The Washington times., 1913-06-27

by thousands supported the Democrat,
whom the corporations and the inter-
ests also backed. But Cummins won.
Studies Government.
1t was during this period that Mr..
Newman first became a student of mu-
nicipal models In government Des
Moines had been ruled by q political
gang for many years, and there was
a revolt. The better element deter
mined that emancipation from the
gangs control could be had only
through the complete reorEanizat ton
OF the entire system Of town govern.
ment. Out Of that conviction came the
nnss s, Moines sd =. ! plan. ia =, Of city govern
in actual operation In 200 cities of this
country, initiated in almost exact de,
tail even in some Australian cities,
widely accepted in the progressive
provinces Of western Canada, and re-
garded by its advocates as rather the
government in the hands Of the people
and keep 1t there.
The cornerstone Of the system is abso-
lutte elimination Of party politics; there
are no party designations on the ballots
at either primary or election; the com.
mission operated, in connection with
strict civil service system that takes all
spoils out of account; and the people
have the powers of initiative. rcferen-
dunn and recall. II they cont like their
rulers they can recall them and have
new ones: IL they want legislation that
the powers do not give. they can initiate
and adopt 1t for themselves: II they
don't like the legislation that is handed
down to them. they can repeal 1t.
Wilson Remembers. .
Remembering that Woodrow Wilson
put that same system through the New
Jersey legislature. II isn't difficult to
guess how much he may have been in
terested, when he became acquainted
with Mr.. Newman. in the story Of the
long and vicious fight that marked the
passage Of the legislation which made
the system possible in Iowa. Newman
was mixed UP in that fight. as news
as an amateur lobbyist. 1t was init
mated, at times. The fight won.
Meanwhile the managers of the Clover
Leaf Syndicate Of Western newspapers
had had their attention commanded to
Mr.. Newman's work, and they Induced
him to Join their force. He was sent to
Sioux City to start a new paper, the
News. that the syndicate was Just put
ting in the field there. In Sioux City he
met with q notable success, largely due
to the fact that that town, too, was In
the preliminary stages Of a municipal
upheaval, and that Newman made the
new paper the organ of the movement.
The city. as q result. was one OF the
first in the country. following Des
Moines, to adopt the commission plan
of government.
With the sioux City paper well on It's
feet. the syndicate posted Newman on
to st. Joseph. Mo-. to start the st. Jo-
seph Star
II was one Of the most Interesting
experiments In journalism ever unoer
taken in this country. The Star was 70
be an absolutely independent paper,
thing except promoting what it BE-
lieved to be the public's interest. n
In Post.
The story of that experiment will be
remembered because Of the graphic &C
count of II that Mr.. Newman after
ward wrote AZ ''The Fortunes of the
Sum-" a series OF articles printed In the
Saturday Evening Post about two years
ago. The name Of st. Joseph was not
mentioned, and the fctilal form was
maintained; but the articles were recog-
nized everywhere as an actual narration
of experience, and they attracted IN
tense interest anu HatiOh~W WsoS
tion. The story woven. into them has
since been dramatized by Mr.. Newman,
and is expected to be staged In the pear
future.
From the st. Joseph paper. Mr.. New
man went to Lincoln. Neb., for q year.
and then. in March. 1910. came to WASH
ington as a member Of The Washington
Times staff. Once more he devoted
himself to editorial and special work
largely devoted to municipal affairs, re-
newing a former intimate knowledge Of
these conditions, and bringing to bear
the added experience he had accumu
lated in his absence.
The Newspaper Enterprise Associa-
ton. in anticipation Of the big acti-
vities Of the 1872 campaign. enlisted
Mr.. Newman. and he left The Times to
Join it's political staff. He attended the
national conventions and then was sent
to sea Girt during the campaign. There.
and at Trenton and Princeton he was
constantly In the train Of Mr.. Wilson.