Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-12-09

ting 1t must give it's fair equivalent,
and so with electricity either for light
ing or power purposes. In twenty five
ing the business in our city will have,
in large part finished their work. and
the almost incredible advance in use
of electricity as indicated by it's history
in the last few years, warrants the be-
lief that before the end of a twenty five
year period, it will have been supplied
in so many different methods of indus
trial development, that the purchaser
of this franchise will reap tremendous
profits.
Now these rights to transport pas
sengers and the right to manufacture
and sell gas and electricity, are the
most important things our city has to
SELL and the most earnest care should
be taken when contracts for twenty
five years are made, that the people
rights are adequately guarded.
We are agreed that we want a
change in regard to the use of these
utilities. How is it best to go about
it? Our people are awake and pro-
gressive and want the hest, not only
for themselves but for their children.
Personally, l am much in favor of the
so-called commission form of govern
ment. l am in favor of Capitalization
OF power. as illustrated by our board
OF control Our board of control for
state institutions has passed the test.
and every one is satisfied. 1t was a
hard fight to get that incorporated in
the law of our state. Last winter it
was extended to the educational in
stitutions. In the last general assem-
bly, the right to decrease the number
of our councilmen and elect them from
the city at large. was given cities of
1000 population and over. If % per
cent of the voters at the last city cleo
ton petition the council, a special cleo
ton may be had to change our form
of government. If changed, we would
have a mayor at the salary of 81, 200
and two councilmen each with salar-
les O. $500.
The advantage of electing council
men from the city at large is obvious.
The ward system is all wrong and mis-
placed. If 1 am a councilman from
ward a. am apt to regard the in
habitants Of that ward as my peculiar
constituents. My friend Jones is coun-
Gilman from ward B. I want a sewer
for some influential voters, and he
wants-well most any old thing. sug-
gest you vote for my sewer and l
will help you" He agrees and the re-
suit is a vicious system of swapping
votes. 1 accept his judgment as to his
particular desire, and he accepts mine
as 10 the sewer. This is not legislat-
ing for the city as a whole. It is on
a false basis. There is no more reaso IN
For electing a mayor from the city at
large, than in the election of council
men They should be elected from the
city at large as members of the school
board are elected, and which method
has met approval in administration OF
school affairs.
know the proposed system will be
no better than the men who have the
new positions. But with the salaries
fixed by law believe the people will
see that good. capable men are elected
We want men in those offices of
whom it can not be said, as it used
TO be of the California promoters OF
land sales in the boom days of SO.
There's a newness to the newness
/ when its new.
And blueness TO the blueness.
when it's blue,