Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-02-19
Council Votes Against Suspen-
sion Of Rules 6 to 4, and
Then Tables 1t
GENERAL DISCUSSION AROUSED
Some Of the Members, While Favorins
Ordinance in Some Particulars, Not
Ready to Vote for lt-Devine Speaks
for II. and Mcdonald Leads the OPP
position.

LAO SiNS Souh$iAp CT 49, NSJSN>AN~N-
session Monday night, voted to table
the Devine city solicitor salary ordi-
nance, after voting s to against the
suspension of the rules. which would
have placed the ordinance on its third
reading. Mr.. Devine spoke for the or
linance, and the opposition was led by
Mr.. Mcdonald While some Of the
members expressed themselves as fav-
oring the measure In some OF it,
phases, they were not just ready to
vote for it, owing to q lack Of time for
consideration.
When the ordinance was called up.
for discussion, Mcdonald led the at
tack He called attention to the fact
that City Solicitor Burritt, whose sal
airy under the present ordinance Is 500,
had received during the past two years
$470. In this time $3.50 had been paid
another attorney for litigation that
had actually arisen within this period.
Mcdonald claimed that IL the solicitor
had been on a 5000 salary during the
past six years the city would not have
been any better off, IL as well, as 1t is
now, for just as much outside legal
talent would have had to have been
hired. Mr.. Mcdonald thought 1t was
up to the judiciary committee. OF
which Devine IL chairman, to control
the litigation. Mr. Mcdonald thought
that raising the salary from 800 to
5000 would only be bid for someone
who was really not competent seeking
the office for the 5000, which sum was
not large enough to induce an attorney
rated as drst-class trial lawyer to
run.
Devine. In answer, said that the ju-
dietary committee, no matter how hard
It tried, found 1t impossible to abso-
lutely control litigation He called at
tention to the mayors knowledge of
this fact, when he Yves chairsaan OF
the Judiciary committee, at time
when certain litigation was entered
into. Devine said he realized that 5000
was not q sufficient salary to induce
q good attorney to run for the office.
and when he said good attorney he
meant good trial lawyer. and that
perhaps 1t would have been better for
him to have fixed the salary at $1,000
instead Of 5000. The Judiciary COM
mittee mustehave an attorney to help
take charge Of its work. and should be
able to hold him responsible. He
thought the city would be ahead in the
long run II its placed 1t attorney on
a better salary. He was not only led
to believe this from the footings of the
past seven years, but for many years
back, He believed q trial OF his plan
for q year or SO would convince the
council that he was right
There was no business" Mr. Devine
continued, I'm having city solicitor
elected thru sympathy and then hire
some one else to do the business. II
wanted to have a solicitor elected thru
sympathy would pay him q salary Of
81, and hire an attorney"
Mayor Ingledue here asked Mr.. De-
vine II he believed, should the present
solicitor have drawn $500 year for the
past two years, the city would have
been to any less expense for its legal
advice? "a
Mr.. Devine did not profess to know
about this, but he did think that II the
matter was put to the people, in the.
A6At u0 WAS S4yAA6f W "a Ss2SAAs ~ s~AA>s
they knew that the council would not,
hire outsiders, but instead depend OIL
the man they elected to look after the
city's legal business, they would feel
the necessity OF electing a man thor
oughly competent.
/ Mr.. Clark, while he liked the ordin-
ance In a way, did not feel competent
to vote on It without further consider
alton, and still believed that the peo-
pie should have more time to digest
the subject Clark said that II he
thought 1t possible that the people
would elect one Of five or six attorneys
he could name as city solicitor, he
felt that a salary of 5000 per year
would be well invested.
4 Mr.. Packer thought that II the bus
mess men could be depended upon to
elect city solicitor the ordinance
would be all right, for they would
choose some good attorney. The bush
ness men do not do the electing, how
ever, added Mr.. Packer, but rather the
rank aud file, and then possibly thru
sympathy. I'VE must take whom they
elect, whether good or bad" The mayor
here added, "And the city administra-
ton has to be held responsible" in
which Mr.. Packer concurred.
Mr.. Devine could not see how, If the
matter were put to the people in the
proper light they could but see the
necessity of electing a good man. and II
they did not they could hardly hold the
administration or council responsible.
eve are already responsible because
we have to hire legal ability and in
crease fees"
Mr.. Iseman thought that the salary
ought to be fixed at sum where a
good man could afford to run for the
office, even if it should be made $1,000
a year. While that wasn't much sal
airy for lawyer. IL he didn't do any,
thing more than keep the city out Of
a $4,000 lawsuit he would have earned
his money.
Mr.. Clark added word, in conclu-
sion, to the effect that he did not be-
lieve one man in 100 had given the
subject Of the election Of the city So
licitor an intelligent thought. He
thought the formation Of a municipal
league, composed of few hundred
business men, who would make 1t a
point to attend the council meetings
and listen to the discussions, would
result in the putting UP of a good man
for the office.
On Mr.. Devine's motion to suspend
the rules, and pass the ordinance at it's
third reading, Clark, Herman, McDon-