Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-11-21
Governor Cnmmins Saving
State Money by Publishing !
Only Important Portions
REPORTS ARE TOO voLuMiNous
Room for Vast Amount Of Economy
In the Matter Of Printing Public
Reports--Lsoislature Somewhat to
Blame for Large Expenditures in tho
Public Printing.
Special to Times Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines. Nov. 21.--Gov. A. B.
Cummins Is exercising his discretion as
to the publication of the biennial re-
ports of state officials and some Of the
reports have this year been cut In half.
A. number have gone to the state print
bodily eliminated by the governor. The
governor interprets the law that the
reports must be made to him but that
he is at liberty to have such portions
only as he deems proper printed. The
law is quite specific In saying that in
some instances that certain things
shall be reported to the governor and
usually winds up by giving the COM
missioner or state official authority to
report such other things as he shall
deem expedient.' Under this provis-
ion state officials have been In the lab
1t of making their reports look as inn
posing as possible. Speeches and quo
tations and chapters from the reports
of, departments In other states have
been embodied in the report. 1t is un-
derstood that for the most part there
Is no censure attached to reporting
such things to the governor for many
OF the officials feel that the progress
being made In the entire field OF their
department. in their own and other
states should be reported to the gov
ernor though they themselves do not
claim 1t should all be printed They re-
port such matters believing that the
governor and the legislature IL it de-
sstres should know what is being done.
There is a. belief on the part OF some
Of the state officials that there isroOm
for vast amount Of economy In the
matter of printing the public reports.
The Legislature has been as much to
blame as anyone for it has in some in
stances made laws to make the reports
longer. In the auditors office the pub
lication of the insurance report form
erly according to law the statements Of
the various Insurance companies was
'tabulated thus giving all the informa-
tion but in condensed form. Thia
law the legislature repealed and pass
ed q law requiring the auditor to set
out such information in detail. No
more information is given the public by
one form than by the other but In de-
tail the information concerning the in
surance companies of the state takes
up over 200 pages and in tabular form
1t would take UP but few pages 1t
is not improbable but that the atten-
ton of the legislature will be called to
the fact that economy can be employed
In the publication Of the state reports
and the plan be adopted of issuing one
volume which will contain the official
register and information from each of
the departments Of the state such as
will be Of interest and value TO the
public.
There is an interesting situation in
iCass county over the election OF rep
resentative. Representative DeLano,
whose death caused vacancy in the
office in that county was a
democrat. The county, however,
ia republican. There are three
republicans out now as candidates
tor the republican nomination the
primaries for which will be held De-
cennrber 8. G. L. Campbell, chairman
of the Cass county republican central
committee, is one OF the candidates
and is the standpat candidate having
the support Of the Atlantic Telegraph
and the standpatters Of the county. 9.
A. Meredith, law partner OF the late
Representative DeLano, and a warm
supporter of the primary election law
and anti-lpass law. is another candi-
date. w. A. Dowell is also candi-
date. The democrats have held meet
ing at which they adjourned Till the
day after the republican primaries at
ter first passing resolutions that |,
was the sense of the meeting that ii
the republicans put UP a satisfactory
candidate the democrats would not
nominate a candidate. A satisfactory
candidate in this instance means one
in favor of railroad rate legislation
the anti-pass law and the primary
election 1t is understood that Mr.
Meredith is satisfactory to that ele-
anent Of the republican party which
favors such policies and Is satisfac-
tory also to the democrats, because OF
his support for these measures. The
resolutions at the democratic, meetlns
thank the republicans for making the
sacrifice necessary to the election OF
the late l.. L. Deiano and promises on
the part of the democrats to do the
same thing when ever necessary.
The suggestion from Algona that
Gilbert N Gilbertson is being talked OF
in that section for congressman in the
Tenth district is being given some
thing more than passing notice in thiH
city. There seems to be disposition
to think that the entire fitness OF State
Treasurer Gilbertson for the position
is such that whether he has thought
of the matter or not he is sure to be
mentioned continually in that connec-
ton unless he puts stop to it by
absolutely refusing to give the matter
any consideration. 1t b readily fecog-
p1zed that should he enter the race fo1