Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-04-28
ACTIVE IN POLITICS
AND FOR SQUARE DEAL
Served as Secretary of Board for Thir-
teen Years-New System of Account
ing for State Officials Who Travel
Melvin II. Hyers to Get Lucrative
Position of Oil Inspector.
Special to Ttmes-Republican.


ated or misspent or lost or not &C.
counted for. That is the record which
Hon. c. W. Phillips leaves behind him
as he turns the office of secretary of
the pharmacy commission over to 9TH
ers this week. There is no state Off
cial with cleaner record or having
greater confidence of all his associates.
Mr.. Phillips came from Jackson
county, still his nominal residence, and
he early took an active interest in pol
itics. He was good enough republican
to be county chairman before he was
of age and he displayed such mastery
ability that he was the committeeman
in charge of the campaign which land
ed Joe Lane in congress. Then the
republicans of his districr-the men
who never had even a thought of vot-
ing for a democratic candidate for
governor-puI Phillips on the state
committee and kept him there eight
Years. He could have continued longer
but positively declined.
Mr.. Phillips had a great deal TO do
with swinging the Second district into
line for the progressive cause in Iowa
republicanis1n and for this he has been
literally hated by a few who regretted
the passing of the old regime. He
was repea tedly threatened with loss of
his position and other punishm ents,
but nothing ever caused him 10 waver
in his support of the party and its
principles.
For thirteen years he has been the
faithful secretary of the board, and
the examination by the states ac-
countant this week shows that the Of
fee has been maintained in perfect
order. The receipts OF the Office have
more than doubled in that time by
reason OF the prudent management of
the board and now about $50, 900 a
year is turned in to the state treasury.
When the new board meets probably
tomorrow the name of the new Sec
rotary will be made known.
State house heads OF departments
are busy getting ready to put into force
the new law and regulations in regard
to completing the system of account
ing. The plan of having books kept for
all those who travel, in which they
shall enter all expenses at the time of
mourning the expense, has been worked
out by Secretary Hayward and Treas
Urer Morrow, and it is an extension
and completion of the system for a per-
feet accounting on which the council
has been at work for a number of
years. The system of duplicate youch-
ers for all bills is causing some trou-
ble. Another matter which is causing
uneasiness relates to the new order
that no person holding a subordinate
position at the state house shall per-
form any work at the offices for
which he will be paid. For instance, in
one office a good many requests come
for the making of lists or copying Of
fetal matter not regulated by law, and
some of the clerks have worked Sun
day or overtime and did the work
earning for themselves something on
the side. Now all this is cut out and as
a result work goes to outsiders. This
Is no economy for the state, because
usually the outside clerk takes I'D a
great deal Of the time of those in the
office, but it is regarded as the safest
way. AT any rate it is part OF the pro-
gram of saving the pennies. New
blanks are being prepared for the use
of the various Offices in putting al
the new business ideas into effect.
State Superintendent Riggs has be.
fore him an appeal case from a county
superintendent which is an exact dup.
hcate of a case which came TO the de-
partment and was decided eight year.
ago by his predecessor. The same par.
ties are opposing. the title is identical
the issues are the same and there ap.
pears to be not a single new feature
In court this would not do, but tn,
school laws are interpreted in court!
that do not follow the beaten path.
Melvin H. Byers. who Is to succeed
Capt. Hugh H. Pickei as chief stat.
oil inspector when the change is mad
In June will take charge of one o
the most profitable of the department
of the state. A few years ago it was
considerable expense to the state blu
now it is very profitable and the leg
fslature might well have made some re
duction in the charge for inspection o
oil. 1t is learned that practically tn
entire force of inspectors has been Sc
lected now, the influential republican
in each district having been consulted
Byers for time engaged in the gro
Gerry trade in Des Moines but recent
has been without occupation.
That 80 per cent of the roads O
iowa should be eliminated In consid
ering the good roads problem is tn
belief Of State Railroad Commissions
N. S. Ketchum. who has given stud,
to good roads and believes he has
solution for the problem which low
faces today.
Mr.. Ketchum would have the super
visors in each county levy tax 70
building roads toward the county seat
OF adjoining counties, believing tina
taxpayers who would not profit direct
~ from a system Of roads connectin
the county seats should give their ap
prevail to such a plan because 1t woul
be the most feasible solution of tn
good roads problem.
Eve have in Iowa $4,000 miles o
public highways" said Mr.. Ketchun
i"or about 1,19O miles In each count,
So you can see the average board Q
supervisors looks about to see wher
they will begin to make. good roa,
for everybody. One Of our larges
counties. Pottawattamie, has 1,sO
files Of road, while two Of our small
est, Ida and Louisa, have 57s mile.