Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-04-14
POLITICAL HDNORS
ARE GOING BEGGING
Few Want to be Presidential
Electors in Iowa and Ticket
May Not be Filled
ONLY 10 DAYS FOR PETITIONS
Doubtful if Petitions Can Be circu-
lated According to Law in That Time
Democrats Having Trouble to Fill
Their Tickets = Sunday Base Ball
Problem for Des Moine>
Special to Times-Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines, April l4.-Jobs which
the founders of the republic thought
would be considered the most honor
able in the gift of the nation are 60
ing begging in Iowa. Eleven district
presidential electors and two presi-
Dental electors -at-large are to be
nominated in each of the political par
ties of Iowa, and as yet there is
scarcely a candidate for such posi-
tions. In the democratic party, SO far
as known, there is not a candidate In
the field for the honor, and in the re-
publican party there are candidates in
but three or four congressional dis
tricts, and not a sign OF candidate
for elector- at large.
No one seems to care very much for
the honor of voting for the candidate
for president after the people of Iowa
have made the selection and done all
the work. There is a chance for an
additional honor, because one of the
electors will be selected as the dele
gate to carry the returns to Washing
ton, and because of this honor will
have the privilege of buying the din
ner for the rest of the electors.
While the republican party is having
trouble to get electors, the democratic
party is having trouble in getting can
didates for other positions. In the
democratic party the party nomination
for congressman in many of the con-
gressional districts, and for some of
the state offices as we'll, slembers of
the party seem to feel to be as empty
an honor as selection as presidential
elector There is no democratic can
didate out for lieutenant governor,
and none for state auditor or railroad
commissioner nor supreme court
judges. In the republican party all po-
sitions which have salary attached
have many applicants in the field.
Less than ten days remain in which
to get petitions circulated. In the
case of the presidential electors at
large, this is a serious question, and
there are some doubts as to whether
it is enough time The petitions must
be circulated in ten counties of the
state. The new primary law provides
a means whereby the vacancies can be
filled by appointment by the state CEN
trail committee for state offices and by
central committees of other districts
and political divisions in case vacan-
cies occur there. These names will be
placed on the primary election ballot
the same as those by petition. To be
placed on by petition the papers must
be filed with the secretary of state by
April 23. The state central commit
tees of the different parties will meet
the day following to fill any vacancies.
*#*
Des Moines is face to face with
trouble over the Sunday base ball sit
uation. Councilman Hamery, who is
in charge of the police department, has
made up his mind that Sunday base
ball is against the law. He made up
his mind some years ago that things
that are against the law should not be
tolerated, that the laws should be en-
forced and that if the people don't want
them enforced the thing for them to
do is to repeal the laws.
To make up his mind on problem
is to settle it so far as Mr.. Hamery
is concerned and it never takes him
long to make up his mind after he
knows what the law is. He never
has any trouble debating in his mind
whether or not it is a good thing to
enforce the law.
Mr. Hamery has read in the statute
books that Sunday base ball is pro-
hibited. Therefore, Des Moines (not
Mr. Hamery) is face to face with the
Sunday base ball question. If it were
city ordinance the city might solve
the problem easily by repeating the
ordinance. The city has in it's new
charter the initiative and referendum
and can repeal ordinances and pass
new ones direct without waiting for
the city council to do it. But it is a
state law and the legislature will not
meet till next January In the mean
time the base ball season is just open
ing and will be over with before the
legislature meets.
In Des Moines this is serious sit
uation. Des Moines Cat least part of
herr thinks that she cannot get along
without Sunday base ball. Des Moines
has the Western League team and has
had Sunday base ball for some years.
AS viewed by a person who is "ra-
tional" on the subject of base ball the
matter does not seem to be alarming.
There is but one city of considerable
size east of the Mississippi river that
has Sunday base ball, and that is Chi
cago. st. Louis west of the river. has
Sunday base ball and none Of the other
cities in the big leagues have it. 1t
would look. therefore. as tho Des
Moines ought almost to be able to
worry along somehow.
The first piece of literature on the
subject of tuberculosis to be circu-
lated over the state by the state board
of control in conformance with the
instructions of the last Legislature is
the prize essay on tuberculosis written