Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-06-03
"eREA1ER IOWA"

The acts Of the recent legislature OIL
Iowa were not all In accord with max
ing greater Iowa The members OF
that body were all. republicans and
democrats, elected ON the campaign
issue Of giving the people a voice IN
the government. That has been the
dominating feature Of recent cam
paigns, and in the last campaign 1t
was repeatedly stated that the govern
nent must be nearer In accord Win
the Wishes of the people. Our leslsla-
turo among its last acts before ad-
iournment ignored this part OF cam
paign promises and enacted measure
DbliEating the people of the state FOR
hundreds Of thousands of dollars an
nually for the next ten years without
ever once mentioning the fact that
the people ought to have an oppor-
unity to express their desires on II.
This was the matter Of taxing the PEG
pie to buy additional grounds around
the state capitol
Why was our legislature afraid to
let the people have voice In the state
governmental any rate In Its taxes!
It Is now claimed by Des Moines
man that this is part Of movement
to make a greater Iowa. A claim that
to tear down the buildings on flfty
acres in the middle of East Des Mo1nes
and make a park of It, will add to the
wealth or prestige of Iowa Is ridlcu-
lous.
The Courier is willing that the people
Of Iowa should be taxed in a reason
able amount to reclaim the waste land
OF the state; to prevent floods; 10
develop the water power of the state;
to increase the facilities for the care
of tubercular PATIENTS, to expand the
work of our agriculture and agr1cul-
t,,ral institutions; to build permanent
roads: to increase the facilities OF al
the state institutions, and rtor, all APP
propriate and business means ana
mans ia make greater Iowa. But
fifty-acre park around the capitol Will
not Add one iota toward greater
Iowa. It will not add to the relief OF
even one of the states unfortunates or
sufferers: it will not add one ounce TO
the productivity or yield OF an acre OF
ground. 1t will not add a penny to the
vah,e of an acre Of farm land; 1t WILL
not aid in reclaiming 1owa's waste
land: it will not help prevent floods;
Il Win not bring one nickel IN value or
prestige to the state.
II will not bring one resident to the
state. Iowa for thirty years mas nau
the best capitol building and grounds
OF almost any state IN the union yet
that did not keep it from losing popu-
lation the last ten years, while every
other state was gaining.
II will make the capitol even more
, inaccessible and hard to get to than
II is now. Buildings where the business
~ the state Is transacted should be
h,,ilt. along more modern lines than
+hev are. A man with business to
transact can, In q compact office build
inv call at q dozen offices while he is
wandering around through an ordinary
state capitol to find one-fourth that
many men.
70 mt a great big park around the
capitol grounds is not a progressive
movement at all. 1t means loss or
sti,l more time by the business man
Who is called upon to go to Des Moines
~ taen his business from being
wrecked every time the legislature
meets. a ss el4.-
Iowa Ia a new state. It yet needs
work along the line OF first principles.
T. needs all the money. that its tax
yavars can afford to pay as taxes
used in developing and building it up,
instead OF being wasted in, frescoing.
ne building Of few miles of perma-
nent roads in each direction from Des
Moines would do much more toward
making this state a greater Iowa than ian
the building of parks In Des Moines.
THIS paper will heartily endorse the
levying Of an appropriate tax on all
the state for the purpose OF oullolng
armament roads in the state; it Is
entirely willing that the initial point
n starting this work shall be Des
Moines, or any other city that it Is
decided to start from. That would be
. movement in the interest Of Greater
Iowa, but tifty-acre park around the
J .tate capitol will not add one iota in
accomplishing anything toward a
Greater Iowa.