Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-04-23
FRACTIONAL FORCES LINING UP
FOR REPUBLICAN FRAY At
CEDAR RAPIDS.
sTANDPATs STRIVING HARD
TO SAVE OLD MACHINE
Care Nothing For Taft But Desire to
Wrest Control and Encompass De.
feat Of cummins and Kenyon for
Senator - State Politics Becoming
Badly involved.
special to Times-Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Cedar Rapids, April 23.-No presi-
Dental year has ever seen SO much in
terest in an Iowa republican conven
ton AS there has been in the meeting
which convenes in this city at IL
o'clock tomorrow morning. So intense
has been the interest that scores of
the leading politicians of the state
We're on the ground yesterday, and by
night the lobby of the Montrose hotel
was thronged with a gathering which
would have done Justice to the night
Immediately preceding many a state
gathering.
Many of the men who have been
fighting for the past fifteen years
We're on hand early. And their CONVEX
sation betokened the thought that the
convention on Wednesday would be a
red hot affair.
Big Fight Certain.
The standpatters were the first on
the ground. John T. Adams came in
early from Dubuque. The assurances
of Adams and his fellow standpatters
was that Taft would absolutely and
positively control the convention The
Taft men couldn'r lose. So positive
were they in their claims, that one was
led to wonder whether there would be
more than a corporals guard of pro-
gressives at the convention.
But when the progressive delegation
'began to arrive, the other side of the
story was heard. The progressives re-
fused to concede anything The by
stander gathered the impression that
the convention is pretty evenly divided
and that the winner will know he has
been in fight.
Would Save Old Machine.
The Taft forces are gingerly discuss
ing the predicament of their candidate
Really, they don't care to talk much
!about Taft's chances. The returns
from states which have held primaries
sort OF Knocked the breath out OF them,
and 1t is mighty hard for them to get
1t back again. Privately some Of them
admitted that Taft has about as much
show of being in the White House af-
ter the 4th Of next March as a snow
ball would have of lasting over night
in the Internal regions. But they give
1t out cold that they are going to stand
pat Just the same. They are going
down with the ship. They think it vii!
|'be gallant sss. @
A few Of them went so far as to ad-
NIT that on the final showdown they
might turn to Cummins in an extreme
emergency But they are not going to
let the Cumminss crowd control the
convention-nosr. not under the cir
cumstances. Evidently they are fighting
as much to save their old machine as
for any other reason
NhxS
all on hand. They are mingling with
the delegates, laying wires, discussing
the situation and getting a line on
things generally They are getting
ready to go out after the votes, and
they Will all be extremely busy men
from now on to the date of the pri-
mary
Much Kenyon Sentiment.
The senatorshp and the governor
ship are the principal offices discussed.
Inat there is preponderance of Ken
yon sentiment seems apparent. 1t is
also evident that Clarke is the fayorite
Tor the governorship, altho both Holden
and Proudfoot have active boosters.
The candidacy of Senator Van Law.
who aspires to the lieutenant cover
norship, is well received
State Candidates Numerous.
State candidates are numerous and
active and their friends are busy maxi
Ing delegates and visitors acquainted
with the favorites. The progressive,s
seem to have taken over the Montrose
hotel and concentrated there This is
headquarters for Senator Cummins,
who has fine suite Of rooms on the
parlor floor. which were engaged for
him last January. 1t is by long odds
the most popular headquarters.
Lieutenant Governor Clarke has his
headquarters at the Montrose in charge
of Senator Anthony McColl, chairman
Of his committee. He has large
sample room on the lobby floor the
most conspicuous room at the hotel.
and his headquarters divides with
those Of Cummins and Kenyon the in
terest of the progressives. Senator
Kenyon has fine rooms where Charles