Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-12-29
Why Were Hull and Lacey Alb
sent From Conference With
Governor Cummins2
INJUSTICE TO IOWA VETERANS
Plan to Leave OFF All Mention Of tho
Hour at Which Iowa Regiments
Participated in the Shiloh Battle
Will Not Be Satisfactory to Sur
vivors of that Engagement
Special te Tlmes-Repupllcan

Special te Tlmes-Republican
Des Moines, Dec 29.-There is a be-
lief on the part of some that the rea-
son for the absence of Congressman
Hull and Lacey from the conference
of the Iowa delegation at Washington
with Governor Cummins over the Shi-
loh monument controversy Is begin
ming to crop out. The claim is now
being made that the matter Is all set
tied and that there is nothing more to
be said or done This is all because
Governor Cummins has devoted a
great deal Of his time to assisting the
fifteen and sixteen regiments to get
credit for the part they took in the
battle. 1t is claimed the matter is all
settled now by deciding to leave off all
mention of the hour during which
they took part in the battle. AS the
hour during which they engaged in the
battle is the one vital point that has
been commended for the underhand
slap at Governor Cummins is made
fifteenth and sixteenth regiment sur
vivors is that they were in the
battle between the hours of 10 and II
on the forenoon of April 6, 1862, at
which time the fifteenth regiment lost
1856 men and the sixteenth 131 men.
The national Shiloh commission wished
to put in the inscription that the regi-
ments arrived on Jones' field at noon
and participated in the battle from II
to o'clock 1t would seem to be a
small matter, and with those not we'll
informed on the situation those who
lose no opportunity to make state
ments that will discredit Governor
Cummins may be able to accomplish
their purpose. 1t is sufficient to say
that there was no, fighting ON Jones'
field from IL to Q O'clock. That the
Iowa regiments lost 1856 and 131 men In
the battle cannot be denied and yet
the national commission would have
the regiments participating in the bait
tie at a time when there was no fight
ing. In this light the matter assumes
greater Importance. The monument is
erected to the memory of the Iowa
men who participated and died in the
battle and if they are to have credit
for their work and bravery the sur
vivors claim they should have full
credit in the inscription and should be
given credit in no dubious and UNI
certain language, and should not be
given credit for fighting at a time
when there was no battle. The old
soldier who has gone thru vigorous
campaigning and smelled the smoke of
battle is spicayunish enough to think
the matter very important one, and
he is not even satisfied to have all
reference to the hour of the fighting
left off. Many people of this city are
expressing themselves as surprised
that the enemies of Governor Cum
Minis should go SO far out of their way
in Misrepresentation In an attempt to
injure the governor.
The details of the primary election
law that will be introduced at this
session of the legislature will not be
made public till the bill is introduced
but there is belief based on suffi-
cient grounds that the bill will not fol-
low the lines of the Wisconsin law in.
giving the voter the ballots of all the
parties and allowing him in the secrets
vi lIG OOOlL W SoIC dIiy llC Wishes. IL
is proposed to draw the bill in such
way that republicans will vote the re-
publican ticket at the primaries and
democrats the democratic ticket and
neither will have an opportunity to
vote the other party ticket without in
fact as we'll as in name changing his
party affiliations. In Wisconsin the
voter going to the booth is given one
of each of the party ballots. He marks
the ballot he wishes to vote and re-
turns it to one official returning those
he does not use to another official. No
one is able to tell which party ticket
he voted. In the Iowa bill it is proposed
that every voter be given but one tick
ct. He will have to declare his party
affliation in order to get ticket and
will have to make such declaration at
the general election before the primar-
les. This will avoid the matter of a
man declaring his party affiliation at
the primary and voting one ticket
there while voting different ticket at
the general election.
The matter of keeping democrats
from voting at republican primaries
without becoming republicans is, how
ever the least of the worries of the
friends of the bill. The matter of a
majorlty and plurality selection lis con-
sidered Of far greater Importance. 1t
is felt by many that this is the most
important matter in the law. I'm
doubtedly it will get a good share of
the discussion that will accompany the
of the bill in the legis-
lature. In Wisconsin the proposition
TO combine the first and second choices
in order to get majority selection
failed at the special session of the leg
isature. Nevertheless there are many
adherents to that method. 1t is recog-
ter is not of as much value as his
first choice except in some cases
where a voter will vote for a home
candidate out of local pride and in his
second choice really give expression to
what he believes the best man for the
position. 1t is advocated that where
there are 10000 votes and one candi-
date gets 1900 first choice and 200 ball
lots on the second choice he should be
sele cted over the man who gets $500
frst choice ballots and 1000 or 1000
second choice ballots. That IS the NOM
inatlon should go 10 the candidate re-
cciving the largest number of firsts
If his frsts and seconds are a ma jority
of the total number of voters.
There is an interesting contest in the