Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-07-18
DEMOCRATS GET BUSY
Struggle For Control of Party
Machinery In Iowa Has
Begun
THE DEATH OF P. NJ. ARTHUR
Demise of Grand Chief of Engineers
Brotherhood Expected to Result in
Some Change in Policy of Order
and Greater Leniency Toward Other
Orders in the Labor Movement.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines. July 1S.-Already the
struggle is fairly on for the control
of the machinery of the democratic par
delegation to the democratic national
convention of next year In the nat
conventions preliminary to the nation
al campaign of next year will be held
late in the winter or early in the spring
All that will be done in the campaign
of 1903 in the state of Iowa will b.
with a view to strengthening this or
that faction for the early struggle OF
next year. Twice in succession have
the conservatives in the party been able
to whip the radicals, the last time with
despite an organized effort to fix UP
the convention in the interests of re-
affirmation of the policies of Bryan.
The conservatives believe that with
this precedent they will find it easy to
control the convention next year; but
they also desire to control every con-
gressional district and thus be able to
show a united front in the national con-
vention. Encouraged by their success
es they have started the organization of
ia state club with headquarters in Des
Mones and to have auxilaries all over
the state. The plan will be for those
who favor cutting loose from
Bryan to become thoroughly or
ganized and to have CEN
trail organization that will get into
touch with all the patty workers In
every part of the state. With such an
organization to give assistance it is ex-
pected that the task of choosing con-
servative delegation to the national
convention will not be very hard Col.
Joseph Eiboeck, who has been shut out
of democratic conventions for several
years but who was one of the presiden-
tial electors OF 1900. is deeply interested
is the movement. 1t has strong sup
port in the eastern part of the state.
Judge Wade, congressman from the
Second district, Is understood to be
favorable to it. The free silver contit-
gent claim that the plan also includ-
es that of taking the convention into
the eastern part of the state next year
where the free silver sentiment has no
standing, whatever, but this is denied
by the organizers. From this time on
much activity may be expected among
the democrats, all looking toward the
next national campaign.
The sudden death of P. NJ Arthur, of
Cleveland, grand chief of the Engin-
eer's brotherhood. while speaking in
Winnipeg, recalls the famous fight
which was made against him in the
Milwaukee convention of the brother
hood few years ago which was led
by delegates from Iowa in the inter-
est of an Iowa candidate for the head
of the order. Many times in the "a
years that the late Chief Arthur had
been the guiding spirit of the brother
hood, had efforts been made to dethrone
him, and all in vain. The nearest ap-
proach to beating him was when the
engineers, chiefly those on the Chicago
d Northwestern and allied lines and
some others in Iowa and Minnesota,
brought out as a candidate against Ar
thur, the well known engineer, Herman
Wills, of Clinton, Iowa. Wills had been
a candidate for the state railroad COM
nissioners and was a conspicuous man
in the brotherhood The forces We're
well organized to urge his election, and
q leading spirit in the organization was
Edward B. Brigham, of this city, now
chief of the state bureau of labor, q
veteran engineer and an aggressive man
In the order. The opposition to Ar
thur was based on his firm resistance
to any move to affiliate the engineers
With the American Federation or to
give new recognition to other orders.
Arthur has always contended that the
engineers must stand alone. The young
ar element in the order desired affilia-
lion with others for mutual benefit |
Wills, like others who had gone against
Arthur, was beaten; but Arthur had
great respect for those who organized
The campaign for Willis and gave him
the scare of his life.
Il believe that as result of the death |
,f Chief Arthur" said Mr. Brigham
there will be some change |
n policy and greater leniency toward
,ther orders in the labor movement.
t means a great scramble in the next |
for his place. Arthur had
been head of the order practically all I
If its existence. He was a grand chief.
rhe order was never ready for any ac-
ion but that it found Arthur ready.
1e never lost strike except one and |
hat was really victory. He had been
much criticized because he left an en-
,ine on the New York Central and
anne to be worth more than million
!oliars, but there never was any sus
,icion attaching to him. He was an
Upright man devoted to the cause he
owed so deeply. He was a great friend
If Andrew Carnegie and like him a
There are upwards of $4,000 members
# the Brotherhood of Locomotive En-
.ineers in the United States and the
rider is very strong in Iowa. Only a
ew men have engines who are not
members.
School work at the institution for the
eeble minded at Glenwood, is one of
he essential features of that institu-
ion, about which the public knows lit
lie. In closing his biennial report and
lis twenty-five years of service at the