Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-04-02
EVIDENT THAT TROUBLE AT
MlTcHELLvILLE SCHOOL WAS
STIRRED FOR PURPOSE.
sTANDPATs FEARED LEADER
SHIP OF CHAIRMAN coWNIE
Therefore Plan Was Conceived to Get
Rid of cownie, and Former Control
Board Member Was Accused Both
Ways - Unjust limitations Being
Persistently Circulated.
Special to Times-Republican.

Special to Times-Republican.
Des Moines, April 2.-That the Iowa
standpatters believe that they turned
a, trump card in the stirring up of trou-
BILE over the management of the state
school for girls al Mitchellville, is now
evident. That they expect this incident
to be so turned to their account that
they will be able to control the entire
state is certain. In the first place they
had become fearful of the result should
Chairman Cownie, of the board of con-
troll. consent to take leadership of the
party and they determined to kill him
off: then later, they conceived the plan
of threatening such scandal as would
force the progressives to abandon all
effort to measure strength in state mat
tiers The whole thing from beginning
to end is a part of the game of politics.
The standpatters believe they have
played it shrewdly and are gloating.
For instance, the Denison Review says:
John Cownie is out. Good Radiance
The significance of this is that the
Review is owned by Judge Conner,
whom Carroll sought to infiict upon the
unceremoniously by the legislature.
Conner had a consultation with Carroll
al the time of the good roads standpat
roundup in Des Mones.
It was announced and published long
before there was the slightest disturb
ance at the Mitchellville school that
Governor Carroll had offered a place on
the board of control to senator in
northern Iowa who had turned it down.
That the plat to threaten Chairman
Cownie with blackmal had already
been Matched is probable.
Accused Both Ways.
Before the politicians had extorted
from Mr.. Cownie his resignation the
standpat papers out in the state COM
menced a bitter attack on him. The
manner in which this was handled left
no doubt that orders had been received
from some central source. In one in
stance rank factional paper attacked
Mr.. Cowne on the theory that he and
not the administration was responsible
for converting the school into a prison;
while at the same time another attack
ed him for the mistaken policy of kind
ness which had prevailed for ten years
at the school
Il is an open secret that not only is
bolster up the administration on the
| theory that nearly everything done I'M
der the administration of Governor
Cummins was wrong and vicious, but it
| was believed that threats could be used
| to prevent any opposition to Carroll for
| governor. In fact, it is known that
one who spoke with authority sent
word to the Iowa progressives that I'M
| less they laid down and permitted the
standpats to have their own way and
especially permitted a unanimous re-
| nomination of the present governor,
| there would be the most terrible ex-
posure of unbelievable things as they
were under the previous administration
as would forever damn the progress
sives. knowledge of this threat and
| this program of defamation as meas
ure of retaliation has been circulated
about. The Cedar Falls Record, orig
Lnal Carol organ, says:
| John CoWnie should choke off a lot
| of fool friends at the earliest oppor-
tunity. The state does not crave a
scandal and that is just what will re-
suit if the motives of everybody con-
cerned in his resignation are questioned.
/ This is a mighty good time to lay
low
|
the state devoted to the standpat cause,
and is taken to be warning that I'M
less the progressives lay low" there
will be a besmirching of characters the
like of which was never known before
in Iowa.
cownie Saying Nothing.
1t ought to be understood that Mr.
Cownie has absolutely said nothing,
save to make a perfectly respectful
protest against the changing of the
character of the school at Mitchell
vile. He is not a politician and has
never consulted with others as to his
work for the state Nobody knows
what Mr.. Cownie thinks about these
matters There has been a demand that
! inasmuch as the school is a state in
stitution and the public has some
rights in the matter, the ban of Sc
crecy be removed. But John Cownie
| is in noWise responsible for this and
it would not be possible for him to dis
sipate the interest which the public
feels in the whole unfortunate affair.
1t is reported that the standpatters
are planning to play up the manage
ment of state institutions under the
! Cumn1ins administration as great
card in their game for retention Of the
state OFFICES. In due time %ucy viii
dertake to show that there has been
gross mismanagementt that the board
Of control has violated the law, that
corruption and immortality have been
couon, and that it is the Carroll ad-
ministration that is conducting things
on a high plane. 1t is said that during
the past year systematic search for
material Of this kind has been made,
that convicts and other inmates Of in
| situations have been approached to Sc
cure affidavits throwing discredit on
men in high position, that disgruntled
contractors and disappointed place
hunters have been urged to prepare
statements; in short. that the state has
been raked over for material and muck
with which to make a case against the
progressive administration of Iowa
laffairs.
The matter is being held back until
a more appropriate time with a promise
that if the republicans "lay low per-
haps the results Of the muck rakin g
will not be made public.
1t is believed, however, that as the
result Of the agitation, the adrninistra-
ton will be forced to abandon its plan
of putting shrewd politician at the
head OF the state institutions.