Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-09-17

t LOOKER-ON in IOWA !

Vail. Sept. 16.-The cause of an un-
settled matter. that of Henry Spencer,s
death at Grinnell, still is matter OF
much discussion all over the state.
One day last week the writer ran onto
a bit of evidence that would seem to
disprove the suicide theory. On the
evening the accident occurred Mr..
Spencer stopped at neighbours house
and invited a young girl to accompany
himself and son on boat rlde aitet
supper. 1t so happened this girl could
not 60 with them, but the offer was
made with all probability of It's being
accepted. This story comes TO the
writer from the father of the young
girl and In mentioning 1t the gentleman
said. "To accept the suicide theory II
proves tina. the Spencers lntended
drowning my daughter also. or that the
suicidal intent was brought out sud
denly after arriving at the lake. It
was an accident pure and simple.
Col. Eiboeck's suggestion thae 70
make the state fair a great success
things must be run wide open' seeAis
to have fallen fiat, noticing the Dig a..
tendance this year with the atlfac.ioi.
of the st. Louis exhibition as a Ilvai
concern. The Interstate fair at sioux
CITY has Just closed remarkably sue
cessful fair--this in point Oh aleeiiu-
ance and exhibit-and this Ialr was
..r,,n wide open,' with all that the
sentence implies. The writer dld nos
attend either fair, but has talked with
some exhibitors and travelling men VINO
put in several days both at Des MONIES
and Sioux City, and their word for IT, Is
that with beer sold openly on the GROUND
ar +be Interstate fair, there was no
more drunkenness than at the state
fair at Des Moines where prohlpltion
prevailed. Still the writer is not yet
converted to the Eiboeck theory, LOT az
the little town of Alta, in Buena VISTA
county, they had a. fair this year Win
a 10000 attendance, extra trains, me
exhibits and all this in a prohlpllloh
town. Eldora is another successful Ialr
town and if any fair in Iowa is run on
the cold water plan it's Eldora. very
suggestive too are the resolutions OF the
New sharon fair directors this year.
Last wear "the bars We're let down.
little and this wear the other plan is to
be tried.
Those interested in such matters are
clad to notice that those In charge OIL
the matter of the inside decorations VI
the state capitol have not peen lnnu-
enced by '.the economy talk, or those
who would decorate" "a ten thousano
dollar residence with q seventy-nVe
cent chrome. We may as Wen own up,
then, there's some hope Tor us, lnas
we're long on hogs and homlny, pue
short on art. On exhibition there are
every year at the state tar ana the
numerous county fairs coil paintings
that make us the laughing stock OF
visiting strangers It's an easy thing
to explain why these "daubs' are put
exhibition Social talent paints mas
terpiece. 1t is offered to the art COM
mittee of the county fair, and they,
knowing much more of receptive thah
perspective, hang it on the walls, ana
take a premium of 50. And yet in
every community in Iowa there are
many men and women that could be
selected for the art committee II they
would serve that could prevent SUCH
monstrosities being exhibited, for the
education and edifcation of the crowds
that visit the county fair. So that
when Mr.. Funk and his associates in
this matter of interior paintings for
the capitol took a decided stand "a
gainst the cheap style of decorations.
they not only covered themselves with
credit, but conferred a real favor on
the public at large.
1t is strange that in this day and
age that we do not awaken more de-
cided sentiment against the many dis
figurations to the general looks Of our
towns and cities. For instance in two
of our lake towns, places largely sup
ported by the money of visitors, who
come there year after year for recre-
alton, this including fishing, boating
and scenery, the city authorities either
caused or allowed the erection of large
stand pipes (this for the city
water supply right in the
center of the public park. Money was
spent to beautify these places. shade