Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-01-23
LEVY is NEARLY SUFFICIENT
General Fund Will Be Low Until April
1-Legislature Must Be More Eco
nomicaI Hereafter Commission
Form Of Government Undergoing
Severe Test in Des Moines.
Special to r,mes-R Republican.


and the reports show that the amount
is nearly 20 per cent greater than Tor
the year 1907. The result is that the
deficit in the general fund of the state
treasury will be more than met. a
twenty per cent increase means an in
crease of 100000 in the general fund
for one year. The amount that the
legislature appropriated for the two
year period was only 100000 more
than the amount available by the es-
innate in the general fund and If next
years taxes amount to as much the
The increase in the taxes for 1905
was made known today for the first
time when Revenue Clerk J. r. Wall
of the auditors office compared the
figures with those of last year for the
siXty-five counties that have thus far
reported and figured up the totals. This
shows that there is total OF $l,556,-
524 to be paid into the general revenue
fund of the state treasury from these
IS counties where during 1907 they
paid only $1,315,211. If the remainder
of the 80 counties of the state Keep
up this increase there will be about
81, $50. 900 paid into the state, treasury
during 1908 where there was only
about two million paid in during 1917
The increase Is a little more than Is
per cent.
The last legislature provided that
the executive council should fix the
state levy at such percentage as
would bring to the general fund "
400 900 for 1908 and the same amount
for 1909. The levy was fixed at 3.4
mills. This levy will bring nearly the
amount decided upon. This does not
entirely relieve the embarrassment OF
the state treasury The funds are low
now and will be low. The legislature
has been drawing on the balances LETT
over in the state treasury by appro-
priating more money than there was IN
sight till the balances have been cut
down. Fees that will reach the treas
ury will relieve the situation somewhat
but the general fund will again be
low during the first Of April. 1t will be
low again about this time next year
when the legislature meets.
There is plenty Of money in the state
treasury There is probably 100000
but it has been appropriated for spe-
cific purposes and can be used only
for them. or course the money Is all
piled up together and the balances
show only in the bookkeeping. If one
fund is overdrawn and revenues reach
the state treasury before the books are
posted up to show it no one is the
wiser and no damage is done. But all
are agreed that the legislature must
be more economical or else raise more
by taxes.
T One Of the chief tests of the COM
mission form of government for cities
is being enacted in Des Moines at this
time in the campaign for mayor and
commissioners. The law provides for
the selection of a mayor and four COM
missioners and fixes the salary of the
mayor at $500 and that of the COM
missioners at $4,000. 1t was argued
during the campaign for the adoption
of the plan that these salaries would
attract to the positions men of en-
inence and worth in the community
and Of such high standing that there
would be no scramble for the positions
that rather the office would seek the
man.
1t is not working out that way in
2 act. There is scramble for the posi-
tons. The men who were most active
AZ 4|a o1 ~
the plan We're men of worth and emin-
ence and such as would make excellent
commissioners. When the time came to
suggest candidates these men one by
one refused to serve with possibly one
or two exceptions. Each and everyone
of them had pleaded that his business
affairs demand his time and that he
could not leave his business and be-
come a commissioner at. a salary OF
SO 900, for the law demand that the
commissioner devote all his, time to the
work. j. G. Olmsted, a wholesale shoe
dealer, consented to take a position on
the commission tho it would mean a
sacrifice of at least $4,000 annually to
him, but made the provision that l. NJ.
Earle Or men of his type serve. Mr..
Earle is prominent lawyer and re-
fused.
A committee of 900 of the foremost
business and professional men Of Des
Moines pushed the commission plan
thru the legislature and induced the
people to adopt it at the special cleo
ton some months ago. This commit
tee has been endeavoring to select q
ticket of five men that the entire COM
mittee could agree upon. A subcom-
mittee of fifteen was first asked to pre-
pare the slate. 1t failed. Then 23O
We're added to the committee of 300
and committee Of twenty-five from
these was selected to prepare slate.
The slate was prepared and meeting
of the larger committee now number
ing $50 is called for Friday night at
which the slate will be reported.
But the slate does not contain the
names of men OF the class first determ-
ined upon. 1t may be that the final Sc
lection of "a mayor and four commits
sioners will be wise and will result in
the selection of honest men and men
thoroughly able to discharge the du-
ties of the positions and most believe
that it will so result. But the things
that are compiled ting the situation are
those that are complicating the situa-
ton in every municipal election.
The Des Moines Water Company's
viii In, t,1-o