Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-07-12
Gathered "a thssBy,uay,.,
IBy Ora Williams.l


impression out that the members of
the legislative committee on retrench-
ment and reform Of the Thirty-fifth
general assembly have been treated
with scant consideration in the public
offices at the state house. and that
there is personal i'll will toward mem
bers Of the committee prevalent at the
state house. This is hardly the situa-
ton. II there has been any neglect OF
courtesy it has been the other way.
for members of the committee have
been all too shy about personally Wis
iting the state offices and acquainting
themselves with conditions as they are
In fact the committee has not lived up
to the law or conformed to legislative
requirements in very important re-
spects and this fact has aroused sus-
picion as to the sincerity Of the COM
mittee in demanding that every one
shall conform TO the letter Of the law.
For instance. the committee, with
copy of the law on its table. proceeded
TO elect as secretary the deputy audi
tor of state, when the act declares
specifically that it shall elect one of its
own members as secretary. And also.
with the law on the table. the COM
!Hittee has failed to provide for keep
ing its records open for public in
spection in the office of secretary of
state. But these are regarded at the
state house as minor derelictions and
as illustrating how easy it is for those
who want to reform others 10 fail to
follow the straight path Wherever
any member of the committee has come
into contact with state officials he has
been we'll treated and there is general
desire in the offices of state that mem
bers of the committee shall in fact,
make personal investigation of the
business that is being done. There IS
real need for just such investigation
on the part Of persons having suffi-
cient age and experience and good
sense to understand the needs Of pub
lie offices.
There has been a feeling. and this
finds expression in many OF the offices
at the state house, that the committee
has been unfortunate in having turned
over the work of investigation TO per-
sons not having the capacity Of fitness
for understanding how American Dusi-
ness is done or ought to De done. The
fact ls so ii is whispered about the
state house. this investigation is being
made by foreigners, persons probably
not American citizens at all.
Why should we of Iowa call in
aliens to tell our duly elected state
officials how to handle clerical force
or 10 tell US that we ought TO go by \
time clock like soap factory. or 10 tell
us how to stoke an engine with Iowa
coal?'' Tha, is the way one state Off
ciai put it this week.
The fact that these men have little
beyond their office furniture is not
against them" said a state official,
but the fact ought TO be known that
they are not men of long experience in
handling public business and are
wholly unfamiliar with what ought 10
be done. The fact that they are 30
recent importation from Europe is not
TO their discredi,, but it does explain
why they have done some of the queer
est and most unexplainahle things: fo-
1T is evident they are not at AL IA
miliar with the Aperican method OF
With With va. aa.e, amour, Of ! PIX without
any red tape. 1t is not going to be
possible to engraft the bureaucratic
system or American methods.
The fact is that the legislature failed
in one duty which il owed TO the pub
lie, that of providing for sufficient
force TO care for the public business
properly: and the reason il failed was
that members entrusted with the Work
did not sufficiently inform themselves
from original sources, as 10 the NEEDS
of the various departments. The one
department that appears TO have been
most neglected was that of secretary
OF state The automobile department,
for instance is still far behind. Begin
ming July l the department has two
less employees and persons in other de-
partments are being drafted to aid IN
irving to keep from beneath the stack
Of mail The corporation business mas
enormously increased with no provision
for caring for it. And TINS is only
typical Of the situation.
On the other hand there are depart
ments in the state house with no re-
strictions as 10 number OF employees
beyond the check which the state eA-
ecutiye council affords. The main re-
lance of the taxpayers OF the state
mus, be. after all, with those mos'
important and permanent bodE-a body
which has already done wonders IN the
way of systema tizing and simplifying
the work Of the state and requiring
strict accounta bility for every servant
OF the state FOR his money and MS
time. But the council itself is over
worked. and it would not be at all sur
prisine If others besides the governor
should break down and find it neces-
sary to 20 to a sana;or!nm.
Gar>~in Notes.