Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-06-15
tBy Ora williams.l


ton it was also divided delegation.
the majority being for Seward. the
party idol, and some votes being cast
| for Chase. Iowa was for General Grant
both times when he was nominated.
But in 1876 Iowa republicans refused
| to join in the demand for third con-
secutive term and the Iowa delegation
| was instructed for Blaine. For a dozen
| or more years, when James S. Clark
son was the dominating force In Iowa
affairs, Iowa republicans were known
as among the most enthusiastic and
unrelenting jingoes, and the delegation
to three national conventions was IN
structed for the plumei knight. Out
of the three delegations only three
men broke away from instructions.
| Then came change, and in 1883,
| for the first time, the idea was con-
ceived that possibly 1t would be we'll
to bring the presidency west of the
Mississippi river. Iowa republicans
united in support Of William B. Allison.
| The convention to start his boom was
| held in Des Moines, March p. Dolliver
was tenn porary chairman and Governor
! Larrabee was selected as permanent
/ chairman but was i'll and could not
/ preside tho he presided over an even
ing mass meeting, where Cumm1ns was
on the program. Allison was put for
ward, mot from feeling OF state pride
but from a profound conviction that
we are acting in obedience to an oblt-
cation resting upon republicans every
| where to urge the selection only Of
the strongest and best candidate"
| 1t was the resolutions committee of
which Perkins was the Iowa member
that unanimously reported to the ma
tional convention a platform containing
this plank:
The republican party is in favor Of
both gold and silver as money and
| condemns the policy OF its dem ocratic
adversary in its effort 20 demonetize
| silver"
The name of Allison was presented
! by Hepburn, seconded by Bosworth. of
Rhode Island. There were $500 Iowans
/ in Chicago, so the papers said. Sen
ator Wilson in an interview told the
people that Iowa was a close or doubt
full state, that two years before the
republicans had only 1000 majority.
and that because Allison stood so well
with the democrats he should be NOM
! mated.
! On the first ballot the Iowa favorite
received - votes. from Iowa, Louisiana,
Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts,. Mis-
souri,, Nebraska, Nevada, Rhode Island,
Tennessee, Texas. Virginia, Dakota,
Idaho, Montana, Utah, Washington,
Wyoming, New Jersey. Kentucky and
Kansas. On the second he received rs
and on the third 81. The next day,
Saturday, Allison received SO and SO
respectively on the two ballots taken.
On Monday. after the seventh ballot
| the name OF Allison was withdraw
Harrison was finally nominated.
|
1t is regarding this convention that
the story runs as to how Chauncey De-
pew and his New York delegation were
called upon to decide as between AL
!son and Harrison, and the decision
was against Allison because he repre-
sented q granger state and the big in
terests could not at that time quite
trust him. Had New York decided for
Allison he would have been the nom
iree.
The Iowa delegation to the conven-
ton of 1892 at Minneapolis was not
! instructed There had been interest
/, ing preliminaries. There was strug-
| gle in Polk county and an effort TO
prescribe A. B. Cummins The county
! convention fell into the hands Of the
opposition, LATE Young presided. and
| the convention refused 20 send Cum
Minis to the state convention. But the
| state committee named Cummins as
| temporary chairman and he made a
wonderful speech Isaac Struble was
permanent chairman. Clarkson headed
the Iowa delegation. He had him
self been considered presidential
possibility and he was opposed to re-
nomination of Harrison. But Iowa
cast 20 votes for Harrison's renomin-
alton, five for Blaine and one for Will
liam Mckinley. Clarkson as chairman
Of the executive committee of the ma
tional committee did all in his power
to re-elect Harrison. but he had said
before the convention that Harrison
could not be reelected and after the
convention he reiterated the statement.
He opposed Harrison because ne
wanted the party to be saved from
defeat. Twenty Iowa delegates voted
for Harrison and sure defeat.
Again the effort was to be made to
bring the presidential nomination to
Iowa. The congressional delegation
started it at a meeting Jan. 10, 1896, by
appointment of a committee to work
for Allison. At the state convention
Dolliver was again temporary chair
man and Cummins was permanent
chairman. The name OF Allison was
| presented to the American people in
| these words:
We are here to offer to the republic
cans Of the United States leader who
listens before he commands and who
reflects before he decides, leader who
has gathered the priceless truth that
the wisdom of all the people is higher,
greater and better than the wisdom of
any man. leader who has learned
what some men never learn, that when
a voice goes up from the hills and the
mountains and the valleys Of the United
States it is voice to be heard and a
voice to be needed"
| The convention was held in ST. Louis.
Long before 1t met there was certainty
that William Mckinley would be NOM
mated The great struggle was over
the question Of standing for the single
standard Of money or sticking to the
already discredited idea Of "bimetal-
1fsm or silver and DoJd standard Tho