Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-12-24
Public Opinion on Iowa Subjects
as Reflected in the Iowa
Newspapers.
The News Of Iowa From Hun
dreds Of Different Towns
and Communities.

Qfe0S OF Ultlereut Towns
and Communities.
THE COAL TRUST.
IOskaloosa Herald
The proposed Iowa bituninous coal
trust which was first unearthed by the
Herald has reached every paper in the
great reputation abroad. Despite the
persistent denials of those said to back
of the scheme, there nevertheless is
something in the wind, and it forbodes
no good to the great coal industry OF
Iowa. If the combina ton is brought to
focus and control of the big plants in
the state is secured off will go the heads
of the little operators-and that means
the death blow to many a prosperous
mining camp in this section of Iowa.
With the railroads and other great in
dustries practically under one manage
ment it will be impossible for a single
operator to hold out against the conn
ibination. He may be fortunately situ-
ated and able to produce coal cheaper
than the trust, but If it SO desires re
will be unable to secure railroad cars in
which to ship his coal to market, his
powder and tool supply can be inter-
fered with and conditions made SO inn
possible generally that it will be eco
nomical for him to quit business I'm
less operators stand together and refuse
to sell their paying properties at a
nominal figure they will some time be
sorry A fancy price may be had for a
few OF the plants now optioned. but as
soon as the trust gets a foot hold then
look out The others fellows must sell at
a sacrifice or get down and out and
abandon their mines to water and
mould The question is one in which
the people generally are Interested as
the price of coal means much to the cit
liens of Iowa, an to the residents OF
other states who depend upon us for
their fueL In combating the encroach-
ments Of the trust, II the operators
need assistance the Iowa legislature
should step into the gap and pass some
sort of law that villa protect the in
dividual as against combina ton
NEWSPAPER INDEPENDENCE.
Esprit Lake Beacon.l
The Iowa independent papers have
been much criticised, and in spite of
their service helpful to public interests
not all the shafts OF criticism have been
successfully resisted. 1t is next thing
to an impossiblity for any editor to|
make uniformly consistent record
Owing to the peculiar construction oil
the human mind and heart no editor yet
discovered has been able to cut loose
from party affiliat1on and conduct a
public discussion along Lines OF actual
independence. But the quality Of in
dependence in newspaper work is OF the
highest consideration in q government
Of the people. II the policy OF the indie
rendents, with all Its inconsistency, isl
in any degree responsible for the broad
Iowa newspaper work the independents
may we'll be forgiven for what has been
seen amiss in their conduct.
Iowa newspapers have long been con-
spicuously in evidence for intelligence,
ability and moral worth. In the discus
sion OF affairs within party lines, how
ever, they have not manifested that de-
gree of commendable independence pre-
vailing in some other states. To criti-
else a republican, official has beer held
to be a serious offense; to positively OPP
pose headings OF republican statesmails
ship has been regarded as high treason
on the part Of republican papers II any
Iowa republican paper dared to speak as
plainly about congressman and state
officials as have the party papers in
Illinois or Minnesota that paper would
have been regarded as hopelessly lost tol
all sense Of party feafty.
This is not in the interest OF the pub
dc service; 1t is by no means necessary
to party strength or party political
helpfulness. The divinity supposed to
hedge king doesn't even form halo
about any Office in this county. There
is no measure of fnspiration invoiSed in
the aggregate wisdom OF congressional
or legislative decision. While NO public |
official should be target for personal
abuse or misrepresentation, public acts
should be open to scrutiny and subject
to fair criticism by the party press,
While the Iowa delegation or the re-
publican caucus at Washington is en-
titled to fair consideration, the party
paper may take issue with their DEGREES
and enter into vigorous discussions of
the same without offending against the |
sanship Such has for years been the
opinion and the practice of the great
party journals Of the country, and the
party and the public service is better
for their independence.
So we ought to hail with infinite salts
faction the tendency in Iowa to break
away from the lines of discussion or of |
silence dictated by narrow and selfish |
partisa nship and the temperate consid-
Grafton Of public issues from the larger
view point of real newspaper indepen- |
dence. Partisanship, as we'll as citizen
ship, Will be benefited by the change.
TO GET RID OF SPARROwS.
~. S. Triggl
A friend writes us inquiring how best |
to abate the English sparrow nuisance. |
There is remarkable similarity in the |
matter of maintaining an existence
under acknowledgements between the
sparrow and our rodents, rats and mice
One writer has aptly named these
birds as the rats OF the air" possessing