Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-03-25
MEASURE FORMULATED THAT
WOULD BUILD UP POWERFUL
POLITICAL MACHINE. ~
DESIGNED TO CONTROL :
PATRONAGE OF THE STATE.
Would Give Governor Power to Ap-
point Commission of Three to Take
Charge Of All State Boards and Com
missions-EHort Will Be Made to
Smother Measure When Introduced.
Special to Times-Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines, March 25.-"The clev-
crest scheme VI have seen in many a
day for the building up of powerful
political machine at state expense"
was THE comment of one of the older
members of the legislature to whom
was shown the bill drawn and worked
out at political conference in the
state house basement at lunch time
one day recently. Just who was in the
conference is not known, but THE fin
|ished product shows that some one
not a novice in politics was at the
helm. The bill Is entitled one ITO Gre
ate a Commission of public health"
and the plan is to make it compre.-
lhend all manner of subjects. This
commission is to consist of three per-
sons appointed by the governor with
six-year terms, and salaries of $4,000
a year and all expenses paid. This
commission is without restrictions and
it's duties are not defined, but it is Ito
take over the following:
State board of health.
State board of medical examiners,
State board of pharmacy,
Board of dental examiners,
State veterinary,
Board of veterinary examiners,
Food and dairy commission,
Examiners for optometry,
State sanatorium for tuberculosis.
The only qualification for this board
is that the appointee must be an
"elector of the state" and there is
not the usual provision for having at
least one of the minority party and
no restraint upon the political aotivi-
ties of the members, such as that at
taclled to tine board of control. The
governor shall have the absolute pow
-er of removal and the appointment to
fill the vacancy at any time. The board
is thus intimately attached ito the gov
ernor. The commission shall have an
office in the state house and a secre-
tary at $4,000 a year, and the board
shall elect state veterinarian and a
state pharmacist, each at $1,000 year
and to appoint the boards of examiners
and other bodies to conduct the ex-
aminations authorized under the laws
of the state. The expenses of the mem
bers OF the board while travelling are
to be paid by the state and also the
expenses of persons employed.
Not least of the things taken over
by this new board would be the tuber-
culosis sanatorium and the lecture
work which has been going on for
several years under direction OF the
board of control.
While the new board is to have an
office in the capitol, all the detail
work is to be delegated TO the sub
commissions elected and to bureau
heads and the secretary and the
board will be engaged largely in trav-
cling about the state. 1t is not pro-
vided any member shall be a doctor of
any particular school. The presentation
of the bill has been held back pend
ing various investigations which lit
was supposed would furnish justifica-
tion for its adoption. Some of the
members are already talking of bury
ing the measure under a reference to
a committee to report two years hence.