The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1914-07-16
WASHINGTON LETTER,
Especial COrrespOndence.)

Washington, July 13.-Statt
chairman N. F. Reed has returned tt
Iowa to make final arrangements
for the state convention at Council
BLUFFS next week, after spending sew.
eral days in Washington straighten.
ing up the last of the patronage mat.
tiers remaining since the change in
administration took place. He was
given leave of absence from his post
as United States marshal by the de-
partment of justice in order to close
up his affairs as chairman of the
democratic state central committee.
Chairman Reed was given promises
of strong support in the campaign by
administration leaders. He returned
to Iowa more confident than ever
that the party will score a sweeping
victory In the fall elections, carrying
the senatorial, gubernatorial, state
and legislative tickets and increasing
the party strength in congress. He
feels particularly sanguine as to the
prospects of Congressman Maurice
Connolly in his contest against SEN
ator Cummins.
find general disposition
among the democrats" Chairman
Reed said, Ito accept the voice Of
the primary and join together in TAX
ing advantage of the exceptional OPP
portunity to give President Wilson
the kind of senator that he and the
masses of the people for whom he is
1aboring constantly, need at this
time. In addition to the party
strength, which l believe will be
practically solid behind Mr.. COnnol-
ly, I feel that Mr.. Connolly has an
unusual number of warm, personal
friends who ordinarily affiliate with
the republican party. These are the
men that he has met through bust
ness associations. They include
bankers, manufacturers and mer-
chants generally with whom he has
been brought in touch. And then
there is the fact that Mr.. Connolly
was an active member of the COM
mercial travellers fraternity, which
brought him in touch with a great
many of the boys on the road, who
seem to have been won by his ener-
gy, democracy and kindness of
manner. Again the vote of the
coming more and more impressive
and Mr.. Connolly has been exception
ally strong with the young men of
the district and of the state"
Chairman Reed also called atten-
ton to elements of weakness in the
Cummins' candidacy.
ut is generally believed the pro-
gressive party will be particularly ac-
tive this year in the state of ILL
nOis and Iowa. he continued, "and
they have made a special object in
the defeat of Senator Cummins at
this time as one who flirted with
their cause, but fearing that the
votes were not there, decided to
back up again into the republican
harness. The progressive leaders
will be particularly active in their
attack upon men of this type.
There are, too, number of the
old line republicans who do not feel
that Senator Cummins exemplifies
true republicanism; who feel that he
has trampled upon their principles
whenever it seemed popular to do so.
They recall with keen sensibility the
fight Senator Cummins made against
Senator Allison after he had written
the famous Torbert letter, and they
have not forgotten that he bolted
Taft in 1912. His whole course has
been such that they feel that he is
not entitled to their support, and
that his influence has SO waned in
Washington, even on his own side of
the house, that the state Of Iowa
could get more recognition and more
actual benefit from the activity of a
younger man who would have
the confidence, not only of his
own party, but through his earnest
ness and sincerity would win the re-
spect and interest of the opposition.
With the different and varied inter-
ests in favor of Mr.. Connolly and
with the progressive party and many
of the real old line republicans CEN
tering their fire on Senator Cum
Minis, coupled with the aggressive
and vote-getting canvass that Mr..
Connolly is capable of he should
20 across the line a winner in Mo-
vember.
Vt "In him the president would have
one on whom he can rely, one who
would labor early and late for the
highest interests of his native state.
OF course there are lot OF people
who think of the normal republican
majority, and the fact that Mr.. Con-
molly as state wide figure is some
thing of a new broom, and they
shake their heads at the prospect.
But that was the case when Mr.. Con-
molly ran for congress. He does not
sound any trumpets or lead any
brass bands, but there are few men
in Iowa who have such loyal, ener-
getic and influential friends. He has
a record as a winner, and l believe
that the results of the ballots in No
yember will maintain his record.
Il have found on my visits IN
Washington that there are very few
states in the union toward which the
administration leaders look more
earnestly and hopefully than to Iowa
and know there will be nothing
left undone from the Washington
end to bring about the election OF
Mr.. Connolly"
Discussing the state ticket Mr..
Reed declared that John T. Hamilton
will be a certain winner In the COVER
norship fight.
"Inat the other day." he said the