Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-12-23
Local Comment

II !
4 It b the intention of the Times-
Republican force to enjoy Merry
Christmas at its several homes and
no Newspaper will be published on
Monday.
The Christmas trade for this year
has passed. Never have incoming
trains been so crowded with shoppers
indicating that trade from out Of town
is greatly increased and II the total
volume has fallen short OF record
breaking seasons 1t can be attributed
first to the fact that more and larger
stores are now bidding for It, and
secondly to the fact that very general
industrial depression has had to be
overcome within this city as we'll as
within all large towns thruout the
country.
1t appears from the count auditors
records that up to date the township
trustees have prepared for systematic
road dragging next year by levying the
special / mill tax in all the townships
of the county except Bangor, Eden.
Iowa, L;scomh. Logan. Taylor and
II.
NAV be waiting until the regular an
nual meeting in April to levy this READ
dragging tax but the county attorney
has advised that it he done immeal-
ate!y at a special meeting and TINS
would he the better plan. In Iowa
township the tag ,ray not be necessar!
as the trustees there have been drag
s;rr their roads systematically cut OF
their poll tax monies. but the county
officials should see that no township
negiec.s the dragging OF its roads next
year The new Law is mandatory ana
the trustee who refuses to drag is
violating the Law which he takes oath
to obey.
It would seem from the remarks of
Messrs. Ingleiue, Nicholson and NIL
lard. whose names have been repeated
IL mentioned as possible candidates Tor
mayor against Mayor Jones. that the
recall movement is not looked upon as
a popular enterprise. Why not center
upon Milton Curtis? He was one OF
the first to sign at the Forney hall
meeting.
Councilman George Herman has
published an exceedingly well written
article in which as chairman of the
democratic county central commltte
he says, Il want all liberal republicans
TO ioin hands with the liberal demo-
Gratis. We have a few holy-roiler
democrats. but we are willing to throw
them In the holy-roller republican
camp and by doing this we can win
and redeem this beautiful state OF ours
once more" 1t is to be hoped that all
good democrats will obey the orders OF
their esthetic chairman.
The Marshall County Democrat
makes its appearance today with the
published motto, "One country. one flag
and one wife at a time" 1t is to be
hoped that no recall will be necessary
by it's followers for any part OF this
triumvirate.
The activity of the various churches
Of the city in giving to the needy and
unfortunate during the holidays is In
marked contrast to the effort of the
recall petitions to bring about a new
election which may be used TO favor
the return OF the open saloon and
breed more poverty and distress.
Anyone examining the recall petit
tition will be impressed with the alb
sence Of the names of prominent and
representative citizens of any ayoca-
ton but it is yet a wonder that thou
sand men could be found who would ne
so unfair as to sign a recall for the
or mayor this city has had in nearly
twenty years who gave promise OF an
efficient and clean administrati ton. The
charge made is that the city council
not the mayor made purchases with
ont CON plying with the law and yet
for what the council did the mayor
alone is to be recalled and the facts
are that no charge is even intimated
that either the MAYOR or council had
done a dishonest thing. The second
charge is that the city council" not
the navor, purchased some water pipe
without passing resolutions strictly III
accordance with law when there IS not
the least suspicion that anyone injured
the city one cents worth and yet for
what technical error the council may
Rave made the mavor alone is to be re-
called. Ard the third charge is that
the CITY council. not the mayor,
+. transferred money from one fund TO
another illegally when the city attor-
ne.- advised ii and drew the resolution
authorizing it. The city has the money.
Nobody took it and squandered 1t ana
for what the council is charged with
doing Illegally but what was done leg
ally the mayor alone is to be recalled.
=
+ The situation discredits the lofty
principle OF the referendum. It drags
into public contempt political machin-
cry OF modern construction which was
designed for the public good. prorni-
nent ex-saloon keeper is quoted as
saving that the whole thing was start
ed wrong Ec thinks that the recall
should have included the whole Gown
ell with the expressed purpose of cir
culating another saloon petition. He
personally dislikes 10 fight under so
thin a cover. 1t ou!d be 2 public ser
vice i, the attorneys for the friends OF
MAYOR Jones could knock out the petit
ton. A rer1onstrauce against saloons
siered b>- an actual majority Of voters
was defeated on technical objections.
ne.ftion for saloons containing the
nsr1es OF more than half the voters
ves in turn knocked OFT By fling SUI
6cfent legal Withdrawals. Let this Pc
tition go the same way. 1t is against
good public policy.