Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-01-14
CARROLL MAKES BOW
As CHEF EXECUTIVE
CONTINUED from Fourth Page.)

latnre and the people to give It a
thorough study before the meeting OF
the session Of the thirty-fourth gen
eral assembly.
Revision Of School Laws.
The thirty-second general assembly
created O commission to consider and
report to this session Of the legisia-
ture q proposed revision Of the entire
school laws of the state. The work
has been done and the report is now
before you for consideration. need
not say to you that the Importance OF
the measure is such as to require your
best thought and attention. There are
many provisions of the proposed law
which are wide departure from the
present statute pertaining to schools.
Indeed. there are some very radical
changes proposed. The fact that this
wide difference between the two meas
ures exists should neither condemn the
proposed law nor commend 1t to you.
1t should only cause you to give IT
the mere thoughtful consideration.
Personally, | am favorably Impressed
with many features Of the bill that is
up for consideration. 1t must be ad-
mitted by all that there is much need
Of a change in our present school code.
It has not been my privilege to study
the proposed law sufficiently to feel
warranted in passing criticism upon
it, but I feel that the Importance OF
the work cannot be overestimated.
The Auditors Office.
Having recently retired from the
Office of auditor of state, trust that
you will not deem it improper IT l
make a few observations as to the
affairs of that Office. 1t is generally
recognized, not only by our own peo-
pie, but by all those who are acqua1nt-
ed with the various interests now SUI
pervised by the auditor, as being one
Of the very important offices OF the
state. | know from experience that
the enormous amount of work con
nected with the various departments
makes it almost impossible for any
one to farniliarize himself with all the
details of the Office and with the law
with reference thereto, so as to know
when the several departments are
being properly managed and super
vised.
have called attention, through my
reports, to the necessity for relieving
the auditor of some portion OF the
work now enjoined upon him, and now
that am no longer directly connected
with the Office, can speak with more
freedom and with much less efnbar-
rassment I can say to you with as
surance that know whereof | speak,
that. neither time nor human endur-
ance makes it possible for any man
to personally supervise the auditing
department, the. revenue department,
the insurance department., the banking
department, the municipal accounting
department and to serve as a member
Of the executive council with the enor-
NOUS amount Of business now con-
nccted with each OF these branches OF
the auditors Office and the rapid In
crease in the business of each and all
OF them. say it is impossible for
any man to do all of the above with
out great injustice to himself or to
some of the various interests OF the
state entrusted to his care. ! do not
now care to pursue this discussion to
the extent of suggesting how relief
should be given to this department OF
our state government. That l shall
leave for you to consider, but | am
deeply in earnest as to the necessity
for some action to be taken with ref
erence thereto.
Fees and Per Diem.
wish, also, to suggest to you one
other matter which touches, in a way,
several departments of the states
business, that is, the question Of fees
and per diem. have for long time
believed that in SO far as it becomes
possible the per diem and fee systems
of compensation should be abolished
The more observe the workings Of
each the more thoroughly become
convinced that they are wrong. Els
pecially is the per diem system objec-
tionable where the official who is
compensated for his services upon 9
per diem basis is not under the direc-
ton or control of some osher official
whose compensation is a fixed amount
and is in no way affected by the per
diem. / believe that in almost every
instance where the per diem system
now prevails the scope of the work
to be performed is such that it can
readily be determined what would be
reasonable compensation therefor,
and that in all such cases fixed sal-
airy should be provided.
Law Enforcement.
;y, nv