Clark candidacy.
which has doomed up to large proper
tons, is beginning to draw assaults.
Not all these attacks are in the open
and by the front. A lot Of them are by
the flank and some Of them are sub
terranean, in the nature Of mining and
sapping operations. designed to weaken
the foundations Of the Clark candi-
A lnf 6f fol II
is being INDUCED in about the capital
to the effect that Clark's weaknesses
as nominee would be such as to be
fatal and that in few months cam
paign he would be made helpless from
the pounding he would receive. A part
Of this talk proceeded from astute
democratic leaders who have their eye
on the nomination Of Underwood. That
such talk is going to hurt Clark is in
evita BILE, tho what the champions of
Underwood fear is that Clark is go
ing to get such a lead that he will be
nominated anyhow
The chief basis for the Clark candi-
dacy from the outset has been the rec
ord made by the house in this con-
gress. The Underwood leaders are not
unmindful Of this. They are taking
pains to profit by the same thing. In
other words, they are carefully dis
seminating the notion that the real
brains Of the house leadership since
March 1. 1911, have been the brains of
Underwood.
Democrats See Roosevelt a. Nominss.
The conviction. that Roosevelt is go
ing to be the republican nominee is
strong with many of the democratic
T, leaders. 1t is being urged quietly but
forcefully on the men who pull most of
the wires in the democratic camp at
! the capitol. as well as in other quarters
| where 1t is felt it would be worth
! while, that the thing to do to beat
Roosevelt II he is nominated will be to
nominate man like Underwood, a lib
eral conservative. 1t is being urged
that Underwood could carry New York
against Roosevelt and that he would
lose no states elsewhere that Champ
Clark would carry. Moreover, 1t is the
hope Of the Underwood lieutenants
that the New York democrats are 60
ing to throw their strength to Under
wood in the Baltimore convention. The
friendship of Leader Murphy of Tam
many IL being quietly fostered by the
Underwood leaders. Should Presiden,
Taft be renominated, 1t would still be
insisted by the Underwood men that
the Alabama man would be the best
person for the democrats to nominate
on the theory he would have more
strength at the polls in the east thar
Clark and tha. western democrats
would support him against the presi-
dent. Meantime. the calm. suave, like
able personality Of the head of the
ways and means committee is con.
stantly adding to the list Of men In
congress who think he would make a
we'll poised and excellent president.
GrinnsII and Vicinity.
Special to Times-Republican.
Grinnell. May 15.-The spread" q