Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-03-02
Common Feeling That Des
Moines Should No Longer
Have a Congressman
TOO MUCH DIRTY POLITICS
The Desire Has Been Rather to Con-
denim the Methods Employed Than
the Men, Both of Whose Ability Is
Recognized by AlI-Tendeney In the
Capital City Becoming Dangerous.

Special TO Tines Republican
Des Moines March 2.-Now that i,
Is all over and the primary has beer
held the good people of Des Moines
will heave a sigh of relief. In the
past few weeks the writer has heard
regrets expressed hundred times by
representative citizens in regard to the
turn affairs have taken in local pol
tics. What ought to be done" these
people would say, Is to have both
Polk county candidates turned down
and an outsider selected to represent
the district" They have been saying
this not because Of any feeling at the
| personal unf1tness Of either Hull or
Prouty, for republicans without re-
gard to preferences agree that both are
men of great ability but they have
| said 1t because they have felt that in
all justice there should be some way
of administering rebulSe to the meth
cd Of running primaries by corrup-
| ton and bulldozing and in similar
ways. There has been too much Of
what Des Moines preacher on Sun
day called mud-puddle politics. The
details of this sort Of campaign are
already pretty familiar all over the
state: but no person not right in the
thickest Of it can conceive the depth
OF depravity which has here been
reached. The efforts of good men were
given In the late days Of the campaign
to smoothing out the rough places, to
doing what they could to see to II that
the election was fair and honest and
TO lessen the danger Of violence so far
as they could by counseling wisdom
and tolerance But under it all was
the common feeling that 1t would be
vastly better IL neither one of the
candidates should finally be selected
The desire was rather to condemn
the methods than the men. But as for
any serious thought at this time Of
turning to an outsider that is all gone.
Capt. Hull will be nominated at the
convention. Many of Proutys friends
believed that when he was cheated out
of the nomination after he had won
two years ago he should have gone
to the people with a protest and that
he would have been elected. but Prou-
" thought otherwise. The opportunity. |
II 1t was such. has gone forever from
him. There will be no chance for a |
protest this time The election was
conducted. so far as 1t could be ny |
the judges OF the election and the |
committee With reasonable fairness
and repeating and ballot box stufYinp |
and the wrong counting Of ballots were
all discounted. That many fraudu.
lent votes were cast there is no doubt,
but they evidently did not change the
vote. The convention will be har-
monious and all for Hull.
Becoming Dangerous.
Now that men are able to discuss the
matter with less passion and III feel
Ing good many are making inqu,r
les as to what can be done to nut a ston
To the dangerous tendency OF politicaI
affairs dn the capital city OF the state.
Attention was called yesterday to the
fact that the first step in the direction |
or placing politics on cash basis In |
this city was when ]. G. Berryhil few |
years ago tried to beat Capt Hull. In |
ehat campaign money was for the first |
time used In great abundance by both |
SIDES. When Judge Prouty entered the |
race two years ago 1t was literally adj |
vertised that he is an immensely veal |
thy man. Nobody knaws yet whether |
this is trues He is reported to have made |
some money in the lumber or logging |
business. but he has given no general |
evidence OF great wealth. The voters |
and workers who had learned that cor |
ruption is possible ciainored for money. |
Huh men can be found to say that |
Prouty spent ut least $4,000 two years !
ago. and the others have been SAYING
that nearlyas much was spent in the |
interest OF Hull. Probably both state
ments are false. 1t is certain. however.
that in the campaign just closed there
was an immense amount OF money
spent, that 1t went not for carriages and |
hacks and to pay challengers and those |
who polled county but directly as pay |
for all day workers on election day and |
still more directly as payment for votes. |
Good citizens are saying that this cam
not continue Indefinitely: but they do |
not agree as to how 1t is to be prevent
ed.
As to Unfairness.