Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-02-21


do all the work in the interim between
the sessions Of the legislature. The
idea is that during the sessions of the
legislature extra assistants will be
supplied under the provisions for extra
help during the session
This last matter, however, is mat
ter of some grave Importance. In Wis
consin Mccarthy with his Phi. d. got
himself appointed instructor in legis-
lative economics and arranged, so that
all the work done by the students
of the state university under him In
looking up information for the legis-
lature should be credited to them in
the university. He soon had an army
Of young men about him who were en-
thusiasts in the work. The ordinary
young man and woman who seek
extra help jobs about the legislature
are looking for places with good pay
and little labor The positions under
the legislative agent mean hard work
and long hours. 1t is argued that the
Importance of the matter justif1es q
trial.
The Galveston plan for the govern
ment Of the city Of Des Moines and
such other cities of Iowa as may de-
sire to engage in experimental work is
not to have entirely smooth sailing in
the legislature. OF course If it could
be shown to the satisfaction of all the
legislators that the people OF Des
Moines generally favor the change the
disposition would be to pass the bill up
to them and permit them to decide. But
the members are receiving some evil
dence that Des Moines people OF the
rank and file are not for the expert
ment. 1t has been called to the atten-
ton of the legislators that at the meet
ing where 1t was decided chang
should be made, after much advertis ;
ing, there were 1913 Of the more than
10000 citizens Of Des Moines present.
A good many petitions are going to the
legislature indicating that there Is OPP
position to the Galveston plan and q
preference for less drastic reforma-
ton OF the city government. A few
days ago a very earnest petition was
presented in the form OF resolutions
adopted by political club, and yester-
ate the resolutions adopted by the
strong Swedish-American Republican
These resolutions favor the passage Of
Senate Files Ill and 113, being the re-
form bills by the Iowa League OF Mu-
inequalities, and say:
Whereas, We favor change in our
present system Of government in ac-
cordance with the suggestions con-
tanned in the message Of Governor
Cummins to the general assembly.
therefore be 1t
Resolved, BY the Swedish American
club OF Polk county, that we are OPP
posed to the adoption Of such radical
changes in our city government as are
contained in the proposed Galveston or
the Des Motnes plan, or any form OF
government by commission, for the
reason that 1t would permit the build
ing OF most dangerous political ma
chine at the expense OF the taxpayers
OF the city of Des Moines. It would
place the control Of city affairs in the
hands of few, and 1t would deny and
take away from the common people of
the city their voice in it's affairs. It
would therefore not be representative
form OF government. The proposed plan
is undemocratic. unsatisfactory, and in
the nature Of an experiment.
This Is fair sample of the views of
very many people of Des Moines as
being made known to the Legislators.
Senator Ericsson, who Is deeply in
terested in libraries, has a bill to give
authority to library board to join in
authority to library board to join
with any county historical society in
the work Of collecting and preserving
manuscripts and other historical mat
ter, and to appropriate money and
assign rooms for the use Of such his
torical societies. There are num-
Der OF these local societies now and
they work with the local libraries, but
there is no. specific authority for this
Representative Harvey has a bill be-
fore the house which interests every
teacher of the state. 1t increases the
amount which the state will pay for
each teachers institute to 5000 and
cuts off the fee for renewal of certiti-
Gates and some other fees which now
go to the support of these institutes.
The state expends directly five or six
times as much each year in encourage
ment OF farmers institutes and fairs
as it does in encouragement and sup
port of teachers institutes; and some
of the teachers Of the state believe
the discrimination is unfair. The bill
of Mr.. Harvey would tend to make
the Institutes more nearly self-sup-
porting without such drain on the
teachers.
An interesting bill by Senator AL
len is one which provides an addition
to the law In relation to contracts to
the effect that any contracts for the
delivery Of property or the payment of
money obtained by any agent can
vasser. or solicitor, for himself or any
person or persons, firm or corporation,
shall, by its terms, state such fact, and
shall be enforcible by suit only in the
county Of the residence Of the debtor
All fruit tree peddlers, book agents,
sellers Of stock in blue sky corpora
lions, etc, will have no difficulty In
understanding what is meant by this
bill. 1t strikes at an evil which has
been known for long time, but which
has thus far escaped.
The appropriation bill for $4,000 for
the railroad commission to enable the
commission to carry on the investlga-
ton into freight rates already COM
menced in Iowa, and to give the COM
mission a chance to call in witnesses
ho