Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-05-24

City: 0umbel Bldg. Kansas City. Mo.
eHALL THE STATE PAY FOR A
PARK FOR DIES MONIES?
The more the recent act Of our last
legislature, pertaining to the purchase
Of q large tract OF ground In Des
Moines, with the possibilities of COM
uniting the state to the expenditure OF
millions of dollars, Is looked into, the
more obnoxious to the people Of the
state 1t becomes. AS huge real
estate deal and speculation for the
benefit Of the owners Of the property
to be bought, and incidentally for the
benefit Of our capitol city, 1t certainly
caps the climax. II the constituency
of the members of the legislature, out
side of Polk county, who voted for this
measure, when they come to under
stand it and It's consequences upon
them az tax payers, and upon their
posterity, will approve OF what mas
been done by their representatives,
and return them for the purpose OF
supporting still further and similar
schemes, they are more 1nduigent In
supporting measures to impose tax
burdens upon themselves than we had
hitherto supposed they were
The measure Is dangerous one; It
sets q very bad precedent, and Its ultl-
mate result and consequences can
hardly be, at present, estimated. 1t
should be defeated, and, In our Judg-
ment. can be defeated upon constltu-
tional grounds, and prompt steps
should be taken to enjoin the executive
council from attempting to put this
measure and scheme into operation.
A brief analysis Of the bill may be
interesting to our readers and the
public.
The first section provides for the
levyinp of a tax upon the people OF
the state annually for ten years. one
half mill for 1913 and 1914, and then
enough for eight years following to
yield $4,000 annually. These amounts
for the purchase Of the grounds figure
about $1,70O,O00, and this will only be
the entering wedge. The next scheme,
we presume, will be to tear down our
beautiful capitol building and con-
struct a new and "up-todate" build
ing. Then there remains all the pos
sibilities Of other buildings, and to use
the words Of the act, Of drives,
streets avenues, malls, walks, bridges,
terraces" and heaven knows what
else. and the end is not yet. Ger
tainiy the genius which evolved this
hill and succeeded in getting it through
the legislature without the people ap-
parently getting on to 1t, or consider.
ing its consequences, was worthy OF
better things.
The measure was uncalled for, was
unnecessary, and unjust to the people
of the state at large, and ought to nave
been thoroughly canvassed, andN In
some way or other should have had
the sanction of the people at large
before it became law.
We presume the claim Will be made
that this enormous tax to be gathered
M from the people for ten years, and
no one knows how much longer, since
It is only the opening wedge, will not
constitute a debt, because some day 1t
IA hoped and expected that the money
to pay for this purchase, and all that
81 implies. can be extracted from the
rockets of the people by taxation. We
do not believe that this is the legal
and constitutional view to take Of It..
In fact, the bill provides, in section
nine that the Executive council may
ANTICIPATE the collection Of the tax
here authorized to be levied for the
extension and improvement Of the
capitol grounds, and FOR THAT PUR-
POSE MAY ISSUE INTEREST BEAR
ma WARRANTS OR CERTIFICATES
CARRYING A RATE OF INTEREST
NOT TO EXCEED FIVE PER CENT
PER ANNUM."
Here, then, the executive council is
authorized at ANY TIME to issue the
obligations Of the state for the pur
chase of this ground, and for making
and improving the drives. streets,
avenues. malls, walks, bridges, ter
races" and all the other fine things
for Des Moines, to be paid for by the
neople, In an amount, perhaps. reach
ing up into the millions. Whether they
viii do so or not and take their
chances Of being returned to office, is
not the question. The real question Is,
that they have the POWER to Go so
urder the bill.
Now, is the measure constitutional,
and Is there not good ground for re-
straining the executive council from
exercising the powers attempted to be
conferred by this bill? .
Article VII of the state constitution
relates to the. matter of state debts.
Section provides: a
s'The state may contract debts to
supply casual deficits or failures in
revenues; or to meet expenses not
otherwise provided for; but the aggre-
gate amount Of such debts, direct and
contingent, whether contracted by
virtue Of one or more acts of the gen.
eral assembly, or at different periods
of time, shall never exceed the sum
Of two hundred and fifty thousand
dollars"
Sections and have no bearing
and that portion OF Section which
has a bearing, is az follows:
Except the debts hereinbefore
specified In this article, no debt shall
be hereafter contracted by, or on be-