Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-10-30
Special 70 Tlnes-Republican.

Dss MONIES, oct S0.-The rscur-
renee Of Leigh Hun. VIII be noted as
one u the events Of tie current year
He resuCectso himself and appeared
on the scene this week and with
brand new protecr 70 exploit ne patmed
of the whole prospectus ss something
new and newsy.
Leigh Hunts lstes. scheme IS fair
oeveiopmen, from his earlier propos-
ais When he was in his heydey as
president Of the agricultural college al
Ames he wen. aoou. with an ADMIR-
able lecture entitled Eyes Tina; See
and Ears Tina. Hear He was pol
ished talke- then as now and decided
ly plausible His thought in the lee
tUre was that everyone should De able
to know Just what Is seen and heard.
that there should be cultivation OF the
habit o; attention, that observation
should be keener But he failed 20
take note Of the fact that his Props
ais involved q making over Of mos;
Of the human race.
Then ne had a great plan ali worked
out for revolutionizing educational
methods. which ne exploited as he
went about ins.ructing at the teachers
institutes He had what he called
"Sho.gun Examinations" which was
really z test as 10 whether or not the
prospective teachers were close OBJ
servers. He got together lot OF
questions on odds and ends OF subjects
any Did thing Or no,hing-and fired
these q, the pupils They proved de-
cidediy exasperating to most Of the
students And nobody ever followed
his example
But Of course as president Of the
college al Ames. Mr. Hunt had a great
opportunity 70 DO good 10 the farmers
Of Iowa That was thirty or more
years ago. His efforts were not APP
p-eciated and ne was supplanted by
one not 80 visionary Then he became
a Seattle booster, Korean mine ex-
ploiter, a Soudan cotton promoter
now back again in Iowa with a pro-
posal 70 revolu.ionize farm life and in
cidentally work OF a gigantic real es-
tate speculst ton.
Leigh Hunt has had picturesque
career. He has been soldier Of for
tune. He is a plunger. and he belongs
in the class with John Gates, Keene.
Hartman and Barney Barnato A
carefully prepared autobiography ought
10 make a good selling book.
The problem ID an old one in gov
ernmental affairs whether to do job
well, even though the seeming first
cost is great, or to half do II and pro-
crastinate as to what every one knows
to be a necessity. It is the occasion
for embarrassment in the good roads
issue. the capitol grounds question. the
erection OF every public building for
state or county or city The fact has
been before remarked that in the con-
struction of the state capitol Of IOWA
the builders were constantly confront
ed by the demand for economy" and
the outcry against such wanton ex-
travagance az was declared to be in
yolved in the construction Of such a
big building A little light on the sub
ject is afforded in a message by a gov
ernor Of Iowa sent to the legislature in
1878. in which he called attention to
the report Of the capitol commission.
and added:
The last general assembly author
lied the capitol commissioners to con-
struct the capitals OF columns and the
cornice of stone instead Of iron, az
modified by the present board Of COM
missioners In order to bring the ex-
pense within the limit fixed by law.
The former board had left of the
original plan the great dome In the
center. and four small ones on the pa
villicns. with the ssme object In view.
! The work on the edifce has now
reached such a stage that II the build
| ing is to have dome the legislative
will should be 80 expressed. The esti-
| mated cost OF the dome and turrets II
| $4e1. 1904 II the erection OF Re dome
be determined on, the work can ali 80
| on together, or Il It be SC determined
but temporarily deferred. the commits
sioners think the turrets should DE put
up a. the work prosresses. Some in
creased cost over the estimates has
been made in order to give greater
strength and security 70 the building