Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-10-05
THINK VOTERS
WILL CLASSIFY
But Polk County Has Not Yet
Done Anything Regarding
4 New Primary Law
NOT ANXIOUS TO MAKE START
No Provision Has Yet Been Made For
Classification of the Voters, and
Without 1t No Use Can Be Made of
Primary Election This Year = State
Capital News.
Special to Times-Republican

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines, Oct. 5.-A good deal has
been said about Polk county preparing
to make an experiment with the new
ty, but so far as known no steps have
as yet been taken to put the law IN
force. The new primary law was pub
lished by the secretary of state as re-
quired by law. When it went into et-
feet the Polk county primaries for this
year had all been held and nominations
ended. Since then nothing has been
done. But before the law can have
force in this county there must be
publication of official notices OF the
certain things to be done. This has
as yet been neglect and it is doubt
full if the authorities are very anxious
to make a start with the law. The first
step in putting the law in force is
to secure lists of the voters with their
party affiliations. Until this is done
the law cannot be made effective. The
theory of various persons here is that
at the election in November each yot-
er will proceed to classify himself as
to political parties These tags will be
displayed: Il am republican," or
am democrat" and every person will
be expected to state what party he
wishes to affiliate with. This system
OF Classification will have the advan-
l 4 Wi
to spot their men and accurately indi-
cate how the election is going. But
no provision has yet been made for
this classi.ication And If there is no
ell, ssification of voters, no separation
OF the sheep from the goats, as it We're,
at the general election in November,
then there will be no use of the prim-
airy election next year or until after
general election.
Where is ex-, .cretary of State G. L.
Dobson? A &C d many Des MONIES
people are asking the question. He
was largely responsible for the or
ganization of the mining companies at
Iowa Falls and sold most of the stock
in this part Of the state. AS soon as
he had sold the stock he announced
that he was going to California to i've
and he disappeared from Iowa. feW
days ago he was at the Great North
ern hotel in Chicago, and had cores
pondence with friends here, which in
dicated that he was very anxious to
get rid of some of his holdings. The
belief is now that he was party to
+he schemes which were laid at Iowa
Falls by a corrupt gang for the ex-
plotting of hundreds of Iowa people.
Dobson's last success was in organic.
ing with Governor Shaw a nominal in
surance company which was finally
driven out of business and out of the
state by honest officials. The feel
ing here is running strong against
Dobson in connection with the mining
company schemes.
Walt Butler, whilom congressman
from Iowa. has been in California rep
resenting his insurance company and
has travelled "a good deal this summer
over the Pacific coast. Mr.. Butler
states that the political situation is
lust as quiet on the west coast as In
Iowa and that there is nothing doing.
aside from some local fights. Il do
not understand it ALL" he said. THE
situation reminds me very much Of
1892 when there was the same quiet
ness. Now that doesn't mean that Par
ker is going to be elected just as Cleve-
lano was elected then, but uoes look
like there was something doing under
the surface. The voters are not say
ing anything. There may be big
landslide one way or the other. 1
would like to get into a joint debate
with somebody, but nobody seems will
ing to talk politics.
State officials are beginning to look
little into the law which the legis-
lature passed last winter authoflzlhg
the sale of parts of the Missouri river
bed. under certain conditions. inquiry
was made yesterday as to VINO was
responsible for the passage OF the law
and it was recalled that JACOB SIMS
of Council Bluffs. one OF secretary
Shaw's partners, was mere IN Des
Moines and got the bill worked thfn
the assembly. Then it was founo
that the first person to ask for sur.
yey of a part of the river ped was
C. r. Hannah, of Council Bluffs, long
time associated with Sims and Shaw
in IL banking and other business.
Judge Scott, of Omaha, was here few
days ago to discover what plans We're
being made to dispose of portions OF
the old river bed which Hannah anc
Sims desired, and he denounced the
whole scheme as one to secure land
which belonged to others without any
compensation Now the whole mat
ter is to be aired in the federal courts
The state officials have acted only as
required by the law in naming sur
veyor.
The new Chamberlain hotel In TINS
city. the last of series of fine new
hotels, is to be opened this evening t.
the public The hotel is one OF tas
most substantial buildings ever erect
ed in the state and the furnishings OF