Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-04-06
COUNTIES REPORTING
RETURNS BEING RECEIVED BY
STATES FROM COUNTY
OFFICIALS.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS WILL
BE PUBLISHED BY AUDITOR
Valuable Information to Be Dissem-
mated for the First Time-cownie
Goes Back to Farm to RehabiIitate
His Extensive Livestock Business
\.
Rail Commissions Report on Wreck.
Special to Times-Eepublican.

nan SOtnIniSStOH 5 nCRCEI OF vvTSCks
Special to Times-Eepublican
Des Moines, April 6.-Joe Wall, book
keeper in the office of state auditor,
has just received the first of the blanks
for county officials which will make
the first showing ever collected as to
county finances. A few years ago as
part of the progressive legislation
which was intended to place the state
of Iowa on business basis.
it was reuired by law that
the counties should publish fl
nancial statements. 1t has apparently
been impossible to get the counties to
do this Now it has been provided that
the counties shall make complete fl
nancial report to the state and the state
will do the publishing. The informa-
ton required covers every phase of
county finance, as to cost of every Of
flee, the courts. the poor, the bonds and
interest, muqct taxes, expense of sup
port of inmates of institutions, etc.
Some OF the counties are finding it hard
to make these reports out as complete
as required by law, but they will all
get in after a time. When these are
tabulated it will be one of the most
valuable parts of the report of the state
auditor.
Hon. John Cownie, who today retired
from the board of control after twelve
years, will go to Iowa county in a few
days and devote some time to looking
after his farm and livestock business.
When Mr.. Cownie accepted a place on
the board he had one Of the finest live
stock businesses in the state, selling
many thousands of dollars worth Of
stock each year. 1t was a financial
sacrifice to him to give it up and he
was assured that the state board would
never be dragged into politics. He
will now undertake to partially restore
the business and the coming summer
will devote himself to the same. Mr..
Cownie also has home in Des Moines
and will retain this for time.
1t is expected that within few days
the report of the railroad commission
on what was disclosed at the investi-
cation Of the recent railroad wreck will
be made public. 1t is not anticipated
that anything new will be divulged or
anything at all sensational. All the
facts are now well known; but possib-
ly the board will make some state
ments and comments that will be Of
great interest.
Leigh Hunt is the subject of an H.
Illustrated character sketch in the cur
rent issue Of Human Life," which re-
calls his somewhat cratic career in
Iowa. AS a school man he was next
thing to a failure. He had charge of the
schools at Mount Pleasant when he
was quite young, later came to the
East Des Mones district and from
that jumped to the presidency of the
state college at Ames. But he was a
brilliant lecturer and remarkable
dreamer and in recent years has been
world-promoter with great schemes
in Africa and elsewhere. He made and
lost fortune in Seattle and has made
another in the mines Of Korea.
The city commission of Des Moines
starts off with the usual signs of dis
agreement on minor matters. One of
the most Interesting of the little con-
tests is that which has been raging
about the city clerkship. Most of the
pressure has been for Neal Jones for
the place. He is newspaper man
who has been secretary to Mayor
Mathis. He has all of the newspaper
ipf1uence back of him, hence the ma
jority of the commissioners want bin
appointed, but Mayor Hanna is OPP
posed. There, is some disappointment
over the suggestion that the man
slated for chief Of police has long been
the handy man for the street car
company, and about the court house
the methods Of the street car company
are not, regarded as always on the
highest plane. But it seems probable
that, with the small things out of the
way the new council will get down to
work with much less danger of con-
slant. quarreling than with the old
commission two years ago.
The local committee Of democrats in
charge of arrangements fer the Jeffer-
son banquet next Friday evening re-
ports that all indications point 20 a
very large conference Of the democrats
of the state. Preparations ara being
made fora fine banquet and good
program. Some notable speakers are
to DE secured IL pOSSlDle. y Hey SsLy lLdL
there is more harmony among the
democrats now than for many years
and that IT will not be at all difficult
to conduct campaign this year with
out any consideration to the old fac
tions which have SO long disturbed the
party.
Iowa Hen is Busy.
Snecial fo Times-Republican