Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-12-13
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! .LOOKER.ON IN IOWA !

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lama. Dec 12.-An unusual sight
was seen in Story county on the 24Gh
of November. That of a farmer ploW-
ing up his corn stubble field to have
ready for another crop in 1905. This
farmer had husked his corn, turned in
his cattle, got all the feed from the
stalks he thought profitable, and en-
Thanksgiving day was ready to plow
for the following year. All of which
shows. first, remarkable weather, ard
secondly, a forehanded farmer ore
who had privately hung UP in his sill
ting room the placard. do it now"
Many moons ago those Of us inter-
ested in election returns in Grinnell,
hired q room and paid the Western
Union so much for the returns, which
were brought to us by the messenger
boy at ten to fifteen minute intervals.
County returns We're only obtained by
paying regular telegraph tolls and gem
orally we found out how the County
had gone" after we knew who WAS
elected president. This year In Grin
nell 1t was different. At 10 cents adj
mission the Colonial theater, steam
heated, electric lighted, upholstered
seats. smoking allowed, was open 10
the public. On the platform were three
stands. One for the spokesman Of the
evening. another for telephone where
county returns were received, and the
other where the wire reports from the
depot were telephoned to the Colonial.
We heard five minutes after he sent 1T
Parkers telegram to Roosevelt, Offer
ing congratulations, and didn't believe
1t. We heard Roosevelt's announce
ment that he would not be candidate
for another term, and knew it was a
fact. as Is everything else Roose-
welt says. And all these things sug-
gested the changes in conveniences
since the days we held caucuses and
had all kinds Of doings in the old con-
gregational church. In those days too
we had some democrats In the aud
fences to cheer when things came their
way, and for us to jeer, when 1t was
announced that Texas had gone demo-
cratic. This year, 80 democratic were
this misguided class Of our citizens,
they hardly had representative in the
palatial Colonial.
Those who read this column are aware
IL the writer had his way the circle
would be taken off the ballot, and to
vote each citizen would make cross
opposite the name of each candidate
he wishes to elect. This form
OF voting was the original
intent In the Australian ballot sys-
tenn, but the politicians have amended
1t with the circle at the top, to insure
voting the straight ticket, and avoid
scratching" The result, even after
years of education is, the voter makes
many mistakes In marking and in close
districts, such errors frequently result
in the defeat of q candidate, the ma
jority wish to place in power. In one
ward in Grinnell this year, eight per
cent of the ballots were incorrectly
marked, and 1t Is safe to assert that
the state over, five per cent of all bal
lots cast are so incorrectly marked that
strict judges of election are compelled
to throw them out. And all this comes
when the voter wishes to vote his par
ty ticket with perhaps one or two ex-
ceptions, and don't know how to do
it. Remove the circle and compel each
voter to mark against the name an x,
and the errors, will be reduced to
minimum. e
In one OF our best hotels in Iowa
hno rJc Of No 1T
story Is told, gentleman who has a
weakness for the violin, likes to fiddle
as 1t were, and manages when he can
to get some one to accompany him on
the piano. And 1t so happens that
some Of the knights Of the grip fire.
Iuenting that hostelry have no "soul
for music" and are much annoyed by
the noise" when they are in the ad-
Joining writing room making out their
eports. One evening recently an
other fiddler" came along and the
)oarder, the transient and a pianist
proceeded to give private public per
sormance. A brilliant idea struck the
inmusical knight. In the Office near
the music room is q big box, PUT a
nickel in the slot" and get dollars
worth Of tunes" In the midst Of "en-
trancing strains" that big music box
commenced a march that drowned the
.)chestral performance. The three per-
ormers stopped. After two tunes"
so did the music box. Then the two
'fddlers" and the piano started again.
Sefore they got fairly underway the
box had another bad spell. this time
With "'Way Down Upon the Swanee
2iver." Once more after the box
1uieted down, the orchestra of three
proceeded to entertain, and again the
music scroll revolved. Then it occurred
o the musicians that it was q put up
OBJ, and they folded up their fiddle
Boxes and Silently stole away" The
supply Of nickels for the music box
seemed to be unlimited.
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