Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-07-15
Local Comment

Observation-Disclosures
1t had been predicted that there
would be no. more big crowds in Mar
shalltown because the saloons had
closed but some Of our prophets must
not have reckoned on a circus. To-
days record breaking attendance
should teach some of our citizens that
people really do come to Marshalltown
for some other purpose than to patron
ize the saloons.
II Marshalltown fails to find as
much property to assess for taxation
this year as was found last year her
officers had better check over the as
sessment. The property is here If 1t
can only be found. Business men fire.
quently experience the same difficulty
in taking inventories but they keep
checking until they find what they
ought to have.
An aviation exhibit should be a great
event in Marshalltown Everybody has
been reading of the wonderful progress
in flying and nearly every day the
newspapers report some fatal accident
to an aviator whose life is sacrificed in
the terrible struggle to master the air
Magazines are full Of illustrations OF
flying machine performances and the
navigation OF the air is the wonder OF
the hour but few people have ever seen
a flying machine fly. The desire to
see it perform Is going to bring many
thousands to Marshalltown on the
Goth. A big Fourth Of July or big
day at the fair should be dwarfed in
comparison. Everybody wants to see
flying machine at least once
The great congress Of auto enthus-
lasts at the Transcontinental Route
convention in Marshalltown which was
to congest the streets with visiting
cars did not actually block traffic ow-
Ing probably to the width Of the
streets. There was attendance Of a
few. however. who perfected an or
ganization which will promote much
newspaper publicity None OF their
activities will do any harm and very
little OF actual road Improvement will
come of 1t. The river to river road
propaganda spends most OF its force
in the air and resembles very much the
road work that was going to be done
by l.. a. w. years ago when the bicy
Gle was the craze OF the hour. 1t makes
lots OF noise while the farmers build
the roads. However. Marshalltown
entertained the visitors royalty. as she
should and so far as the press no.
tees were concerned the Marshalltown
date line was In evidence. However.
the river to river road movement !. a
poor thing to invest money in. The
'Marshalltown Club has already done
more effective road promotion than
this river to river association will ac-
complish and the results are all near
home where the roads can be utilized
and enjoyed.
1t is not of. material Importance
whether ex-Mayor lngle6ue was sharp
enough to collect saloon licenses so as
to have them appear in the receipts OF
his administration instead OF In the
first quarter Of the succeeding admin
istration. The point having been raised
is merely Of value for purposes OF
comparison but the present council
need not worry about its showing for
the first quarter. People can not ex-
pect reform to be accomplished in
minute. Just saw wood land on the
last lap Of the last year the figures viii
begin to speak for themselves
There seems to be a concerted effort
being put forth by cote.ie Of ultra
liberals to knock about business con-
ditions until a local panic can be
created whether there is cause for one
or not. They said business would be
dull when the saloons closed and now
they propose to make It 30. Some
ridiculous tales are current on the
streets for consumption BY those mer-
chants who have always had cold feet
on the anti-saloon movement but
whose timidity kept them off the sa-
loon petition. The game Is to drive
these men to sign the next petition OF
consent. When you hear a business
man knocking about trade because the
saloons have closed Just remember
that he IS sore The other fellow
would keep still about 1t even il he
thought so. Then don't believe all the
knockers have to say They are pre-
JUDGED and might exaggerate. Look at
your books and compare with last
year Look at general conditions and
analyze the situation. There have
been periods Of awful slow business in
looms all open. Then we have had FIVE
years Of unprecedented activity in re-
tail trade. Some merchants report now
that trade is as good as it ever was
in hot weather but all should be will
ing to try anything at least a year and
In absolute equity nothing short Of
five-year period should be compared
for general conditions can vary greatly
in single years.