August 13, 1999

Nine Republican Presidential candidates scour state of Iowa in advance of straw poll at Iowa State University; poll has never in last 20 years accurately predicted Presidential victor, but because primary season has begun far earlier than usual, straw poll could supplant Iowa caucuses in weeding out 10-candidate field; contenders themselves have raised stakes, and expectations, by elevating importance of event; even campaigns that are struggling are portraying event as crucial test of campaign's organizational mettle; those hoping to make impressive showing include former Vice Pres Dan Quayle, Patrick Buchanan, former Gov Lamar Alexander, Sen Orrin Hatch, Alan Keyes, Steve Forbes, Elizabeth Dole, Gary Bauer and front-runner, Gov George W Bush; only Sen John McCain is bypassing event; photo (M)

Investigators said Buford O. Furrow Jr., the 37-year-old man held in a shooting on Tuesday at a Jewish Community Center in Los Angeles, had told them that he shot a Filipino-American letter carrier afterwards because he was a nonwhite ''target of opportunity.'' Article, page A18.

Hillary Rodham Clinton, advocating Democratic line as she prepares for probable run for Senate, denounces Congressional Republicans' $792 billion tax cut bill as threat to Medicare, Social Security and nation's financial health; Mayor Rudolph W Giuliani, who is also considering race for Senate, is finding himself squeezed on one side by Mrs Clinton and on other by conservative Republicans who are pressing him to take position on bill; Giuliani says he backs large tax cuts, but not as large as those that have been legislated by Republicans (M)

Bard Music Festival, under direction of Leon Botstein, focuses each year on a single composer, this year Arnold Schoenberg; festival is held at Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, NY; works by the composer will also be featured at several New York City venues in coming months; listing; drawing (M)

Some of nation's leading investment and securities firms have held talks in recent months with number of day-trading firms despite growing regulatory concern about world of day trading; Fidelity Investments, Lehman Brothers and Instinet, division of Reuters Group, have discussed adopting software platforms of day-trading firms, forming alliances with them or making outright acquisitions; electronic trading boom is forcing big firms to look for cheaper and more efficient trading formats; day-trading firms have critical experience developing and using advanced trading and trade-routing software, systems that could someday give all investors instant access to financial markets; Wall Street firms have little or no interest in computer-jammed offices where day traders converge to make rapid-fire trades; they want software and in some cases transaction volume generated by these smaller firms; Broadway Trading, Tradescape.com and Cybercorp, all privately held companies, have each been approached in recent months by companies interested in buying stake or acquiring firms; three firms decline to comment (Market Place column) (M)