Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-06-14
SPECIAL INTERESTS MAY Sc
CURE REVIEW OF STATUTE IN
STATE COURTS.
LAW SOMEWHAT VAGUE
ON SEVERAL SALIENT POINTS
Method of Counting Ballots BY Can
wasting Boards Somewhat cuenber-
some-Enormous Growth Of Holding
Companies, or Trusts-State EN-
pIoyes Besiese Board of Contro! For
Wage increase.
Special to rtnes-Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Dies Moines, June 14-That there is
very grave possibility OF the entire pri-
mary election law going into the
courts, there to be again subjected to
judicial scrutiny, is evident TO those
who have investigated certain phases
OF the same and are familiar with the
temper of certain interests that have
spent vast sums of money IN trying to
control the election The situation
language in regard to that which the
IS per cent clause refers TO.
For instance the law provides that
the precinct canvassers shall count the
number of ballots cast for each party
and the number of votes cast for each
candidate for each office upon the
ticket" etc.
The canvassing boards which meet
today must make abstracts stating
1.-The number of ballots cast in each
county by each political party, sep
arately, for each office and the num-
Der of votes for each candidate: and
then it is provided that the candidates
''having the highest number of votes
and not less than 35 per centuf Of all
the votes cast by the party for such
office" shall be declared nominated
Then next Monday the state execu-
tive council. as a canvaSsing board, VIII
make an abstract stating the number
of ballots cast by each political party
separately, for each office designated,
and the number of votes received by
each person." and the 35 per cent
clause Is repeated as above.
Now, the lawyers are saying. it fs
evident that the record must show as
to railroad commissioners, not the
total Of votes cast for all. but the
actual number OF ballots cast which
would include those cast for only one
candidate and not two. The number
of ballots cast is therefore very Ger
tain to be vastly larger than the mum
Der of votes for all candidates divided
in half How much larger ought TO be
shown by the books
But e a report comes from county
showing, for instance, that the number
Of ballots cast for railroad commits
sioner is Just half the sum total of all
the votes for all the candidates. 1t will
be priuaa facie that the judges Of cleo
ton did not comply with the letter OF
the law.
And IL these returns have not been
made right as to one office and the
courts decide that no nominations were
made for railroad commissioner and
that by reason Of a fatal flaw in the
law there Is no way OF determining
who is nominated-where does it all
lead to?
Unless 1t Is very plain that there has
been an emphatic decision of the vot-
ers on railroad commissioner. so plain
.I1c
courts are sure to be asked to take a
questions Those who put up their
money IN the game, hint they are not
ready to quit at this stage.
The American trusts or holding
companies" which seemed TO have
some Of the attention of Clifford Pin
chot in his St Paul speech, are now
said 10 number in all 1873. with $40
Subsidiary corporations. according 10
Moody's Manual, which is an authority
on the subject A number Of pronnin-
ent persons have been making inquiry
as to the extent 70 which the trust
movement has actually taken over the
business of Sne country and investiga-
ton showed these facts. The capital
stock issued for the holding compa MES
only, Is over ten thousand million dol
lars. Practically everything that IS
made or used is touched by the trusts.
Some OF the little known ones are
formed to monopolize such everyday
articles as leather, cans biscuits, shoes,
kodaks, powder, salt, box board, pianos.
motors. thread, candy, oilcloth. soda
fountains cement, hominy, lamp
chimneys, chains. casters. caskets. furs,
whips. etc. BY far the larger number
OF the trusts are domiciled in New
Jersey. tho many are In New York.
The Z. s. Steel corporation, with its
$3.50. 900 900 stock issue covering
eighty-nine companies, heads the list
of New Jersey trusts. The largest
New York corporation Is the American
Telephone and Telegraph. with $780,
coo 900 stock and ninety-eight COM
panies Practically every state and
territory has these holding companies.
Iowa IS credited with only fifteen. the
largest being the Beatrice Creamery
Company with s4ooo.0oo capital; the
others mainly being interurbans, gas
or light com panies.
The state Of Iowa is feeling the pinch
OF the hard times, or at least the times
that are hard on those who pay the
the past week wrestling hard with the
work Of framing up the salary and
wage schedule at the state institutions
for the next year, as the fiscal year for
the institutions begins July l. From
every Institution comes demand OF In
crease of pay, and this comes even
from these who have food and rooms
furnished But all agree that salaries
must keep going up II the state is to
retain the services Of IT'S most efficient
servants Other states are paying well
for high class talent and Iowa must do
the same.
It did not escape the attention OF the
political watchers that at the very time
the Jackson committee was having sent
out to the press an insistent claim thai
It already was assured OF several HIN.
dred majority against Cummtns m th<
state convention, the local organ o.
that committee and chief sponsor fo'
Congressman Hull WAS edftorial1y adj
.-:ss..s ttsaf noho<fv knew anything
about who had the convention and tina
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