Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-08-18
FIRING FROM The REAR
The pes Moines Newspapers Give
the Capital City Bad
Reputation.
Yellow Journalism Causing a
Morbid Fear OF Thugs and
Murderers.
Sensationalism Worse Than the
Recent Smallpox Epidemic
Railroad Assessment.
ecial 10 Times- s-Rennhlican.


Des Moines. Aug. 1S.-What appears
TO Des Moines people to be a great deal
of unnecessary ana uncaled for denun-
citation of the city and its officials is
now being INDUCED in by newspapers
all over the state. That this is having
its effect on Des Moines business is not
to be denied. There are Well grounded
fears that if the prevailing reputation
which Des Moines is getting i'll the
state is further spread among the peo-
pie ii Will have serious effects on the
state fair, the Odd Fellows grand lodge
expected to bring large crowds to the
city during the fall. An Illustration of
the feeling which prevails was given
the other night when two broad-shoul-
dered men from up the state had a few
hours to wait after transacting some
business. before their train left. y
friend suggested they would have time
to run around the city little while.
Not on Your life" said one. Its
safer for us to sit right here in the de-
pot and wait for the train.
And that fear Illustrated one prevail
ent view of Des Moines. The people
are coming to look upon it as a city of
crime. The spreading of information in
regard to crimes and the magnifying of
crimes and sensationalizing little mat
tiers. which is INDUCED in by Des
rtar < far =
Gus to the trade and business of the
city than the publication of the plain
facts about the smallpox epidemic
which Il year ago called from the busi-
ness men an imperative demand that
the Des Moines newspapers become
suppressors of news and not vendors of
news. AS a matter of fact, Des Moines
is not overrun With thugs, is not a city
wicked beyond others of its size, is not
an unsafe place for a law abiding man,
nor is it officered by men who have no
care for the welfare of the people of the
city. The latest murder WAS sad one,
acd raost peonle believe it was due to
the anu gambling crusade OF the VIC
tim. but ii might have been nothing
more than the outcome OF business ri
Nalry. The worst case was the murder
of the Peterson children in a suburb of
the city far removed from police pro-
lection. That was a crime felt by all
the people to have been terrible beyond
description. The Schotield case three
or four years ago was a puzzle. A
great majority of the people either be-
lieve 1t was a suicide or have some
doubt as to the murder theory. No case
has been more thoroughly investigated
and the fact remains that no evidence
has been found which satisfies the pub
lie as to what really happened. Aside
from these cases there has been the
usual run of petty crimes and nothing
more in Des Moines. The desire of Des
Moines newspapers each to outdo the
other in sensatonalism is largely re-
sponsble for magnifying the crime
situation in the capital city. and among
a great many of the people of the city
this is deplored quite as much as the
inevitable presence here of vice and
villainy and crime. But men are as
safe in Des Moines as in other cities
and towns of the state.
The plans of Des Moines people who
have been investing in Missouri land
with a view to planting u great orchard
have been somewhat disarransed by
the death OF the late President Beard
shear of Ames He was the president
of a company formed here TO establish
in I.aclede county, Missouri. the largest
orchard in the world. The company
included also Morris Wragg, president
of the State horticultural Society. and
f. NJ Carreil. formerly private secre
I