Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-03-22
IN SECRET SESSION.
Star Chamber Proc eeding in Con.
nection With the Iowa Rail-
way Assessment.
People Not to Know the Methods
by Which Conclusion is
Reached.
Difference Of Opinion as to
the Rights Of the
Public.
Special to Times-Republican.


Des Moines, March 22.-The strange
fact has been disclosed that the people
are not represented in the matter of as
sessment of railway properties. The ex
ecutive council doesn't represent the
keople or stand guard over their nter-
ests. Governor Shaw states the attitude
of the executive council very plainly.
We are the jury to which the case has
heen submitted, he says, and until we
have rendered verdict we have Moth
T. ing to give out. The public is not en-
lt;tled to know now we arrive at our de-
cision." The council has adopted this
view. The sessions are secret. The
public is denied all knowledge of what
with the query Of the governor, who
ipresides as chairman of the council, at
ithe close of the public hearing. The
railroad companies had been summoned
10 appear before the council and state
their case. They did SO. They showed
lThy, in their estimation, the assess
nients should be reduced. Then the
l;chairman called for a presentation of
| the case of the people. But the people
had not been summoned and did not APP
Ipear in person or by counsel One side
of the case only was heard. The coun-
Gil declared the hearing finished and the
| jury ready to retire and agree upon a
erdict. The council voted not to all
low anybody Knowledge of what was
l,done. Two members, 50 it is said. voted
for public meetings Of the assessment
board to have the matter considered.
Two did not.
Some persons are asking why is this
thus and so. A careful reading of the
code of Iowa fails to disclose why the
executive council should deliberate in
secret on the public business any more
| than a town council or a school board
or a board of supervisors. The pro-
ceedings are in part a process of equal
izing assessments. but when a countyso or
town eaualizing board gets to work the
Epublic is not Invited to keep outside the
door. The law does not provide for es-
4 pecial secrecy when the matter Of as
sessing several hundred million dollars
worth Of property IS under considera-
4 ton. a few years ago the West Des
! Nloines school board got into the habit
lsonss not mem bers We're rigieliv excluded.
/ There was no law for 1t. but it was
eone. Public sentiment and public srs-
picion opened the board room doors.
4 Publicity is a great cleanser. There are
salso persons wondering why, II was that
lin preparing the statutes of iowa no
provision was made for the election of
lsome one TO represent the people Of the
~ ~
sessments. If the four state officers,
! elected TO serve the people composing
4 by reason of their offices the assessment
board. are chosen as special jury or
I board of arbitration or higher court.
land are thereby to act for the railroads
and express companies and telegraph
onmpanies sas we'll as for the people or
rather are to act for neither. but decide
between their claims and contentious
then obviously there ought to have been
some officer elected to represent the peo-
ITles or some person designated to appear
tor the people or at least a. provision for
summonng the people to be heard in
the same manner as the corporations
ere summoned to be heard Why this
was not done will ever remain one Of
the strange things in connection with
the mysterious methods by which the
assessed value of railroad property is
reached by the council
\ s. NJ Leach. member of the repub-
Ilican state committee for the Seventh
leistrict. is in favor of an early meeting
of the committee to fix the date and
place for the state convention He was
lin the city today making inquiries. He
wrote the Chairman Weaver soma time
ago suggesting that the meeting be
/ held today, but it was Impossible for
all the members to be present at that
| time. so the meeting was not called. Mr..
Leach suggested that ii oe held some
\ time next week. hut that can not be
IsGone now. Mr. Leach is from Dallas
county. which Is solid for Cummins no
matter what happens. If Conger had
/ been candidate Dallas would have
been for him. in all probability. as that
| was Conger's home for years and ii is
where he got his first start in public
| life But the county is naturally for
! Cummins No other candidate is con-
sidered and apparently no candidate
/ has done any work in the county.
Col Welcome Mowry, of Tama is Sc
irene and refuses to get excited about
the campaign. He says it is too early
tic circulate around among the boys. He
| has had the Fifth district solid for him
before and he expects 1t agan He SAYS
! lie never failed to have his own county
/ back of him when he wanted it and he
will not fail this time. Thus far the
Brown candidacy has not shown alarm
| ing symptoms as vet.