Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-11-01
Eunh9 znedarsdan Nnprmhe i lsea

POLITICS in
POWESHlEK.
Peculiar Politics in Poweshfek Ex.
planned by Citizen of Grinnell-
Democrats Hatred of Arthur Their
own Candtdate-A Very Funny
Letter and Its signers.
Special to Times-Republican
Grinnell, Nov. 1.--Your .IIooker-on
In Iowa" has made some observations
as to Poweshiek county politics which
are believed TO warrant further ex-
PLANTATION. The only interest taken in
politics here centers around the treas
urer's Office. The situation is anona-
lous. There are five so-calIed demo-
cratic papers in the county, three of
which oppose the democratic nominee.
Arthur, while the three republican
papers have nothing to say. The latest
development is a letter addressed to
Arthur, signed by J.. j. Anderson ct al.
The signers of this remarkable docu-
ment ask Mr.. Arthur six questions and
close by saying: Before we can sup
port your candidacy for reelection we
must have unequivocal answers to the
above questions The delicious humor
of this screed can not be appreciated
until it is studied. One of the signers is
Boydston, of the Democrat. Now
Boydston bolted in 1896 and has never
returned to the party. Under no cir
cumstances would he vote for Arthur,
even If Arthur should discharge Hunt
and promise to subscribe and pay for
the Democrat. and his gall like Ander-
sons. simply commands admra ton.
Another signer Is George Bunstian.
Now George Is a German and first
class man. He voted for Mckinley in
1896 and has voted the republican
ticket ever since and intends to do so
1 this fall. More than that he doesn't
like Arthur. His signature to this
strange document certainly places
George in very inconsistent position
and the only explanation is that the
man who read the letter to George
didn't read 1t as 1T was written. In
other words George Bunstian could not
have known what he was signing. The
opposition of Boydston to Arthur is
easily understood. Mortland. of the
Palladium, is supporting Arthur This
lis sufficient to those who recall the old
postofiice fight between these two war
/ riors.
The other signers are Van Evera.
Sawyer, Armstrong, Byerly. Tibballs
and McKone. A good many people here
are surprised to see the names of Van
Evera and Sawyer to such document.
/ because they We're credited with more
sense, but the other signatures surprise
no one. And, as no other reason for
their opposition to Arthur can be as
Isigned, it is taken for granted that they
oppose him because he didn't subscribe
for the five democratic papers.
4 To give the letter an appearance of
Responsibility Anderson names Joel
Stewart as one who would have signed
i had he been seen. Now everybody
here knows that Joel Stewart is not
voting the populist ticket. He will un-
Iquestionably vote for Arthur, but it is
entirely safe to say that he will not
vote for anybody else on that ticket
This man Anderson is one of the
strangest characters that it is ones
fortune to meet. He is a genial, big
!
talent. but he has a most remarka bls
i faculty of getting on the wrong side
. He and the community in which he
Hives are forever at war, and he has NJ
more political sense than one year ole
mule. He is the very worst enemy t
the candidate whose cause he espouses
and no one knows this any better thar
John w Vest. 1t is only fair to Nesl
I,1 ,ci hi.
, for the antics of the Anderson gang
, and it is plain to everybody that tbs
fight made on Arthur has soldified the
!. Grinnell people. as we'll as other local
tiles, in his favor.
I But to get at the true inwardness OF
this business. one needs to go back. II
/ is conceded that not for number OF
Years has the treasurer's office beer
honestly administered. No sensible
man holds the republican party re-
Happened to be unclean; that's all there
); lis of it. But the people in sheer des-
peration adopted the old worn out rem
edy and put in Il pop. They happened
/ to draw prize. Arthur didn't ever
ask the Hon. and MIR. - -
ESQ. to sign a bond. He bought an6
| paid Tor MS DoIlu anu Spl % SoDu one
When a member of the board of super
visors asked him to write up his tao
receipt and lay II away until he called
: for it, Arthur told this gentleman tina
he had nice package of those receipt:
5 on hand, inherited from his predeces
sors. waiting TO be called for and i
|, was time enough 10 write up his receip
: when the money was paid. He Wen
| right on doing the most unexpectet
J things. He collected and turned int,
e the treasury over $1,000 delinauen
: taxes reported by his predecessors a.
9 uncollectable. AS matter of fact the,
We're never uncollectable. He also re
: tanned the old deputy, notwithstandin!
Hunt was a staunch republican H
f knew that Hunt was competent. h
4 knew that he was honest and he knew
> that the men who gave him his major
t ity trusted Hunt and wanted him re
4 tanned The gang could have over
!. looked everything but this.
e But to go back again. two brother
4 came to Grinnell eight or ten years ago
: They We're very poor, but they wer
j pure gold. They brought with them
l