Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1905-10-19
The More haste The Less Speed

The More Haste The Less Speed.
A new question is being cen
vassed in Iowa, just now, that
should be duly considered by
the people. We refer to the
proposition of extending the
term of State and County office
from two to four years. The
biennial law of election is all
right. but to extend the te: m
of office to four years or longer
should not be thought Of by the
people. Experience has dem
onstrated the fact that frequent
examinations of official conduct
of officers, especially so, in fl
nancial positions, is calculat d
to keep officials in strictaccord-
ance with duty, and as a gener-
al accounting comes with each
expiration of term, it is impor-
tant that such term should not
be too long. Men who handle
public funds, as a rule, enter
upon their official duty with a
determination tobe strictly and
impartially honest, and if they,
at any time, step aside in duty,
by using public funds, they do
so with a firm determination to
replace the same very soon. In
this country where the desire to
"get rich quick" is so common,
the temptation to "borrow with
out leave" becomes great, and
like gambling, if at first sue
cessful, the temptation is in
creased to risk more, but if the
cards are against the tempted,
then he dives deeper into the
public crib to regain his loss.
The first transgression is a
lar proposition, the second is
much easier, and with each act
| the party becomes bolder, and
if the term''of office is lengthen-
ed the temptation to use the
public funds in his hand more
freely until his ability to replace
is impossible, and the longer
such officer remains in power
the larger will be his defalca-
ton. Under such considerations
we believe short terms are de-
cidedly best for both officers
and the people.
Another consideration in ia
vor of short terms in office is
that the nearer the officers are
kept to the people the better.
A man elected to office which
term is short, never forgets his
obligation to the people, the
seat of power, but if the term
lis for a long time, the recipnnt
lis too apt to forget his obligation
t, the people, and may thereby
do acts that he would not do il
This term of office was soon tol.
re-submitted to the great tribu-
nal of public opinion for appro-
val or rejection. Every Amer
lean citizan is naturally a patri-
OF, and his love of country is
strong, but temptation to COM
mand money is also strong, and
on this account no temptation
should be placed before them.
Two years term is long enough
for ordinary office, and by ex-
tending it to four or more years
the temptation for peculation
is largely increased, just in pro-
portion to the time of expose
ure. We may be told that this
conclusion pre-supposes that all
men are subject to temptation,
and so they are, and while kept
in reasonable bounds no danger
of a fall, but we have known
men who would scorn to do a
dishonest act, on their entering
into office, who after years of
trial, fell from their high estate
mainly from being kept in one
position too long. Had their
terms been shorter, and the ac-
counting been made often, no
defalcation could have occur
red. Frequent elections keeps
public officers and the people in
closer accord, and stimulates a
desire to so act as to receive the
plaudit of "Well done, good and
faithful servant" and does not
prevent the election of the same
man as often as his conduct
may justify, commencing each
term with clean books.