Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1903-11-14
|MR. COWLES BECOMES.
THE CHIEF OWNER
AIgona Man Buys Half Interest
In Des Moines Register
and Leader.
SUDDEN CHANGE IN DEAL
Arrangement by Which A. 3. Funk
Was to Have Entered the Com
pany Was Not Contaminated
MIR. CowIes' Carer.

Des Moines, Ia, Nov. Announce
ment is made today of another change
in the Register and Leader situation.
A few days ago that paper announced
that a group of new stockholders, con-
sisting of A. B. Funk of Spirit Lake,
Jas. A. Smith of Usage, and Fred l..
Maytag of Newton, had been taken In
to the property. 1t was understood
that this meant that Senator Funk
would be actively associated with the
paper, backed by Messrs. Maytag and
Smith, who are wealthy and intimate
friends of Mr.. Funk.
Now comes the explanation that this
deal is off, difficulties having arisen in
adjusting the details, and that these
gentlemen will not come into the paper.
In their stead, Gardner Cowles OF AL
coma has been brought into the Regis
ter and Leader company.
Mr.. Cowles will be the dominating
owner. He has bought outright one
half interest in the property. The oth-
err interests are one-sfxth held by Geo.
E. Roberts, one-sixth by Harvey Ing
ham, and one-sixth by Samuel Strauss
Mr.. Ingham will remain as editor In
chief and Mr.. Cowles will be the active
business Of the property.
Neither Mr.. Roberts nor Mr.. Strauss
will be actively connected with the
newspaper. Mr.. Cowles never a con-
nection with a newspaper. He is one
of the most successful business men in
Iowa. About 40 years old, his wealth
is estimated above a quarter million,
and it represents his own exertion and
enterprise.
Mr.. Cowles Politically.
Politically Mr.. Cowles is u most in
teresting man. In the senatorial cam
paign of 1899 MI. Cowles was nomi-
mated for the house by Kossuth county
republicans, and elected with a good
majority. From early In the contest
both Cummins inc Gear claimed his
support. In the end he lined up for
Gear in the speakership fight. The
Cummins people claimed that he was
the most potent single factor in defeat
ing a Cummins man and electing a
Gear man to the speakership.
In two terms in the house, Mr.. CoWles
has made a record Of absolute indie
pendence, and if he has not restored
himself entirely to the good graces or
the Cummins people he has certainly
not fixed himself in the affections OF
the railroad people. Two years ago
Mr.. Cowles took a leading part In sup
port Of the railroad taxation and other
progressive legislation before the as
sembly, and no man made a better rec
ord than he. He was subjected to Sc
we're pressure by the old Blythe crowd,
but he declined to be held in line.
The Great Kossuth Fight.
The story of the great fight by which
Mr.. Cowles was returned to the house
two a ago will long be told In Iowa
politics. Cowlcs was anti-Cummins,
and the pro-Cummins people in Kos
suth county made Il determined fight
to control. No Iowa county ever saw
such a contest as waged in every pre-
cinct of Kossuth that year. The Cum
minis people started to defeat Cowles
for denomination and to instruct the
delegation to the state convention for
Cummins. George G. Call and A. d.
Clarke led the Cummins forces; Harvey
Inghaln and Gardner Cowles handles
the anti ummins campaign. 1t has
been said that $40, 900 was spent in that
fight. The figure probably is eXagger-
ated, but undoubtedly it was the most
expensive fight ever made in ar Iowa
county. 1t ended in a draw. Cummins
got the state delegation and Cowles was
re~nominated for the house.
Mr.. Cowles will not entirely close out
his business concerns III Kossuth coun-
ty, which are extensive. He will be
in Des Moines probably on Tuesday or
Wednesday of ext week to arrange
for his active duties on the paper, and
will remove here from Algona in the
near future. 1t is stated on behalf of
Mr.. Cowles hat NJ. c.. Maloney, who
was expected to be business manager
under the Funk deal, will continue with
the paper, and that the force generally
will not be changed.