Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-12-04
Local Comment


The commercial club'at Cedar Rapids
has written to Mr.. Morrissey Of this
city. supervisor of the census for the
Fifth congressional district, offering dts
services and assistance in taking the
federal census of the city of Cedar
Rapids. 1t is the desire of the Cedar
Rapids boosters to have every maa,
woman and child within their corpor-
ate limits counted and reported in the
next census. The incident offers Its
suggestion to the Marshalltown club.
The settlement of some forty paving
cases and a complete clean up Of the
litigation which has occupied the at
tention of several courts at intervals
for three years or more will bring re-
lief to this community. The mayor and
city council did a wise thing in con-
senting to the compromise, as there
seemed no other alternative left and
for them to nave stood out longer be-
cause of the principle involved would
have simply prolonged litigation for
no good public purpose. The precedent
has been established in Marshalltown
for once and for all time that paving
on two sides of the average corner lot
taxes the lot in excess of the actual
benefits, and hereafter the city coun-
Gil should acknowledge the principle in
equity thus established when other
paving is done. Mr.. Van Law, who rep
resents this county in the state SEN
ate, now has court decisions enough
upon which to draft a bill that shall
rrOyilo INV statute for Nv, oc,,;foh1o ,ro
portion Of all street pavement to be
paid by the general public hereafter.
In no other way will we ever obtain
street Improvement at equitable cost
and 1t ought to be a simple matter to
except from a general paving assess
ment all property which has already
paid the full cost of paving improve
ment along it's frontage.
The commission plan for city govern
ment would be all right if we could be
sure of getting the right men for COM
m~issioners. 1t provides for three full
salaried commissioners on full time 10
manage the business of the city, in
place of the present mayor and city
council, just as a board of directors |
manages the business of a corporation. |
III pIlIlClple III is lllP same as our pres
ent board of supervisors for county
business, school board for school bus
mess, and board of control for the con-
duct of state institutions. 1t works we'll
in these provinces of government, and
at Des Moines and Cedar Rapids has
worked well for city government. Bur-
lington people have only recently voted
overwhelmingly to adopt it. AS said
above. it is all right if we can have
political sense enough to elect honest
and efficient men as commissioners.
But. abolish the city council which,
with its seven members, is almost sure
to catch a few ~incorruptibles at all
times, and concentrate all of the city's
business into the hands of a commit
tee of three, we take long chances on
the three.
Comment Of last week, to the effect
that Marshalltown had begun to export
her steel furnaces. excites the repartee
that she has been exporting her hams,
and bacons and her cutting shears and
water governors for years.
If we only had some real estate men
with enterprise enough to build modest
houses on cheap property for rent to
wage workers, our factories could then
secure married men with families to
move here. Why not start a booster
real estate syndicate to buy, build and
rent at cost? Let's build something COL
operatively.
The people within trading distance Of
Marshalltown, who have been in the
habit of doing their Christmas shop
ping for years, will be agreeably sur
prised this season to witness the i'm
provements in the different mercantile
establishments of Nhe city, and will
note with pride in their home market
that Marshalltown affords a large num-
Der of genuine city stores. This i'm
provement has been noticeable for
years, but this season it Is especially
marked, n some of the window dis
plays seen are not excelled on State
street, Chicago, excepting for size.
MarshalltoWn merchants, in every line,
offer a line of goods and values that
can not be duplicated in cities of this
size, and n would look around a long
time in places that are larger before
he would find anything to excel.
Marshalltown has begun to put OF hol-
iday airs early this season, for the
reason that people are being educated
to do their shopping before the final
rush sets in.
The good old hymn, "Let a Little
Sunshine In" may be sung appropri-
ately at tomorrow's church services.
The Weather.
Should not stand in the way OF your
sitting for photographs if you patron