Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-03-21
OBJECTED TO MAKING
MITcHELLvILLEA PRISON
His Twelve Years Of Excellent Work
and Bringing Economy to State
Count for Nausht When Political
Enemies Get Busy-Gives Out Brief
Statement Of His Attitude.
Special to Times-Republican.

Estate, John COWnle Will retire from the
board of control. Cownie was a farmer
of Iowa county when Governor Shaw
invited him to go to work with Gov
ernr Larrabee and Judge Kline to re-
organize upon a business basis the
state institutions. 1t was the greatest
step in state history and marked the
passing of the era of political plumber
of the institutions. There has never
been day of the twelve years but
that the interests which fought so
! hard to retain the old system have not
| been resentful of the part taken by
the big burly Scotch farmer of Iowa
| county in establishing the new order.
well, they've got Cownie at last"
remarked a Des Moines business man.
Il supposed they would some time. The
war upon him has been little less than
| fiendish in its nature. 1t matters not
| how they got him, il has been done.
| It simply demonstrates that no mat
ter how faithful a public servant may
be it is possible to put UP a situation
thar will force him into retirement.
4 No honorab Bile man Will submit to the
methods which now prevail in Iowa.
In this case it is 100 bad
4 Plotted in His Absence.
When Mr.. Cownie went away two
weeks ago all was serene, tho he knew
that the time was near at hand when
! it would become necessary for de-
cision as 10 whether he should con-
tinue or an attempt be made 10 re-
move him. When he returned he found
+ cha os-and Cownie held responsible.
! He took survey of the situation and
! saw how the opposition had become
! entrenched back OF an unlimited ex-
acutive power. and he Immediately re-
signed.
! The situation al Mitchellville was
zhe immediate cause but it is recog-
nized as only a part of the trouble. "A
vast amount of evidence, or rather Of
accusation, had been accumulated Sc
cretlv to be used If needed to force Mr..
! Cownie 10 resign. and ii related to
other institutions and the complaints
of all sorts of persons Disinterested
persons who had been made aware of
| the -esul. Of this secret probing. de-
icla-ed thar it was nothing more Sc
-iols than The expression of disap-
poiatrrlarl OF accun ulaeed i'll viii. But
/ il was hel5 as club. and with Iowa
laws especially designed 10 favor club
/ swinging 2 disagreeable situation pre-
scented itself
| with ting passing Of Nj Cownie dis
appears from the board the last of the
I notable trio that vert thru fire, as it
/ were. to establish the board of control
! system in Iowa. In the twelve years
| the institutions Of the state have been
almost rebuilt and millions have been
wisely invested in permanent improve
ments and land. BY reason of the
I economies Of the board the cost has
been kept down way below what
/ would have prevailed under the old
system. Mr. Cownie still owns his fine
farm in Iowa county.
Mr.. Cownie's Statement.
"I shall retire April 5 from the state
1 hoard Of control after having served
the state for twelve years" said Mr.
/ Cownie. II leave record behind me
Of which l am proud. 1t has been a
great burden and I have sacrificed
much that I might be useful In a WORK
I regard as of greatest Importance
find however, that / am not IN mar
rnony with my associates in regard tc
matters Of policy. I do not beiieVe II
wise to have cells erected at the Nit
lchellville school and 1 can not approve
of the methods which are followed by
Z
turn home I am virtually forbidden t.
go to the Mitchellville school. have
not approved of the situation at the
oakdaIe institution and I do not believe
It is doing the work intended. Under
the circumstances have felt it best t.
tender my resignation. / would no
want to stand in the way Of those wht
believe differently. I am very well sat
isfied to retire"
Might Have Held On.
Under the law 1t would have been hi
duty to have remained in Office until
his successor is appointed and qualified
The governor can appoint when Their
is a vacancy, but in order to appoin
ne had to make a vacancy, otherwis
it would be the duty of Mr.. Cownie t
5 remain until the senate could confirm
: his successor. There is a special la1
: on the subject.
It is recalled that when the legis
lature met a little over a year ago,
2 ...c.nez.,ent was at once started b
politicians TO cause investigation
the state institutions This failet
Then the house alone appointed
committee to look for scandals at tn
insane hospitals, but it found moth
ing. In the meantime the legislator
was bombarded with pamphlets 1t
lacking the F'oft Madison prison an
especially abusing Mr.. Cownie an
the board, and demanding inmediat
action. A foruner warden of tn
prison was an arowed candidate 70
Mr.. cownie's place and conferre
with the governor and legjslattr,
The new warden at Fort Madiso
was bitterly attacked and fai1ur
was predicted for his Illustration
because OF his policy OF good tseat
ment Of the prisoners.
Plot 10 Exposed.
Then canpe the exposure Of I'll
plot. waiting until within tire
days OF the close Of the session, In
governor appointed Gx-Judge ana ex
CONGRESSMAN Connor to q place O
the board to succeed Cownfs.
Mr.. Cownie had never been . poll
tician and Conner md been In p0lfti
cal life many years. Besides ne ha
been rejected by his own distrie
anu 20 a tie s,ssss. :s ;:=:... .sae 81:
ing a politician from the discAr<
Thirty-three Of the senators sfgne
a statement pledsfns tl,sm % stan
Iby Mr.. Cownie. The appointment Q
h.Cnuner ~HaG rejected. The nastat
- nn5clk ehanee N