Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-01-18

ca pupilc service py OealS or tnsS
they must accept low order Of in
competent service that they them
selves be responsible for 1t after
fair fight in an open field. 1t is tai
more reprehensible to secure lnfiu'
ence and preferment by promise OF
place than by the promise OF money
When one uses money he uses that
which belongs to him, but when he is
t1afficking in Offices he is barterlne
with that which does not belong tc
him, but to the people as their agen'
cies in government, and depr1vlns
them of their right, untrammeled, to
select their own agents or TO have
them appointed for merit and not IN
redemption of promises to farm out
the public service to whomsoever
would enter into deal or conspiracy
for place. 1t is part of the pol'ti-
cal creed of the country to insist up
on publicity as the panacea for our
troubles with "big business" and yet
we 20 into a political contest some
times with a number of gentlemen $
agreements" hidden away somewhere
in the dark. There are compelling
reasons for publicity in both cases.
but no more in the one than the
other. These practices are corrupt
and ought to be forbidden. Inc law
ought to make it crime for any can
didate for any county or state once
prior to his nomination or election to
promise, either directly or indirectly
to support or use his influence in be-
half Of another for any position,
place or office, or to promise either
directly or indirectly to name or ap-
point another to any place, position
or Office, in consideration OF sucn oth-
er supporting him or in any way
using his influence to secure his nom
nation, election or appointment. Inc
law requiring the report OF campaign
expenses ought to be amended by
adding to it, in substance: And l
further state that I did not at any
time either before my nomination or
after, either directly or Indirectly IN
consideration of support, promise to
support or use my influence for, or to
appoint any person to any place, posi-
ton or Office whatsoever" Sucn
statute would be as easily enforced as
any other of our corrupt practices
acts The mere fact that such prac-
tices are condemned by the law would
be of great value and this general
assembly ought to enact such a pro-
vision as an expression Of its high
political ideals.
The Short Ballot.
The results of our primary cleo
tions. and general elections as WE'LL
show that not more than half OF the
voters of the state participate in the
primary at all and that in both cleo
lions the numbers voting decrease as
thew pass down the ticket from the
more to the less important Offices. AT
the primary elections it has not been
unusual to have a difference between
the total vote for governor and Tor
lieutenant governor and secretary OF
state, ranging from ten to nearly
TWENTY-FIVE thousand, with the dit
ference growing wider with the offices
further down. The same result is
seen in general elections. When the
comparison is made with the vote TOR
presidential electors the discrepancies
~. much ereater. Students OF good
government are everywhere advocat-
ing the principles Of the short ballot
To such an extent have they gone as
to tersely express the principle in this
way: "When you want representa-
ton, elect. When you want admins
tration, appoint" Progressive thought
for by far the greater part advo-
Gates this principle. The appointing
power being made responsible for re-
suits, responsibility is located and
concentrated. BY electing' RESPONSE
bility is dissipated, incapable of DEF
mite location. BY appointment, ad-
ministration by experts and high
order of efficient public service may
be secured. i HSAIC y~NA S~~S
sidcration Of this subject to the END
that this reform may take deeper
root in this state.
Schools.
When one comes to the eonsldera-
ton of the question Of rural schools
he finds he is face to face with a
problem almost impossible Of solu-
ton. And yet that affords no reason
WHY we should not grapple with it..
We read everywhere Of the decline
of the rural school and we constantly
hear it deplored in public speech
From the district school OF forty
wears ago with its attendance Of forty
pupils ranging in age from five to
twenty-one years, the rural school has
declined to the school of ten children
and very frequently to less. Form
erly there was the enthusiasm OF
numbers at least. The young men
and women were there. They are no
longer there. 1t is said that ninety
five per cent Of the boys and girls
never reach the high school. They