Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-04-13
COLONEL LOWDEN
IS IN STATE RACE
Ogle County Farmer Wants the Re-
publican Nomination for Governor
at Coming Convention.
IS AVOIDING FACTIONALISM
Appears to he Side Stepping Thomp.
sOn-Lundin Combination In Chicago
Hears Tuesday Voice.

Colonel Frank O. Lowden made for
NAL avowal yesterday of his candi-
dacy for the republican nomination for
governor
His announcement contains cold
comfort for the Thompson-Lundin
group, which sought last summer to
annex the Lowden campaign in Cook
county and to make it part of the
Thompson-for- committeeman move
ment that blew its tires at Tuesdays
polls. The announcement of the "Ogle
county farmer" disavows that he is the
candidate of any faction"
BY the politicians the Lowden state
ment is interpreted as a reputation
lof the ThOmpson-L undin canvass for
him in Cook county which took form
last summer in the establishment Of a
headquarters in the Lowden suite at
the Sherman hotel, the alleged COllec-
ton of 100000 pledge cards and the
| trip of Mayor Thompson and Mr. Lun-
din to the Lowden fishing camp in the
Thousand Islands region.
Deny Any Reputation.
| The Lowden managers insisted that
the statement contained nothing in the
way Of reputation and that it was
simply disclaimer that Lowden was
! identified with any faction.
| Still the announcement repeated
| that William H. Stead of Ottawa would
/ have charge of Chicago headquarters,
and that the Lowden campaign in
committee of representative republi-
cans.
| Il am not, and will not be-" it read,
the candidate Of any faction, and
will take no part in local factional
contests, either in Cook county or in
any other county"
| The avowal of candidacy reads:
AT the state fair last September
stated publicly that if the sentiment
favorable to my candidacy, which then
existed should continue, | would at the
| proper time be a candidate for the re-
publican nomination for governor. Ac-
cording to the information which l
have obtained from different parts of
the state, this sentiment has contin-
| ued, and | have decided to become a
candidate.
81 shall make a vigorous. state wide
campaign, but it will be a fair cam
paign and free from personal abuse.
The voters are entitled to know my
views upon questions pertaining to the
administration of the state government,
and l shall, from time to time, present
and discuss my views upon these
questions in my public speeches and
in public statements
Puts Stead in Charge.
wv. H. Stead of Ottawa, former at
torney general. will have the manage
ment Of my campaign. and headquar-
tiers will be opened in Chicago in the
Lumber Exchange building. A COM
mittee of well known representative
republicans, selected regardless of
past or present factonal 2lignments.
will have special charge of my cam
paign in Cook county.
Il am not, and will not be, the can
didate of any faction, and | will take
no part in local factional contests,
either in Cook county or in any other
county.
Il will not be a party to any slate
ticket. AS candidate | shall make
no promises, either express or I'M
piled, and shall have no alliances,
either direct or remote, which will en-
barrass the free exercise of my best
judgment in discharging the duties of
governor, should l be nominated and
elected"
Others Seek Nomination,
Colonel Frank L. Smith of Dwight
and State Treasurer Andrew Russell of
Jacksonville have been in the field for
some time. The Lowden campaign has
been proceeding for nearly year. and
now that the colonel is officially in the
ring the politicians will again devote
themselves to the question of how the
groups in Chicago will line up. The
announcement against a state slate is
expected to head off any movement in
that direction at the state convention
April 81 ar Peoria