Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-04-11
Looker-On In Iona

Allison. April li.-Na.urally the sub
jest OF conversation with the voters for
the past three months has frequently
been the Legislature, its doings and
shortcomings. Criticism .: our law
makers always occurs generally III
about two months after they as(snble.
Many seem 20 think il an evidence OF
unusual Gisceramert to down the leg
is.atur- along in February. And this
year. this session has brought out the
usual condemnation. The old saw hits
the case exactly, they're damned II
they do and damned II they don't"
While the usual different opinions are
expressed on any proposed legislation.
what follows may be safely taken as
the wishes OF the majority. Ii its worth
anything 10 our lawmakers they can
take ii as from the majority.
First the good roads question. The
people want something done by the
legislature. I; is probably true the
farmers wan. the laws passed 50 that
the county and township will do the
work a S al present. The business men
n the towns want the state Of Iowa
20 go into the road aking business.
Both seem 70 agree on the necessity Of
starting right. with engineers, survey
o-s drainage and ,iIe but the farmers
want the lax money raised 70 be spent
BY home officials. while the town
5we!.er says the state should expend
the money and boss the job" In the
matter Of bridge building both seem II
agree on the need Of radical change.
a general impression prevails that the
taxpayer is not getting mis- moneys
worth at tire present time.
Temperance legislation. always a
truitsu! subject Of The corner grocery
store statesman. this year is not a
burning question. On the contrary If
this legislature does not pass any laws
changing things il wi! be satisfactory
% the average votes. Perhaps TIE
pharmacy laws are an exception.
universally expressed opinion is that
something should be done about our
drug stores. TIE fve-r1i,e limit law
and the early closing movement for
saloons are discussed theoretically but
not as measures requiring immediate
and positive action. SO j; is with wou-
an suffrage talk. There Is no demand
on the part Of the majority for iegisia-
ton this year. Blu. Il woman suffrage
does become . part ot Iowas history
there is little or no feeling against ii.
But there is some expressed
opinion that there should be some kind
Of public utilities lsw, and for this rea-
son: Our present commission called
the railway commission IS not salts
factory TO the voters. It's not the men
com posing i. that one hears SO much
said about. but there's a general and
spread expressed opinion that
our board Of railroad commissioners
are not doing the work nor the kind Of
work the people intended such a board
should GO. when the board Of railroad
I commissioners vas instituted. The
good work they have done is appreci-
a,ed. such as fixing Of rates, prevent
I ing discrmira tons. etc, but for rea-
! sons that seem good to this board they
fail to act in many matters brought
10 their attention. Hence desire 10
I incorporate this board into a board Of
| public utilities. increase the member
I ship in nunnber and most decidedly In
/ crease their activities.
! The PROPOSITION TO adjourn this leg
! isIature protein and assemble in the
/ fall strikes many voters as a gooo
| thing The people want some Things
I done but 90 not want lot OF hurried
! legislation during the next two weeks,
! Just for the sake OF the farmer MEM
bers anxious TO get home and put In
| the crops. So that we can not nave
! the laws passed we need, Ii there Is
| too much real necessary work aheao'
! 10 be intelligently acted upon before
E! April Is or 90, the average voter says
by all means take a vacation till Sep
| TENDER OF October.