Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-02-19
FIRST AND ONLY RECoMMENpA.
,'rloN TO DATE DECLARED TO
BE lMPRAcTicARLE.
WOULD COST STATE MORE
THAN PRESENT SYSTEM
St1te Also Would Stand to Lose on
Doubtful Checks Coming From Out
eide stats-RaiIroad Bills Discussed
Sby Connittses-Nsws Of the leas-
laturH.
to Times Republican.

::
Special to mes-Republican.
>pes Moines. Feb. 1s.-First fruits Of
the expert probe under direction OF
the committee on rerrenchment and
reform are declared to be not wholly
ripe.
A bill has been introduced, as re-
suit Of the inquiry into state account
ing methods. to require that every state
official or board shall turn over each
and every day all money received for
the state. The present law IS that
prior to the 18th Of each month all
money received prior to the first Of the
month shall be deposited with the state
treasurer. The excuse for the pro-
posed change Is that It would be Of
great value to the state in adding to
: the daily balances on which interest is
received.
A former state official, not now in
office, has made a careful computation
and dnds THAI, upon the basis OF past
business, this would increase the daily
balances for the state in Des Moines
banks about $1,000 which would make
a profit in interest to the state OF
about si,40G.
But it Is certain that If the plan was
put into practice 1t would require an
additional clerk in the Office Of state
treasurer, and i would cost in time in
the various Offices enough TO amount to
four or five other clerks. But that is
not all, for It would have to be re-
- ~ NOV ba
accept the checks and bank drafts
which come in each day, and assume
responsibility for them. whereas now
each state official has time 10 run these
checks thru the clearing house and to
get returns from the east before the
account Is closed. There are Oh some
days literally thousands Of these checks
and drafts received at the state house
by various officials and departments.
To force the state treasurer to assume
responsibility for all Of them and to
make an accounting for the same would
be biz task One office last month
received lis checks which were not
correct as to the amounts. and he
made refunds after cashi1g these
checks. Under the proposed system
how would the matter be adjusted?
And, for instance the clerk OF the su-
preme court frequently receives checks
for very large sums OF money. to pay
for fees and for judgments and 1t is
Impossible for him 20 divide the same
as between what goes TO the state and
what goes elsewhere fo- some time
Turning over OF daily receipts would
Tot be possible in his case or IN that OF
Others.
=" Unless the experts are going to turn
up something better than this they VIII
not earn their $50 per diem, so the
members say.
Two railroad bills were discussed By
the committees yesterday One was
stfe train crew bill defining what
should constitute a train crew. and
how many men should be employed TO
handle a train. The intent Of this bill
is to make 1t safer for travel and more
certain that each and every train is
cared for But Judge Cook, James c.
Davis and others appeared and showed
It ought to be called a bill 10 destroy
efficiency in the handling Of trains.
They declare that no hard and fast rule
will be Of value IN this connection. Al
the other end Of the house there was
discussion Of the locomotiv headlight
bill. and W. G. Bierd. vice president Of
the Minnea polls. and Mr.. Davey, assist
ant master mechanic Of the Burlington,
appeared with others 10 oppose legts-
lation on this subject.
Capt. John D. Brown, head Of tbs
G. A. R., and other veterans Of the war,
urged before legislative committees
yesterday the adoption Of the Dill 20
make an appropriation 70 cid IN paying
the expenses Of the survivors o. the
battle Of Gettysburg on a journey 10 the
battlefield when the seni-centennial
celebration. IS he'd. Captain Brown
also urged the bill to appropriate to
pay for a big state encam pment this
year. we are going to have one of the
greatest encampGnents in our historE,'
ne said, land probably there will never
be another like it,
& If the bill authorizing payment In any
sum to bank directors for attendance
at directors meetings becomes law
with the record standing IS made yes
terday, there will be some question as
to what the courts would DO about the
matter on test case. The bill as it
passed the senate legaiizes per diem
= TO savings DdNh directors LDT DOdt u
meetings. without limit. II was offered
as substitute for the bill as reported
from the committee on banks. Senator
McColl, chairman of the committee on
banks, voted 10 sustain the committee
and against every amendment offered.
Bat the record as made shows McCoH
voting for the amendment which final
iy became the bill. If the record has
shown him voting 2gairs. the amend
rhent then the amendment would not
have carried. He will have the record
corrected. of course; and then it viii
show that the amendment was not in
Rac4 adopted, but was passed as the
bill.
~. Another Of the bills of the better
3 schools commission was presented yes
1 terday. It revises the law as to county
normal institutes and makes it entirely
! clear as to fees, also permits two-day
session Of the institute. Il is intended
to make the way easier for teachers