Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-11-06
s1oREA1ER DIES MONIES COMMIT.
~ TEE" SHOWN UP IN ITS
TRUE LIGHT.
EFFORT TO RUN POLITICS
OF CAPITAL REVEALED
Attempt to Discipline Fleming Brothers
Because Of Progressive Leaninss
: Brings Out Facts in Regard to Sc
erst Purposes Of Organization Which
pecial IT, Times-Repuh.irln,


Des Moines, Nov. s.-The big roliti-
cal bubble of the Greater Des AIoines
Committee" was neatly priclled Sunday
morning by publication of letter from
drawal Of their support from the COM
nittee because the alleged purpose Of
the committee has been abandoned ard
because the committee has lent itself TO
Political schemi1g. The letter aWak-
ened the people of Des Mones to what
has been going on more than anything
done in a long time.
The Greater Des Moines Commit
tee is a self-appointed organic ton.
the member having selected them
selves to manage the affairs of the city
to the exclusion Of many others whose
iabors for the good of the city have ex-
tended over longer time and have been
more efficient. The COMMITTEE raised
Il big fund and has been spending $780,
900 to $4,000 a year "advertsing" the
city and doing some other thircs. But
latterly The other things han = becom"
too plain to be longer ignored.
Attacks General.
The committee recently commenced
an attack on the board of supervisors,
another on the city council and another
on the school board. So far as H., &C
tivjty was directed toward reform of
various matters and securing greater
efficiency, the committee had every one
with it. Then the committee, thru its
secretary, took the Harrigan side in the
street car controversy in opposing arbi-
uation and settlement. But the fight
on the council, supervisors and schools
1irally showed up as part Of po!iti-
cal scheme to discredit Des Mones
business men and prominent citizens
generally and to leave the impression
that because there are so many of the
Des Moines men who are supporters Of
progressive republican politics there
fore the city is horribly mismanage d.
Fleming Too Progressive.
The attack finally centered upon
Fleming Brothers. because Robert
Fleming, who is one Of the board mem
bers. was also the head of the progress
-sive republican committee Of the state
last year and fought the Jackson Club
to finish. Newspaper organs of the
committee commenced to sheer at
Fleming and by the most remarkable
distortion Of facts sought to convey the
idea that Mr.. Fleming is corrupt or in
competent. It was plain thta the ami
mus of the whole attack was not de-
sire to benefit the public but to dis
credit one who had been willing to sup
port progressive principles in the poll
tics Of the state.
AS soon as this became evident the
force Of the attack, so far as the school
board is concerned, fell fiat. Everyone
recognized that 1t was again the old
fight of the reactionary political ele-
ment to regain control In city. county
and state.
The fight on the school board finally
resolved itself into a demand that the
offices Of the school board should be
moved from the Fleming block. the
most central location in the city, as
punishment for Robert Fleming be-
cause he has been outspoken in pol
tics. The committee complaint against
the board has been chiefly that some
salaries are too high; yet the secretary
Of the committee who gets $4,000 year
spent a good part of the summer at
the lakes while his pay went on.
Commercial Club Back to Power.
Now the Flemings, whose loyalty to
liz CITY Will IldINiy NC ny
any one, have withdrawn their support
OF the committee, and it IS inevitable
that the business OF the committee will
he taken over by the commercial club.
which failed to go out Of business when
the rump organization was effected to
take over the management Of every
thing loose in Des Moines.
The last important stunt Of the COM
nittee was to surround President Taft
on his visit to the city and to keep
away from him the men who might
properly have been invited to meet the
president.
The whole incident has created a de-
cided sensation here and It may result
in demand for reorganization Of the
committee on non-political basis.
The chairman of the committee and
active director of its affairs is a son OF
ex-senator Lafe Young and the secre-
tary is nephew Of ex-senator Young
Last winter. during the legislative ses-
) sion, the committee. or its officers. took
an active hand in trying to secure the
election by the Legislature Of Mr.. Young
to the senate.