Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-09-12
WOULD REPEAL
SOLDIERS Law
Secretary Of the Iowa Municipal
League Says It Is a
Dead Letter
REVIEWS WORK OF LEAGUE
REVIEWS WORK OF LEAGUE
Mould Have Legislature Change tho
Methods Of Making Railroad Assess
nents-AIso Would Appoint City
j Assessors--claring Injustice in Our
1 Assessments as Now Made.
Special to Times-Republican.

Ohalltown, to the Iowa State Municipal
League, was read this afternoon. In
e he reviews the work of the past
year and makes number OF import
ant recommendations. He advocates
repeal of the soldiers preference law,
on the ground that it is not accom-
plishing the object for which it was
enacted. One Of the important matters
suggested in the report Is a radical
change in the matters of railroad and
other assessments. The report, in part,
follows:
League Membership.
During the past year twenty six cit-
les and towns have joined the league.
making a total membership at the
present time Of eighty-nine and direct-
~ representing population Of over
$4,000.
The cities that have Joined during
THE past year are as follows: Milton.
dubon, Columbus Junction. Carroll,
Hawarden. Hamburg, Webster City,
Nevada, Woodbine, Perry, Winterset.
Story City. Forest City, Northwood.
Clarinda, Avoca, Madrid, Oelwein.
Lake City. Usage, Bellevue, LaMars.
and Vinton.
The cities that have paid their dues
for this year and are at present in
good standing in addition to the new
members, are: Iowa City. Davenport.
MT. Pleasant, Cherokee. Eldora, Ma
quoketa, Crestr&, Des Moines- Ida
Grove, Marsha Gown. Keokuls. Nevada
Council Bluffs, Oskaloosa, Cedar Rap
ids, Rockwell Burlington Mason City.
'Waverly, Fsed Oak, Pella, Boone, Grim
nell, Newton, Tama, Waterloo, Fort
dodge, Ottunwa, Upton, State Center,
Ames, Washington, Shenandoah, Belle
PLANE. In2ianola, Muscatine Marion.
Cedar Falls, Villisca, Iowa Falls,
Grundy Center. Elkader, Sac City. New
Hampton. Cresco, Denison, Sheldon.
Clinton, DEBORAH, Sanborn, Missouri
Valley, Eagle Grove, Webster City, Ell
don, Centerville, Clarion, Dyersville.
Clear Lake, Monona, Mechanicsville.
Hudson, West Branch and Fairfield.
legalize the League.
In connection with the annual dues
OF the league and the paying of the ex-
pense of delegates to our annual meets
ings, the question is often. raised by
different municipal officials as to
whether or not the municipality has
the power and authority to expend
money for these purposes, and while
1t is generally conceded that these are
legitimate expenditures and they are
allowed by the different city councils, 1
believe that 1t would be of vast>benefit
to the league if the Legislature would
pass bill specifically giving the mu-
inequalities of Iowa the power to be-
come members of the league, to pay the
annual dues and to appropriate money
3or the purpose of paying the expense
OF the delegates to the annual meet.
angs. would recommend that such a
bill be prepared and be introduced in
ehe next legislature There would
probably be little or no opposition to
the measure, as it would simply be le-
Galizing d practice that is now quite
general and has the approval Of all of
sur people.
Work Of the League.
During the past year the league has
accomplished much for the improve
ment Of municipal conditions within
the state. The most important work
accomplished since. our last meeting
vas the work of the legislative com-
mittee before the last legislature, WHEN
q number of important and valuable
laws were secured
II the league had accomplished moth
ing. except to secure the passage OF the
bills that 1t did by the last legislature,
1t II entitled to the support of every
municipality in the state and of the
of hn +
Work in the Future.
During the coming year, q concerted
effort should be made to enlist every
municipality in the state in the work
OF the league and induce them to Sc
cure ard maintain membership. With
little consistent effort upon the part
OF you delegates who are here present
and upon the part of the officials of
those municipalities who now hold
membership, every city in the state
could be prevailed upon to become a
member and they certainly owe it to
the league to do SO and thus bear their
share Of the necessary expenses of
maintaining the organization
The information bureau is becoming
more popular every day and more and
more municipal officials are taking adj
vantage OF the opportunity thereby af-
forded to secure official information en-
municipal questions. All municipal
officials are invited to make this eea-
ture of our league work more import
ant and more valuable in the future.
Probably the most important work
that it will be necessary for US to do
during the coming year will be in the
matter of legislation. Many changes
are needed in the present municipal
statutes. These changes are more es-
pecial,y. called to the attention of your
secretary by different municipal Of
ficials over the state who meet these
problems from time to time that are
not provided for in the present law or
in which the present law does not give
them the relief that they desire. In
consequence of these inquiries desire
to call your attention to a number of
changes in the present law that would
be not only desirable but that would
do much to improve municipal condi-
tons.
Soldiers Preference Law.
"The Thirtieth general assembly
passed Il law known as the soldiers
preference law providing in brief that.
~ other things being equal. dis