Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-10-20
GOSSDN DECLINES
elimination PLAN
CANDIDATE FOR GOVERNOR SAYS
LAW PUTS PRIVILEGE
UP TO VOTERS.
WOULD NOT TAKE PART
IN "DRY" CONFERENCE
Makes Reply to Suggestion Of Senator
Allen That Friends Decide Who
Shall Make Race as Candidate Of
Temperance Forces Holds That
Field Is Open to All.
to Times-Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines. Oct. 20.-AtIorney Cen
eraI Cnsson, as candidate for governor
in the republican primaries. has issued
a sstatement in reply to Senator Allen
offer to refer the question OF candi-
dates 10 conference OF the temper
ance friends Of both aspirants witE
the idea that one or the other shall be
eliminated from the contest. Mr.. Co.'S
son does not approve Of the suggestion
holding that the field is open to all
aspirants and that it is not the intent
Of the primary law that few persons
should pick the party candidates. The
Cosson statement follows:
The cosson Statement
My attention has been directed TO a
statement given to the press by Sem
ator Allen in which he states that al
tho he has al no time and Is not now
submitting any plan to me looking
toward the elimination OF either OF US
from the contest vet that he would
enter such conference. He is quoted
as saying:
Il am willing to meet Mr. Cosson in
conference of fair-ruinded drys. he.
the conferees and myself to be pres
ent. We will lay bare our records on
every issue and If it is their judg-
ment IT is best that I withdraw. viii
gladly do SO in the interest Of eood
government, 1t being understood that
if such a conference decides against
Mr., Cosson that he shall withdraw"
He further states:
"An other candidates for the nom
ination for this high office since the
adoption ST the primary were agreed
upon, in conference. I was present
when the candidates. of Governor
Clarke and Governor Garst were con-
sidered In that manner"
appreciate the kindly spirit in
which the suggestion was made, and
the senator's desire to discover some
method IN justice to himself 70 pro-
mote good government, but to me the
senator's suggestion is subject TO this
objection: that II we submit our rec
ords to a conference Of 'Yair-ninded
drys," to use his own expression, who
in turn are TO pick candidate for
governor by selecting one or the other
Of us. ne thereby assume that we two
have an undivided vested right in the
office Of governor and that the only
remaining question to determine is
which one Of US will be able to fore
close the right OF the other We as
sumo that we not only satisfy but ex-
haust the field OF candidates who be-
fieve that Iowa shall be saloon1ess
state after the first day Of January
1915: and we further assume to say to
the rest Of the republicans Of the state
that in the selection OF candidate the
temperance question alone shall be the
controlling issue whether they prefer
1t or not
Not Following Spirit Of Law
1t is only fair TO the senator to say
that since his interview appeared in
the paper. he has made II clear that he
is willing for the conference to consid-
err other candidates and 10 consider
our record on all questions and that
he is not himself urging the confer
ence. Be that as 1t may. the senator's
interview with his further statement
fails TO distinguish between a body Of
men who meet for the purpose of pro-
noting the candidacy Of an individual
in the interest os sood zo-c--,cA emf
and set OF men who shall assume to
speak for all OF the republicans of the
state and assume to eliminate candi-