Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-01-23
BIENNIAL ELECTIONS.

Iowa once submitted to the people who
favored them which later failed to find
favor in the eyes of the district court
and eventually to higher tribunal be-
cause the judges could not reconcile
the law and the method by which it,
was sought to attain the desired end,
will again soon be subject for con-
temptation among politicians. the peo-
pie at large and investigation by legis
lators. Much is to be said on both
sides of the question. All things be-
ing equal biennial elections are desir-
able, considered from the standpoint
of the welfare of county government,
leaving the question of state affairs
aside.
Senator S. H. Harper of this city,
has bill in contemplation which it is
said he will introduce at this
session, which is right and
proper if for no other rea-
son than that the people have once
odlu tuCy dColl Z W SHOOoC IuS.l puDliS
servants but once in every two years,
but were restrained from witnessing
the operations of such law by the
courts. The Courier has no fault to
find with the tribunal which seeks to
reconcile the intent of the law with the
facts in the case. 1t was simply one
of those unfortunate things which will
occur in the best of we'll regulated leg
islative households.
opposition on the broad ground that
annual elections are the best educat-
ors of the people, because they make
the people familiar with the laws of
the state and the conditions Of their
government. Even with the annual
elections large proportion of the citi-
zens of the state have not yet become
sufficiently familiar with the Austral-
ian ballot to enable them to cast an
intelligent vote, or even a vote that
can be counted. A still larger num-
Der lack the knowledge of government
al affairs that would enable them to
vote properly, and in the interest of
the tax payer and the best possible
government. Agitation is the great
educator of the masses, and it has
been the agitation of the annual cleo
tons that has given the majority of
the voters of Iowa such thorough
knowledge of the best and safest meth
DDS of government
In considering the other side" the
Marshalltown mes-Republican says,
"one may as well seek the real reason
for desire for change. AS the
Times-Republican looks at it, it comes
from the character of the annual pc
ltical agitation. There is so much OF
the INSCRIPTIONS, unfair and untruth-
full injected into every campaign that
politics. instead of becoming fay
ored word, has become a detested ex
preston in many circles. The people
.
ed at all it is in the direction of, teach,
ing the press and the people less OF
bitter and unfair partisanship and
more of the science of good govern
ment. And further, in considering the
subject the people should be classed
as whole, not as politicians and the
people. They are or should be al
politicians in the best sense of the
word"
81 After all the greatest reason perhaps
why the state constitution should be
amended in order to provide opportun
ity for political strife just half as often
as is now the case, is because the PEG
( pie have said they desire it, The PEG
pie usually know what they want ant
are not wrong very many times. They
can be trusted.
Considered from the standpoint o
the county alone the proposed
y change is very good one
+ Officers of that class serv
( two years and in the judgment of TIN
I Courier nothing is to be gained b.
4 electing one-half of them one yea
$ and the other half the next year 4 ]
practically avails nothing to Away
have experienced men in the cour
house in view of the fact that
change is sssoon to take place. TIL
head Of one office practically has nott
ing to do with the conduct of affair
J in any other department and to all il
tents and purposes it is just xas we
chat all the officers change at the sam
time. This being true, as it certainl
! is, then why would it not be of advar
tage to the people who nay tho IL