Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-07-03
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Chosen BY the Trustees OF the
State College to Succeed
Beardshear.
PASTOR OF pEs MONIES CHURCH

Meeting Which Began at Ames Yester.
day, Ended at Midnight in Des
Moines-Storms Selected After a
Lonn coutsst,e etween the Friends Of
Curtiss and Stanton.
Des Moines, July s.-Rev. "A. b.
storms, of Des Moihes, was elected
president of the State college at Ames
last night. The vote of the trustees
was unanimous His salary was fixed
at $4,000, the figure at which DR..
Beardshear's salary stood when he died.
The president also gets q house ON the
college campus. III. Storms probably
viii accept II SO, he will assume the
duties of the ONCE at a time after the
close OF the fiscal year. but preceding
the opening OF the new school year.
The meeting. OF the trustees lasted
from noon until midnight, yesterday.
It began at Ames and ended at Des
Moines. It was stormy at times-and
that is not pun-indeed. there were
times when 1t was tempestuous. In Des
Moines the door of the meeting room
was surrounded and the lobby was
sprinkled with aluz.,ni Of the institu-
don. and che excitement extended to the
telegraph Offices where wires were
kept busy and messenger boys Kept
skurrytne,,ei in the interest of the can
aidates whem the board was consider
ms.
The board avoided taking a ballot on
anybody till at last the tacit agree
ment was reached to elect DR.. Storms,
when everybody cast his paper ballot
with the new mans name written On it.
Then there was adjournment. Il be-
lieve fully that we solved the question
In the best possible manner" said one
Of the trustees speaking. for several
In the group. And I believe that we
lett the room q united board"
There was bitterness in the struggle.
Acting President e.. w. Stanton and
Professor of. Agriculture c. F. Curtiss
were the leading candidates. Both were
connected with theNnstitution, and both
had earnest, vigorous supporters. The
contest has been going on for almost
year. and in that time had plenty
Of opportunity to grow extremely bitter.
Its prOlcngation was due to the refusal
Of some Of the members Of the board to
vote for either of the men, and because
politics got mixed into the struggle, i.
Is said.
The Curtfss men claim the credit Of
having suggested DR.. Storms as the
compromise candidate. AT last he was
endorsed by caucus OF the Stanton
men. So. finally, they all agreed and.
concealing any sore spots that might
have been acquired during the twelve
hours debate, the trustees filed down
the stairs Of the Slavery into the lobby
to notify the waiting crowd Of alumni
j OF their decision.
How 1t Happened.
When the board met at Ames yester-
day there was no concealment OF the
position that the different members oc-
cupied. There would have been waste
of energy in trying to carry water on
both shoulders in that board during
this contest.
It wac evident that Hungerford. AL
lxander. McElroy, Dixon and Gabriel
Son were for Acting President Stanton,
1t was known that Wilson, Barclay
and Moninger were for Curtiss, and
that Boardman had sent his vote by
letter for Curtiss. 1t Immediately de-
eeloped that Barrett would vote for
Stanton: he had been claimed by the
Stanton men all of the time prior to
the state convention. 1t is said that
Governor Cummins at last agreed to
drop Chancellor Craig. for whom he
had voted constantly. being for some
man outside of the institution, and
vote for Curtiss It is also said that
Watkins finally consented to leave
Schreckengast and to vote for Curtiss.
This made the vote; Stanton, 6; Cur
tiss, 6.
Trustee Penick. the thirteenth and
last member of the board, was not at
the meeting. He had sent up letter,
however. in which he said he wished
to have his vote recorded for Stanton.
Curtiss trustees objected to the ac-
,ceptance of this letter as vote. Ow-
ing to this difficulty, the board adj
journed to meet In the evening at the
Slavery in Des Moines.
The theory Of the Curtiss men was
that while the board had unanimously
accepted the proxy of Boardman and
had agreed to accept his vote and re-
cord 1t for Curtiss. it was impossible
under objection, to receive, accept and
record the proxy sent up by Penick
The question of the legality of both
proxies was discussed and seriously
questioned, the trustees OF the college
being the trustees. in fact, Of q
municipal corporation. It was the idea
Of the lawyers that the trustees Of a
municipality can not vote by proxy
because they are assumed to be present
and to inform themselves before they
cast their votes, being, not the original
parties In interest, but merely acting
In representative capacity.
II the Penick proxy was thrown out
the Stanton man would have but ST.
votes. There are thirteen members OF
the board. The question then arose
as to whether 1t required a majority OF
the entire board or a majority OF {
quorum. only, to elect a PRESIDENT The
Stnnton-1nen sent an attorney after 6
code, andhe returned with a type writ.
ten copy Of the law to the effect thai
a majority Of the board could do bust.
ness.
1t appeared. therefore, that the Stan.
ton men had the votes and the power t.
elect him president of :he institution
Counting the Penick vote. which was
telegraphed to Des Moines In the even.