Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-05-24
Memorial to Her Fallen Soldiers
Is Fitting Tribute to
Their Bravery
THE REGIMENTAL MONUMENTS
Are Very Handsome But Not Quite so
Fine as Those of Ohio - Governor
cummins' investigation Of Claims is
Commended - Col. Hepburn's Dis
trict Now Completely Welded to Him
snec,al to Times Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines. May 24.-lowa has the
finest state monument 10 the memory
az her fallen soldiers there Is in all the
south. So said one Of the monument
commissioners in charge Of all the bat
t,efleld parks Of the country. in conver-
sation with Rufus Harvey, requlslaon
clerk in the state executive office. Nh.
Harvey. who is an expert stenographer,
had accompanied the Iowa Shiloh COM
missioners to the battlefield to take
down the report of the rehearing OF the
Iowa case. The engineer for the ma
tional commissioners also expressed
himself in similar vein regarding Iowa.
The Iowa regimental monuments are
also very handsome. though perhaps
not quite so fine as those Of Ohio.
The Iowa monument has pleasing
lines-a tall shaft surmounted by baii
and an eagle, and the work about the
base is exquisite. But that whicn at
tracts the eye of every beholder IS
bronze figure as of woman, repre-
senting fame, with pencil in hand just
finishing the inscription on the side OF
the monument. The figure is beauti-
full one and is so different from other
conceptions of the artists that 1t IS at
once striking and attractive.
"The hearing before the commits
sion" said Mr.. Harvey. was rehear :
inp Of the case, but tried de neyo, or as
an original case, and Governor Cum
minis went to the bottom OF it and cov-
cred all the ground. He put on the
stand one witness from each OF the reg
iments and one from another regiment
fighting ON the field. He also sunfnlttel
the affidavffs or over sixty OK the s.;r-
vivors OF the regiments, and all this
testimony corroborated the claim OF the
Iowa soldiers that these regiments were
on the field and engaged in fighting be-
fore noon. How the commission can
ever maintain its position is hard to
see. for the commission has acknowl-
edged that the Iowa troops We're on
that particular field and has sanctioned
the placing os the monuments there.
vet it was shown that the rebels occu-
pied the entire field all afternoon The
commissioners were not allowed to ask
questions, but sat strictly as jury and
listened to the evidence and argu 1.
ncents."
An ex-Confederate who is of the
commission afterwards congratulated
Governor Cummins on his having
shown greater knowledge of the battle
than men who were in it. or at least
was better able to tell about the battle.
The state executive council will soon
be called upon to make a contract for
the publication for eight years or the
reports Of the Iowa supreme court. Of
fers are TO be received up to June j.
The reports are published by contract
and must be furnished to persons in the
state for not 10 exceed 50 a volume.
During the past few years there has
been much complaint Of delay in get
ting out these reports. but there has
been no complaint since the present re-
porter Of the supreme court went into
office and took charge Of the reports.
When the executive council meets
again it will be asked to impose pen
atty on the telephone companies that
have failed to make their reports to the
secretary OF the council. These COM
panies are liable for a penalty of 500
a day for every day of their failure to
report. The penalties have never been
applied: but so many Of them are now
delinquent that 1t is believed it will be
necessary to fine a few of them. The
railroad companies are also delinquent
in getting in their reports, and the
make their reports.
80
.I believe that w. P. Hepburn is
stronger today in his district than
ever before" said ex-Representative
Frank Payne, of Centerville. I'VE had
a convention in the district and unap-
imously named him for congress. In
other years it was always a fight TO
nominate Colonel Hepburn. and even
when there was little open opposition
there was much grumbling. but I heard
none of it this year. The district is
completely welded to him and he can
stay as long as he lives"
There is some suspicion here that
the surveying of an electric road
northwest from Des Moines along the
route now contemplated may have
something to do with the prospective
change in ownership of the Fort Dodge
railroad. The surveys contemplated
now and for which right-of is be-
ing secured, parallel the Fort Dodge
railroad thru Waukee, Dallas Center
and Perry, and possibly beyond. 1t is
regarded as possible that the right-of-
way is being secured so that in case
the Rock Island loses the old Fort
Dodge line a new one can be built
quickly to take it's place. On no other
hypothesis can it be figured out why
a survey should exactly parallel the
old line.
State Superintendent j. f. Riggs will
go into Greene county next Tuesday
to attend a meeting of school patrons
and show them how to effect CONSOLE