Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-10-22
S|EFFENS MAY
WRITE UP IOWA
Stated That the Writer and
Investigator Will Come to
This State Soon
MANY IN FAVOR OF AMENDMENT
Hearty Endorsement of Biennial Eiec-
tions Amendment Met With Among
Legislators EspeciaIIy-capt. Albert
Head, of Des Moines, and Others
Speak In Its Favor.
special to Times Republican.

Special to lmes-Republican
Des Moines, Oct. 22.-The in1orma
ton has been received mere ll'el I'm
coin j. Steffens, the writer ana lhVes-
tigator. is to come to Iowa Immediate
lv after election and make some inves-
tigation into political affairs much az
,er the manner Of his Investigations III
Wisconsin and some other states,
where he has found conditions whlch
can hardly be regarded as making 1or
good government. 1t is not known
that Mr.. Steffens has had any corres-
pondence with politicians In the state'
but has corresponded with personal
friends here IL, regard to the SITUATION
in the state He has not been given
any assurance that the material Is
here in Iowa for a story for his maga-
zines. but he has indicated his belie1
that he could find something worth ms
time If he was to get into the state.
He will be afforded every facility 1or
getting at all facts relating to the po-
litical management of the state III re-
cent years.
Nearly every member of the legis-
lature in this part Of the state is IN
favor OF the adoption of the biennial
elections amendment. I'VE do not want
to say anything about it," said one who
was in the city the other day, for
there are many who would immediate
ly lump at the conclusion we were fa-
vnring 1t for personal and selfish rea-
sons. This is not the case, however,
but II is because we have had some
opportunity to study the question and
we nave heard most Of THE arguments
pro and con on the question. We feel
that we are debarred from talking "a
bout the matter very much The prin-
ciple has had the approval Of four diff
ferent general assemblies in Iowa and
received majority of 10000 when be-
fore the electorate. We may be par
doned. therefore, for tfavorlng such a
popular measure"
Judge u. p. Seeds, of the United
States treasury department, who is
campaigning in Iowa, Is quoted as ia
voring the biennial elections amend
ment as a measure for bettering po-
litical conditions In Iowa. 1T is all
nonsense" he said, about the annual
elections being necessary TO keep the
people educated on political issues.
Iowa people do not forget all they
know on politics every six months"
Another strong advocate of the BIZ
enn,al election amendment is Captain
Albert Head, of Des Moines, formerly
of jefferson, speaker of the house ar
one time, and afterwards president OF
the state agricultural department. II
am not generally in favor Of amending
the constitution" said Capt. Head, but
in this case favor the adoption Of the
amendment eliminating half our cam
paigns 1t is very important meas
ure. and I predict that It's majority
of 10000 will be doubled this year by
the intelligent and progressive people
Of the state. OF the "A states 33 now
have the system of biennial elections.
and not one would return to the old
way. In my opinion the change in the
constitution would save to the people
Of Iowa in taxes and expenses, to say
nothing of benefit to business. in ten
years at least, $2,500,000, In so years
one hundred twenty-five million dol
lars, in century two hundred fifty
million dollars, and If this saving could
be loaned at compound interest at
per cent it would amount to billions of
dollars. This would be clear saving
to the tax burdened people, and Iowa
will live thousands of years. cannot
now think of a sane man in Iowa who
will fail to vote for this amendment
and thus save for himself and the
coming generations the unnecessary
expense of am election every year"
1t is learned that determined eff
fort is to be made soon after election
to bring about a change In the receive
ership of the failed Grinnell bank.
Others aside from the disgusted cred
itors of the bank in Poweshlek county
have become interested in the matter.
The statement is made here that there
is no doubt that the appointment of
an Iowa City man was personal to the
secretary and that he was appointed
largely because of his factiSnal affilia-
tons. The demand for change has
become SO overwhelming that politi-
clans have become interested In it and
will try to induce the treasury de-
partment to bring about change be-
fore the matter becomes public scam
lal.
The volume of proceedings of the
Pioneer Lawmakers Association" OF
'owa has just been printed, giving the
proceedings had last winter when the
,ssociation went before the leglsla
.ure. One fact brought out in the re-
oort, which has been generally over
ooked, is that the late DR.. j. j. Sell
nan, who died in Bloomfield, less than
tx weeks ago, was the last man IN
owa who had ever cast q vote TN Iowa
or democratic president-that IS
The last member of an electoral col
ege who was a democrat. DR. Sein1an