Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-01-06
Captain Hull's Suggestion to
Improve Cornith Road
Starts the Grafters
AT PUBLIC COST
Many Bills introduced for Road Build
ing Thru the Battlefelds by Which
the Public Expect to Benefit-Aii-
son and Dollivor Urged to Defeag Mi
litia Bill.
Special to Times Republican.

hand sufficient to keep the committee
busy for six months.
A number of thrifty promoters in the
south have conceived highly ingeni-
Gus scheme of attracting coin to their
Golfers and asking Uncle Sam to foot
the bill. All that Is necessary to COM
plete the plans and specifications Is the
approval of Captain Hull and the COM
mittee.
The proposition is the outgrowth of
the suggestion, Captain Hull says, to
improve the highway from the river at
Corinth, Miss, to the historic battle
field of Shiloh. This is matter in
which the government is to large de-
gree Interested; 1t has occasion 10
transport material to the former battle,
ground and good road is matter OIL
necessity. This work would be OF COM
naratiyely small expense and the prop
osition will have serious consideration.
The fact that the government pro-
posed to engage in little ROAD puiiolls
enterprise in connection with a park
formerly battlefield in the south, mas
stirred up the enthusiasm and patrlotic
ardor of a number Of gentlemen In var
ions parts of the south land, in Won
derful manner They see great possl-
bilities in extending the good work con-
.templated by the government; IN fact,
they see the south net-worked with tine
macadamized roads, with Uncle sam
as the liquidator.
Since the proposal to build the road
from the river. at Corinth, to the bat
tlefield at Shiloh, many bills have been
introduced proposing that the govern
ment spend sums varying from SSo.ooo
to $4,000 in various sections of the
south, where battles were fought or
cemeteries located, connecting with
cities and towns adjacent. or course
the claim is advanced that this is pure
Nv in the interest of people from the
north who come to the south to visit
the battlefields, and who should be en-.
ahled To reach the grounds over We'll
constructed highways.
AS a matter of fact, the scheme is
believed to be nothing more nor less
than clever plan to induce the gov
eminent to build roads that towns ana
park companies may reap the prohts.
Captain Hull is very much opposed to
the proposition, and his views are
shared by the committee. There would
simply be no end to the demands OF this
sort If the first bill should receive fav-
orable report That would establish a
precedent. and there is no limit to the
opportunities to build roads at govern
ment expense in connection with bait
tlefields and parks in the south; the de-
nlands of this sort would speedily emp
ty the treasury of It's present surplus
and leave a fine deficit.
However, the promoters of these
schemes in the south are quite hopeful.
They are full of enthusiasm and are
pulling various wires. Just now they
are ciamoring for action on the part of
Capt. Hull's committee. The promoters
are sending letters out broadcast. Iowa
senators are receiving appeals to push
the scheme along. The advocates of
the measures appear to be confident OF
ultimate success, their latest notes ex-
pressing q willingness that the commit
tee report adversely upon the bills, IL
a favorable recommendation cannot be
given, the parents of the bills claiming
to be anxious to get the matter before
the house and fight it out on the floor.
All of which is highly amusing to
one familiar with national legislation.
An adverse report simply means the
death of the proposition. When an adj
verse report is made that means the
end of the bill; there is nothing more to
be said or done; that is the closing
chapter: there is no fighting out on the
floor! the bill never gets upon the floor;
it is dead, defunct, lost in the shuttle.
Senators Allison and Dolliver and
other senators are in receipt of letters
urging the defeat of the militia bill that
passed the house and is now pending in
the senate committee. These letters
are from the society Of Friends, who
point out that that sect is opposed to
war and the bearing of arms and di-
rect attention to the provisions OF the
bill compelling service in the militia of
able bodied men of certain ages. Sem
ator Allison has received the following
letter signed by several members of the
Friends society as representing all of
that denomination in Iowa:
ut appears that the house has passed
a bill providing that the militia shall
consist of every able bodied male citi-
zen of the respective states, between
the ages of Is and 45' and that this bill
may be passed by the senate at any
time.
Various reasons might be set forth
why such law would be very I'M
fortunate to this country. Notwith
standing the standing army is being re-
duced, as 1t should be, to the legal mini
mum of 10000. any one acquainted with
the growing military sentiment of our
people since the beginning Of the war
with Spain, and in a measure for years
before, cannot fail to recognize in such
law the first definite, deplorable step
towards the blind and burdensome
militarism of France. Germany and
other European countries.
But we write you to make differ
ent plea: that is a moral one. There are
about 125,000 members of the society
Of Friends of different branches in this
country, nearly 100000 of our own Or
thodox" branch in every state and ter
ritory. Some 10000 of these live in
Iowa. They are a people thoroughly
convinced that the Christian who re-
CARDS the will of God and the doctrines
Of Christ as supreme, cannot particle
pate In the militia or give 1T support.
Hence the. consequences of the pro-
NJ.