Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-05-20
Local Comment

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Complaint has been made to the
T.-R- that a medicine house has dis
tributed about town sample packages
Of laxative tablets that are a great
danger to children. The envelope con-
tanned several tablets that look just like
pink candy and are sweet to the taste.
A child picking up the package would
be tempted to eat the whole lot with
serious and dangerous effect It is a
direct violation Of city ordinance to
distribute medicines in this manner
and the local drug firm whose name APP
pears stamped on the package could be
fined severely altho 1t Is more than
probable that agents Of the manufac-
turer did the distri buting. All drug
firms should refuse the use of their
names to this kind OF advertising and
parents would be justified at any time
in starting prose cutions as promiscuous
scattering of medicines about peoples
premises in the form Of candy tablets
endansers the lives Of children.
Z
When the automobile party repre-.
senting some map publishers and auto
manufacturers reaches Marshalltown
on its "River-to- River Road" adver-
Using tour 1t should larry awhile, for
il can find within Marshall county
alone more than 800 miles of perfectly
dragged highways which, If covered in
continuous trip, would equal the
river to river distance. The facts are
that while there have been veritable
typhoons Of hot air expended on river
to river road advertising. Marshall
county has gotten right down to prac-
teal, hard sense in its road work.
Here We have the roads of everyday
use actually improved upon a regular
and permanent schedule,
And to cap the climax the new
businesslike city commission has set
aside $1,000 for the dragging and grad
ing OF some forty miles Of unpaved city
streets Half OF this sum each year
will keep those streets dragged smooth
after every rain and in few years the
grading fund will give us perfect high
ways within the city. Let the river
to river typhoons blow. This road work
is being started right in Marshall
county.
City Engineer Steiner now has an
opportunity to make his office the prin
cipal center OF efficiency among city
departm ents. In ali we'll regulated cit
les there Is an engineers department
where accurate plats Of every foot Of
the city's area are recorded showing
street grades. curb lines, crossings,
water mains, sewers. gas pipes, under
ground wire conduits, cuts and fills and
every bit Of data which a railroad or
construction company would keep on
file. In most cities engineers who have
perfected their departments to this ex-
tent have made themselves as in
dispensable as Hans Madsen has made
him self at the pumping station and
they continue to hold office turnout
succeeding administrations under sort
of civil service regulation kept in force
by their own merits. Mack had his
opportunity and failed. Had he de-
pended less on politics and built up his
own efficiency he could have held his
job indefinitely.
II the city can secure the services
Of a night policeman for $50 per month
as has been possible by dividing the
employed partly by property owners
the investment would certainly be a
wise one. The facts are the city owes
its business district night patrolman
such as this merchant policeman be-
cause Of the concentration of property
interests Of such magnitude in build
ings in which the owners do not sleep
Let's drop politics and not go cunning
for poor mans job simply because he
refused to sign a petition. Efficiency
is the only thing that should count
under the commission form.
And still another new church is to be
built. The United Brethren society
will put up a handsome structure on.
West State street almost before they
have a local society to put in it Let
the good work go on but when a
bunch of saloonkeepers, sports and
hired saloon loafers assisted by few
liberal business men and others can
go out and sign up almost half the vot-
ing population of this city on a saloon
petition it would seem that the re-
markable activity in church building Of
recent years is not extending its in
huence beyond the close circles Of de-
nominational societies. What we need
Is tremendous revival in civic right
eousness. Here is a text for the preach
ers and when the saloons are closed, as
they will be after July 1, there will be
at least few months Of ideal oppor-
tunity to warm up many pair of
erstwhile cold feet. Pedal extremities
are sure to become benumbed scratch
ing the varnish off from the new floors
of church pew II they are not given
some healthful exercise kicking the
dust of righteous civic movements. In
other words when we build a church
we merely profess righteousness and
set up a monument that looks big on
the street corner. We do not begin to
live righreously until we are doing
something for a righteous cause in the
everyday affairs Of men When a man
is telephoned to help in such move
ment and fails, praying in new
church will not square him.