The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1914-04-30
WASHINGTON LETTER.
SDecial COrreSpOndence)

1
| two campaigns in progress in which
Washington is vitality interested. One
is in Pennsylvania where A. Mitchell
| Palmer, one of the house democratic
! leaders, is unopposed for the demo-
cratic senatorial nomination, and Gift
ford Pinchot, the progressive candi-
date, is out cunning for Senator Pen
rose, arch standpatter who is fight
ing a hopeless battle to return to
the senate. The other is in Iowa,
where Senator Cummins is facing the
hardest fight of his career for the re-
nomination, since the standpatters
started their last ditch fight by put
!! ting up State Senator Arthur Savage,
and one of the Taft managers Of the
state in the fight when majority OF
Iowa delegates were kept in line for
Taft against Cummins' candidacy in
1912. This angle of the senatorial
situation in Iowa has been given
more attention than the contest for
the democratic nomination between
Congressman Maurice Connolly and
E. 7. Meredith, especially since Con-
gresham Connolly's announcement
that he is in the race to the finish,
and the assurance of administration
support for his candidacy have given
that candidacy an impetus which
ashington believes will bring him
under the wire winner.
The features of the Cummins-Say-
age contest which gives the demo-
cratic campaign managers the great
est satisfaction, and which causes the
greatest embarrassment to Chairman
Woods and the Iowa republican con-
gressmen is that the old fractional
sores in the republican party is re-
opened by the injection of the Savage
|candidacy. From now on until June
the political atmosphere of Iowa will
be kept hot by reminding of the old
fires the heated charges OF the regu-
lars that the fight made by Senator
Cummins and others who supported
the Roosevelt candidacy wrecked the
republican party, and the equally
heated rejoinder of the progressive
republicans that the theft of the
nomination by the Taft forces was
the last act of political piracy that
caused the party revolt.
Meanwhile congressman Woods,
Good, Green, Scott, Haugen, Town
err and Kennedy view the situation
with increasing alarm. They will be
drawn into the conflict and that they
cannot escape going on record as for
or against the standpat or progress
sive wings. If they choose one horn
of the dilemma, they see the other
threatening to impale them, and on
the flank there is the raking fire Of
the bull moose candidates.
The bull moose is looming larger
r,;, Il, fs0,,
papers were filed showing a full con-
gressonal ticket and many legisla-
tive and county tickets. In the pri-
mary the moosers promise to be a
! cause of worry to the republican
manages. To vote for the bull moose
senatorial ticket means that the vot-
err must change his party utilization,
and he cannot therefore vote at the
republican primary. All this loss
will come from the Cummins strength
as it is his former supporters who
have enlisted in the bull moose
ranks. In addition to this, there are
Legislative and county bull moose
| tickets, with many strong candidates
on them. These candidates have
friends who will want to support
them. To do so even though they do
not want to vote for more than one
candidate on the bull moose ticket
they will be estopped from casting
republican ballot in the primary.
While not attempting to hide their
citation at the new turn of events the
administration leaders, who, because
of Senator Cummins' repeated attacks
on President Wilson are prepared to
do their utmost to aid in his defeat,
express the greatest satisfaction over
the growing strength Of Congress-
man Connolly's candidacy. Senate
and house leaders who are prepared
to go into the state and fight for
Connolly's election have all along
held him the logical candidate to
sweep Senator Cummins off his feet,
pointing to the total vote he received
in his own county in the congression-
al campaign, 1884 as against 1892
for his two opponents and his plur-
ality of 1879 in district which nev-
err before went democratic as we'll as
the leadership he has gained among
President Wilson's advisers here as
evidences of his strength. Senator
Ollie James of Kentucky, House
Leader Oscar Underwood, who has |
Dceu uOlliilldLc leu lOI Tic SCudLe, anu |
A. Mitchell Palmer, all have express
ed satisfaction at the prospects of
his success in the primary and cleo
ton. Congressman Palmer voiced
the sentiments of his colleagues in an
interview when he said:
Il am glad to hear that Mr.. Con-
molly is remaining in the field as a
candidate for the United States SEN
ate. l did all l could to induce him
to run as the party needs him. The
administration is strongly in favor Of
his candidacy because it appreciates
Mr.. Connolly's loyalty as proven by
his support of the policies during his
term in the house. The democrats
Of Iowa will recognize this in the
primary as he is unquestionably the
man to elect ~
The election of democratic COVER
nor in Iowa is considered a fore
gone conclusion in Washington. Two
years ago, with the republicans unit
I'd on candidate, Clarke was only
successful by less than 1000 votes,
md little harder work on the part
If Polk county and Des Moines demo-
,rats alone would have won the cleo
M