Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1898-04-21
War Preparations.

War Preparations.
Preparations for war continue to be
made in Iowa, so the state will be as
nearly ready as any other state if troops
are called for. Adjt. Gen. Byers has
taken the precaution to issue an order
forbidding the enlistment in the Iowa
national guard of any but perfectly
sound men. Applicants for enlistment
will in the future be required to pass
searching physical examination and
must have a surgeons certificate of
physical perfection. Such q require
ment has never been made before. An
other order will shortly be issued re-
quiring all the enlisted men of the Iowa
national guard to undergo similar eX-
animation, and all who fail to pass who
have any physical imperfections will
be discharged and their places filled by
men in perfect condition to undergo
hardship. In case of war, if the stateis
called upon for troops, the entire Iowa
national guard will probably be called
to Des Moines and prepared for serv-
ice. Adjt. Gen. Byers says the state can
put into the field 5000 good men, fully
equipped with everything but guns, in
a few hours. The guns and ammuni-
ton are furnished by the government.
The state has only about 1000 of the
latest pattern Springfield rifles, caliber
As, the gun most in favor among mill
tary men. Volunteers are still writ
ing to the governor by hundreds. 1t
will not be hard to raise several regi
Inents of volunteers in q few days.
Many medical men are volunteer
ing, and their services as sur
geons and hospital stewards will be es-
pecially acceptable. In case of war the
organization and recruiting of the
states quota of troops would be under
the direction of the adjutant general.
He has arranged to have private wire
in his office.
Grants Birthday.
The Grant club of this city will give
it's annual celebration of Grants birth
day April 81 in the form of banquet
at the Slavery house. The speakers viii
be Col. Charles A. Clarke, of Cedar Rap
ids; Chief Justice Horace E. Deemer,
of Red Oak, and A. b. Cumnins, of Des
Moines. 1t will be notable event, So
cially and politically.
Plan May Fail.
1t is possible that the plan perfected
during the closing hours of the legis-
lature to provide a new site for the his
torical building may fall through. 1t
was proposed to sell the old state ar
senal site, two lots at West First and
Locust streets, to the city for $4,000
for library site and turn over the pro-
ceeds to the purchase of new site for
the historical building. The library
trustees voted to purchase the proper
ty, but now serious objections are
raised to the proposition to locate the
city library in this place. The plan is
to improve the river front and make an
accessible downtown park of it, which
would make this part of the city beau
tiful. The Women's club is taking q
hand in the discussion and has called
a public meeting to discuss the ques-
ton. The ladies and many others OBJ
iect to the location because it is an I'M
pleasant part of the city, now mostly
given up to wholesale houses, and the
tendency of business is to go west and
north, making this location less desir-
able as time goes on.
On the Way to China.
Maj. Edwin II. Conger is spending
few weeks in this city in company
with his wife and daughter on their
long journey from Brazil to China,
where he goes as minister of the United
States, transferred from Brazil. They
have been the recipients of marked So
cial attention during their visit home.
1t is with some misgivings that an
American family of culture and refine
ment like this one goes into exile such
as this, for the only society they will
have will be the foreign residents of the
Chinese capital. They will sail from
San Francisco May 10.
For Ealf Holiday.
The ministers of Des Moines have
started movement to secure half hol-
iday during the heated season for the
worliingmen of the city, probably to be
Saturday afternoon. In this city the
stores have never closed Saturday aft
ernoons, as they do in the larger cities,
and the poor clerks and other working
people have to work harder then than at
any other time. Most of the stores are
kept open late Saturday nights, so there
is no holiday for any person connected
with them. But this movement is di-
rected also toward securing cessation
of work for laboring men who work
outdoors and for all kinds of working
people. 1t is based largely on the claim
that the employers would be better off
if it was granted, because the employees
would DE in better spirits and be able to
do more.
Railway Assessments.
Secretary Shipley, of the executive
council, has completed the computation
of railway and sleeping car assessment
made by the executive council March
25, and it is for the first time published
accurately. The total assessed valua-
ton of railway property in the state
is $44,62S, SS5.63, or an average of $5,266
per mile on the total mileage of 8,474
miles. Last year the assessment was
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