Omaha daily bee., 1916-07-19
IOWA REPUBLICANS
FLOCK TO CAPITAL
Liquor and Good Roads Planks
of State Platform Are
Centers of Interest.
TWO PLACES TO FILL

Des Moines, Ia, July lS.-With two
contests to be settled, innumerable
political fences to be repaired and
several hatchets to be buried, Iowa
republican leaders are arriving here
tonight for the state republican con-
vention which will open at 10 a. m.
tomorrow in the Coliseum here.
As was the case when the demo-
Gratis gathered here last week, good
deal of interest centers around the
possibility of the insertion in the state
platform of a prohibition plank. The
fight on the nomination of w. l.,
Harding has, in the opinion of some
of the dopesters. caused an impression
around the state that Mr.. Harding is
making his race as wet" and it is
believed likely that steps will be taken
at the convention to round up the
prohibition vote by the insertion in
the platform of plank correcting
this impression.
The platform is expected to take a
definite stand on the question OF good
roads, in reply to the address Of the
temporary chairman of the democratic
convention, who referred to Mr..
Harding as political chameleon, for
good roads one day and for bad roads
the next" There was no leader here
tonight who would attempt to fore
cast what this plank would contain.
Barrett Temporary Chairman.
Belief that a prohibition plank would
be included in the platform was
strengthened i'll the opinion of Off
cials by the appointment as tempo
rary chairman of w. B. Barrett, clerk
of the Iowa supreme court. Barrett,
as a keynoter, it is believed, may be
counted on for recommendation of a
stand on prohibition in the republican
platform that will at least be as strong
as the prohibition plank included in
the democratic declaration of prin-
ciples.
The district caucuscs, at which COM
mittee appointments will be made are
scheduled to begin at 10 o'clock to-
morrow and as far as is known the
advance states prepared by leaders
will stand. There are, it is believed,
very few factional disturbances in the
various districts which may tend TO
impede harmonious organization Of
the convention committees. As far
as is known, also, there will be no
contests for the committee on creden-
tials to settle.
The convention proper will be
called to order at / | o'clock by Charles
A. Rawson, chairman of the state CEN
trail committee.
Will Name Two Candidates.
The necessity for nomination of a
republican candidate for attorney gen.
eral and a candidate for railroad COM
missioner is expected to boost the
convention crowd to close to the 5000
mark. Advance reservations at the
local hotels are much larged than they
were for the democratic convention
and the word has been passed that
large delegations of boosters are com
ing here in the interests of various
candidates and party planks.
Gossip on the probable choice OF
the candidate for attorney general
gives an almost even break between
George Wilson, present county attor-
ney for Polk, and H. NJ. Havner, for
mer county attorney for Wayne. 1t
is believed that if Havner is to be
named it will have to be on the first
ballot. 1t is thought that after the
first vote the complimentary support
given the Wayne man and the po-
litical trade" votes will swing into
line for Wilson. John A. Guiher is
considered as virtually certain to be
renominated for railroad commits
sioner.