Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-10-24
PLAN OF STATE EDUCATORS TO
CHOOSE SUPERINTENDENT IN
SPRING RADICAL REFORM.
VOTERS TO EXPRESS CHOICE
At SCHOOL ELECTIONS
Another Plan Of Educators 10 to En-.
large Board Of Educational Exam
insrs - Republicans Backward in
Taking Concerted Action Looking
Toward Presidential Primary.
ecial to imes-Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines, Oct. 24.-The legislative
committee Of the Iowa State Teachers
Association is fathering an ambitious
reform by its plan to take the state
educational department entirely out
of politics" that is, out of partisan
politics, and to have election of state
superintendent at the time of the
spring school elections. This would
be, in effect, making a new general
election day, for at present the school
elections are held at time when there
is no general election. The idea has
been embodied in. bills before intro
duced in the Legislature but not re-
ceived with much favor.
An alternative plan which has been
considered has been to have the office
appointive either by the governor or
by state board Of education. But in
the minds of legislators at least there
has been a question whether any diff
ferent results would be secured by an
election at an off time than at the
regular primary in June when the Sc
lection is now made.
again indorse the plan Of having the
state superintendent salary raised to
1000 a year. This will be thousand
a year less than is paid for a super
intendent Of schools in Des Moines.
The plan of the Legislative commit
tee for improving conditions in the
state board of educational examiners
is to enlarge that board. At present
SC arafi hoard
having only poorly defined authority
and duties. In the legislature last
winter there was some sentiment in
favor of having the state board Of
educational examiners and the state
board Of education combined. so that
the state colleges would be more close
ly related to the public school system.
That would also give the board Of ed
ucation the advantage OF having the
state superintendent member. 1t is
more likely that the legislature instead
of charging one board will effect con-
solidation in some way.
Unless Iowa republicans become ac-
tive this state is likely to be among
the last instead Of the first to provide
for voluntary primary to permit the
in the selection of their party candi-
date for president.
The Progressive Republican League
Of Illinois has gone after the matter
in that state in such a way as to make
it almost certain that Illinois republi-
cans will have opportunity to express
their choice for president and vice
president The secretary of the league
addressed a letter to Frank LOwden.
rational committeeman for that state,
urging him to approve the plan for
having presidential primaries every
where "There is an insistent demand
in Illinois" said the secretary. from
the rank and file OF republican voters
for an opportunity to express their
sentiments directly for candidates for
president and vice president of the
United States. The central organiza-
ton Of the republican party can not
afford to stand in the way of this de-
mand."
1t is announced from Washington
that the Chicago headquarters OF the
LaFollette organization. which is to
have direct charge of the campaign in
Iowa and other states. will he IN
charge Of Walter s Rogers. and an
office will be opened in one OF the
large buildings Of Chicago very soon.
Mr.. Rogers is an active and energetic
progressive who has been connected
with the movement in illinois led ny
Prof. Charles s Merriam.
1t is not probable that any effort VIII
he made to have the Iowa member OF
the national committee take stand
in favor of permitting the republican
voters Of the state to have any say
whatever as to the candidates.
The shippers of Iowa who make use
of the express companies are reminded
by Attorney General Cosson that on
the first of November the new express
rates go into effect in Iowa. Shippers
should insist upon having the new
rates instead of the old In all cases
where the shipment is entirely within
the state The reduction over rates
now in force amounts to about per
cent. but in many Of the cases it will
he found the reduction is much more
than that The companies will have
schedules on Ale as required by the
order Of the railroad commission made
last year.