Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-09-18
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Convention of Municipal League
Listens to Remarkable Adj
dress By McCrea
MANY swAYED BY SENTIMENT
criticizes Lawmakers for Not Voting
Thor Own convictions-Party Pol
itician,, tho w. c. T. U. and Anti
Saloon League scored-Proceedinss
of Convention.
special 10 Times-Republican.

4
Council Bluffs, Sept. lS.-One OF the
most remarkable speeches ever mace
nv an executive of an Iowa city, was
the address of Mayor Donald Macrea
of Council Bluffs in welcoming the
| delegates to the tenth annual conven-
ton of the Iowa League of Municipal-
| les, now in session here.
The salient features of his speech
were made in reference to the conduct
of city of $4,000 or $4,000. Party
politics in municipal affairs he said
was the curse of the times. Office
holder and CRATER are synonymous
terms with superficial thinkers, he said
who assume that city councils are
composed of empty heads" Mayors.
councilmen and other city officials
often vote against their own conVic-
lions because of the influence of large
bodies Of men or perhaps women,
whose lives are contracted and their
brains SO narrow that their field OF
vision is limited to one object. Even
congress if affected with this disease.
Ninety nine and nine tenths per cent
of the regular army against their own
best Judgment concluded that the can
teen is far more effective in the es-
Establishment of good morals among the
men than the present system. Ninety
nine per cent Of congress are convinced
that tho army men are correct, yet
this great body Of lawmakers against
their own best Judgment and convic-
lions refused to re-establish the can
teen.
why? Because Of the perverted
influence Of large body of well mean
ing but misguided women known as the
w. c. T. U.
"Cities of 10000 are often ruined by
laws enacted for towns of 1000. In
towns Of 1000 where every man knows
the habits of the other and every wom-
an is certain to the whereabouts of
her husband, one town marshal is fully
capable of maintaining the peace and
quiet Of the community.
II would suggest that this body OF
men use every effort to bring about
conditions making it possible for large
cities OF the first class to exist without
the aid Of the saloon or other question
able places to which the treasurer looks
for funds.
"a city should be able to maintain
properly all departments without the
aid Of the saloon. do not wish to be
understood that believe in prohibi-
ton, nor would I have you think that
indorse the saloon. think one is
Oh ho1 he NfI ha Mi
saloon league may be source of
livelihood to a few Of the professionals
who can't make living at anything
else and who maintain their positions
by virtue Of a host Of good people who
are sincere in their narrow belief that
prohibition will prohibit"
Today department meetings are be-
ing held in five different places in the
city. The mayors and coYncilmen met
together, the clerks, treasurers and
auditors in another, the city attorneys
in another, health officers in another
and the city engineers in another.
This afternoon there is a general as
sembly at which papers are being
read. '"The Law of Municipal Fran
chises," is the text Of an address by
B. F. Swisher, city attorney of Water
loo Municipal Housekeeping" by Rev.
Eleanor E. Gordon of Des Moines. To-
night there will be a banquet with adj
dresses by Henry T. Clarke of Omaha,
member of the legislature and author
Of the termina taxation law enacted
last winter, who spoke upon the sub
1ect Of terminal taxation; City Treas
urer F. T. True of Council Bluffs,
speaking on the same subject
The delegates here will direct strong
efforts in the next legislature towards
securing an enactment in Iowa. 1t is
shown that in Nebraska now the cities
are greatly benefited by being able to
secure taxes heretofore denied them by
the old system of mileage taxation.