Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-09-13


lacking in any great extent, and it is
decidedly early in the game, too. Al
present four have already signifiec
their intention of entering the race be-
fore the March primaries, and another
is talked Of" c. S. Hutson Sheriff
Shoemakers outside deputy, is candi-
date to succeed the present incumbent
and as running mates he is sure of City
Marshal w. Z. Nicholson, Frank %
Barber and W. r. koontz. w. A. Size
has been declared by friends to be
seeking the nomination, and this also
4 has been denied.
The T.-R. has commented on the
settlement of the postoffice location
lquestion once before. However the
Question refused to stay settled and
further remarks are in order. When
Mr.. Wheaton looked over the situation
Thoroughly and reported in favor OF
the public square site, which report
was approved by Secretary Shaw, the
T.-R. said the matter was settled. II
Twas settled so far as any man could
Itell, even Shaw himself considered 1t
settled and said SO. Had the matter
been dropped there the occasion for
ldouble headlines on this page would
never have arisen in such profusion this
week. The T.-R has thought that 1t
was unfortunate that Mr.. Shaw should
| have opened the question again but
when the existence of his assistant.
letter was known and the many ex-
\ tremely strong protests received he
could do little else and be fair. Having
secured q rehearing we presume that
the popular voice which was heard has
been satisfactory.
Candidly we have believed that for
once in their lives a few most worthy
citizens have been out-generaled. We
thought so when owners of west Main
street property gave up the idea of
working for an extreme western To-
cation and Joined with disinterested
citizens favoring a central site. We
still think so now that the public COM
mittee has shown such aggressiveness
in forcing the advantage given them
by the suggestion of joint petitions
contained in Secretary Shaw's letter
We can not help but see that the pot
sition OF the opposition was weakened
when they refused to name their pre-
ferred site. This view has now been
established as correct by the vindica-
ton of public petition. The T.-R. can
never believe that there was not
commercial value which was considered
in the Boardman site as location
yet we can realize how citizens could
be honest and sincere and even un-
selfish in their objections to the public
square site. These men are also en-
titled to the vindication of their denia'
that the location had been settled,
which once sounded SO unreasonable
for developments have since borne
them out. They can hardly be conceded
a vindication of their somewhere on
Main street" contention by virtue of the
order from the department inviting
further statements upon any sites Of
fered" for the reason that Secretary
Shaw's letter suggested Joint petitions
upon either or the other" clearly
combining the issue to two definitely
defined sites. Had this been accepted
and the issue made Jointly upon the
Boardman VS.. public square sites the
petition results would never have been
so overwhelmingly one sided; altho
the public square site has always
clearly been the site favored by the
greatest number OF citizens as claimed
in these columns; and, by the way.
some sST1iinidicaGfitdfh 81 ilhs veraeiep fhete
could be no mistaking public senti-
ment as to central location.
Now that we have conceded the east
end gentlemen vindication for their
statements that the question was not
settled, have conceded them honestly
of conviction in objecting to the public
square site, have conceded the public
committee credit for excellent and SUI
perior management, have conceded this
faffnesaspe1EF. iGfEedtt III s5ograrements, let us
concede that the people have settled the
location beyond all recall and we ma.
resume our good fellowship as happy
and harmonious community. Secretary
Shaw has been given the very public
expression he wanted and there need
be no fear but what Mr.. Wheaton's re-
port recommending the public square
site will stand approved. Mr.. Shaw
is not the man to locate a public build
ing on any mans lot unless a majority
Of the people want 1t there.