Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-03-17
FOR PUBLIC BUILDINGS
Eight Iowa Towns Are Anxious
ly Awaiting the Action OF
Congress.
II is Believed the Committee on
Public Buildings Will Act
Favorably.
Judge Conner Doing Good Work
in Behalf OF the Iowa
Cities.
10 Times-Republican.

/ Special to Times-Republican.
| Washington, d. c., March lit !!
understood the committee on public
buildings and grounds in the house is
getting affairs in shape to report be-
fore a great while. This report viii
perhaps interest larger number OF
people in Iowa than any other measure
that may come up in the house at this
session.
At the present time eight,1owa towns
and cities are earnestly looking toward
Conner is an active member, In the
hope of landing a prize. The prizes
range all the way from $4,000 tc
81 00o, 900: that is. these figures repre-
sent the maximum and minimum OF
the desires of the various towns. Dies
Moines covets a cool million for q
new public building. Atlantic will be
content With a $4,000 appropriation
Following down the line come Water
loo, Boone, Marshalltown, Centerville
Iowa City and Muscatine. Ottumwa
and Council Bluffs also desire appro-
priations for the purchase of additional
lands. Outside Des Moines and Allan
tic the average amount desired Tor
new buildings is 100000, making a
total of about million and a quarter
dollars for Iowa. On this basis the
bin would carry SIS, O00,000-which 1t
will not.
This is a world of disappointment
and towns and cites must take their
medicine as we'll as individuals. The
biblical observation that many are
called, but few are chosen" applies
with great force to the biennial
scramble for what Washington people
are prone to denominate pork" How
ever, it is not certain that there will
be any disappointments among the
Iowa towns. While not in a position
to guarantee anything, Judge Conner,
from his position of vantage upon the
committee, takes the view that prac-
tically all that Iowa asks for may be
granted. He is bending his energies
to the accomplishment of that end,
and believes the appropriation for
Iowa will be liberal one, in any event.
The chairman of the committee, ID. III.
Mercer. of Omaha, is very favorably
toward Iowa, and Judge Con-
ner has had assurances from two other
of the committee that they
will support him in his efforts to take
care of the interests of Iowa to the last
limit. AS has been previously init
mated, the pressure upon the commit
tee is terrific and every sort of polfti-
cal, parliamentary and social device
is employed to secure influence and
pledges. 1t is conceded the member on
the committee has the inside track and
a place on the committe is regarded in
the light of social preferment. Tho
interests of Iowa are in good hands.
President Roosevelt has sent his first
veto back to congress, and without ref
erence to the merits of the case, it is
a trifle peculiar-tho this observation
does not imply the slightest reflection
upon the presedent-that the first vic
tim to feel the force of the executive
pen across the face of an act of con-
gress should be citizen of Iowa, John
Glass, by name.
John Glass is colored man. bar
Der by occupation, now residing In Des
Moines, altho at the time the bill which
the basis for the presi-
DENTS veto, and which was to have re-
moved the charge of desertion, Glass
was a resident of Keokuk.
The story of the desertion of John
Glass is substantially as follows: He
enlisted in the United States navy Jan.
20, 1864, as first class boy, for one
year; served on board the warship
Moose and is reported to have de-
serted March 4, 1864, serving but six
weeks. AT the time of his enlistment
John Glass was but sixten years of
age. He was a cabin boy, and in that
was witness to circum-
stances of compromising nature af-
tecting the second officer of the ship.
On March 3, 1864. On the following
lay the officer conveyed the boy
ashore, presented him with money,
bought him a new suit of clothes, and
old him not to report back to the ship
tor duty. Glass being but a young
BOY, and having been drilled to i'm
olicltly obey his superiors, obeyed the
injunction of the second officer and
never reported for duty. The officer
made no note, of course, of the affair
md when the cabin boy failed to re-
port he was recorded as having de-
serted, In the absence of any other
evidence 1t is natural that this record
should have been made and forwarded
% the navy department. When in
alter years Glass applied for pension
lie was confronted with this official
blot upon his war record and could
make no progress.
The case is peculiar one. The only !
evidence in the premises is the record
II the navy department and the UNI
testimony of Glass. If his |
story is true he should be entitled to
but the officer is dead;
lie and Glass are the only two persons
Who knew the facts and Glass can sub
tantiate nothing. 1t is not at all sur
'rising that Il green colored boy, |
aught to obey his superors, taken |
shore and ordered not to report |
gain, should have obeyed the order, |
etulned inland and thought no more
bout it. The late Senator Gear, who
Introduced the bill for Glass relief,
'efore the committee. simply vouched |
or the statements of Glass and the
accepted the statements.
t is altogether unlikely that the SEN
tie will pass the bill over the presi-
ent's veto, so John Glass, of Iowa.
must continue to bear the stigma.
whether unworthily or otherwise, of
aving deserted from the navy.