Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-01-29
If Bill Before Congress Becomes
Law, Militia Will Be Part
Of Regular Army
Under the Dick Measure State Will
Not Be Compelled to Extend Finan-
ciaI Aid - Iowa MiIitiamen to Be
Brieaded With Regular Troops -
Capital News.
special 10 Tilnes-Republican.

Special TO Times Republican.
| Des Moines. Jan. eff the national
| guard bill that has been introduced in
congress becomes a law. the Iowa
1 national guard regiments Will be put IN
brgades, divisions and corps with
the regular army. Under the Dick bill
it has been claimed that the guard
was a part of the regular army. This
was only true to the extent that if war
had broken out and guard regiment
had been called into regular service, 1t
| icers and formation as in the guard,
| but for nine months only.
| Under the new bill the guard is made
part of the regular army, and If war
breaks out a guard regiment goes into
service for the length of time that the
!, war lasts. Furthermore, it is provided
under the new bill that the federal
government will equip with clothing
and full munitions of war all the guard
new law have no expense whatever
for equipment of the guard. Further
more, under the new law the guard
will be considered as a reserve force
not engaged in active duties. A regi-
ment of a guard will be placed In a
brigade with cavalry regiment and
an artillery regiment of the regular
army. and these be placed in an army
division. regular army officer would
be placed in command and when the
| summer maneuvers are held the guard
regiment would be called into the man
-euvers with the larger division OF the
/ army to which it belonged.
The minimum strength to which
company is recruited in times or peace
| is 5S men. The maximum strength
during times of war Is 1876. Full equip
ment for 126 men will be kept for each
company in the state under this new
law and this will necessitate the build
, ing of government arsenal In the
state Wherever this arsenal is locat-
ed will be the rendezvous for the guard
of the state. The quartermaster VIII
be supplied with orders for transport
tation, and if a regiment is called into
service, the companies will be ordered
to report at once to the arsenal with
the full maximum strength OF each
company. At the arsenal the troops
will be equipped, and inside few
days will be on it's way to join the brl-
gade or division. The new bill would
greatly increase the expenses to be
borne by the government.
Des Moines is dissatisfied with the
report of the state municipal account
, been led to believe for some time that
there was all sorts Of crookedness al.
ants on the condition of the city
books The people of the city nave
the city hall Alderman Hamery un-
covered case where contractors ana
sidewalk inspectors had connived and
the city had paid for sidewalks that
never had been laid. The evidence in
this case was too fragrant to be denied
and many people went and looked at
the sidewalllless street and then at the
bills that were presented to the city
council for payment.
There have been other instances that
were not quite so fragrant but have
attracted quite as much attention.
When the accountants from the state
auditors office finished making the
accounts and filed their report there
was mass of figures that occupied
more than three pages of big news
paper but which told to the people lit
tie more than that the books at the
city hall had the same amount or
money on the debit side that there was
on the credit side. They presented a
bill for nearly $1,000 for making the
examination
This has made Des Mones dissat-
isfied. At first there was an inclina-
ton on the part of some to criticise
the state auditor and his accountants
till it was discovered that the account
for them to do. Now Des Moines is
dissatisfied with the law.
The fact is that the law to examine
city accounts was a part of the law
providing for uniform system Of city
accounts and for regular reports from
the city officials to the state auditor.
1t was expected that the inspection
would disclose whether the uniform
system was used everywhere and
would disclose whether money was
legally voted and whether there We're
vouchers to show for everything. The
examination of the accounts Of Des
Moines does show that all the money
was legally expended, that no money
was illegally transferred from one fund
to another and that the uniform sys-
tenn of accounts is used. The law does
not provide that the inspectors shall
ascertain whether or not the money is
.jndiciously expended.
The law was put on the statute1
books at the instigatOn OF the Iowa
League of municipalities and there is
discussion now among city officials of
iowa as tn whether at subsequent ses-
sons Of the legislature the state should
1ic,