Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-09-12
CHURCH IND POLITICS.
Peculiar Predicament Over
Shaw's Candidacy For Lay
Delegate to Conference
OTHERS WILL CONTEST HONOR
Fifteen Other Candidates Are Hoping
to Represent the Des Moines District
at the General Conference of the NJ.
e. Church at Los Angeles Next May
Value Of Position.
,ecial to Times Republican.

| Special to Times Republican.
! Des Moines Sept. 12.-It is learned
| that Leslie NJ Shaw, secretary of the
| treasury, has made arrangements to at
| tend the sessions of the Des Moines
district conference at Indianola which
opens next Tuesday In charge of Bishop
| Mallalieu; but the announcement made
some time ago to the effect that Sec
retary Shaw would again for fifth
| time be selected as one of the Lay dele
| gates to the general conference of the
modification. for 1t is learned that If he
gets the coveted prize it will be after a
contest in the conference. A few weeks
| ago it was announced Secretary Shaw
| would probably be unanimously selected
as lay delegate. On four previous
occasions, covering period of sixteen
years. this conference has chosen Sec
retary Shaw, when he was superintend-
ent of the Denison Sunday school and
| later when he was governor Of the state,
to attend the general conferences. His
eminent fitness for the position and
conspicuous ability among the great
men OF the Methodist church, were
shown on many occasions. On one
memorable day he measured logic with
! the powerful DR.. Buckley. OF New York,
and 50 badly worsted the distinguished
editor that there has been a coolness
lbetween them ever since. In view of
| all this 1t was expected that the Sc
lection of Shaw as against lay dele
gate would be without question.
Wnen he retired from the governors s
Office in January, 1902. Mr.. Shaw took
out his church letter from the FIRST NJ.
e. church, of Des Moines, with the in
tention of taking membership in a
chrreh In Washington as soon as he
| had got himself settled in the treasury
| department.. In view of this the First
NJ. z. church, of this city, again pre-
sented the name of l.. NJ. Mann as can
| didate for lay delegate. Mr.. Mann is
head of the Iowa Methodist hospital as
| sociation and has previously been a
| lay delegate and as such an associate
| of Mr.. Shaw In representing the Des
Moines district. Others also came out
las candidates and the field now con-
| tains at least fifteen, four or five being
| Des Moines men. There are six of the
| lay delegates to be selected. The pro-
spect of spirited but friendly contest
| is good and as consequence the con-
| ference at 1ndianola will be doubly in
teresting.
The peculiar predicament in which
The peculiar predicament in
which the members of the church
are left here by reason of
this unexpected complication is causing
some interest among the political
friends of the secretary of the treas
ury. One of them. who is also deeply
Interested in the church work, said
yesterday: while would not ascribe
any other than the purest motives to
the honorable secretary Of the treasury,
and feel sure that his ambition to
again represent the Des Moines confer
ence as lay delegate is entirely proper.
yet his close friends in this city and in
the district cannot shut their eyes sto
the fact that position on the dslega
ton again would be OF great value to
Secretary Shaw in his now well recog-
nized and perfectly proper ambition to
be the successor OF President Roosevelt
in the white house. 1t Is no secret here
that Secretary Shaw is headed right for
the white house. AS we see 1t he is in
line for the succession and that better
than any other man. He is q conspicu-
Gus man in the nation, he has the con-
fidence of his associates. he has pleased
all the elements that make and unmake
political fortunes-in short he is the
coming man in national politics. With
this laudable ambition we all sympa-
thiZe. We are his friends and we are
ready to help him. We know
that If he goes to Los
Angeles as lay delegate, when he
rises to speak on the floor Of the con-
ference all ears will turn attention TO
the secretary of the treasury. He will
be easily the most conspicuous lay del
egate there. And all this will add to
his popularity and prestige not only on
the Pacific coast but thruout the
country 1t is this phase of the situa-
ton that causes us much concern. But
at the same time there is a feeling that
he has been sufficiently honored in hav-
ing had four terms as lay delegate
and that because of his absence from
the state and from the church in Des
Moines he has no right to ask any
further favors. II we could only credit
him again to his old church in Denison,
which church would no doubt be glad
to champion his candidacy once more,
the situation would be simplif1ed."
After announcement had been made
that Secretary Shaw would again be a
candidate for lay delegate to the general
conference his friends looked out to dis
cover If he was eligible AS result
they found that Secretary Shaw had
carried his church letter In his pocket
the two years and half and had not
taken membership in Washington as
planned nor deposited the letter any
where. A few days ago DR.. A. b.
Storms, pastor of the First church and
newly elected president of the State
college was surprised to receive from
Secretary Shaw communication en-
closing his church letter taken out a
sas