Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-09-18
MUNICIPAL LEAGUE
MEETING NEXT Week
SESSION PRoMlEs TO BE ONE OF:
MOST IMPORTANT LEAGUE
HAS EVER HELD.
WILL DISCUSS MANY
IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
Property Assessments, State Utilities
Commission. Health, Building Codes,
and Other Important Topics to Be
Covered in Addresses and Papers
Mnnieisa! EXHIBIT Feature.

annual convention OF the League of
Iowa Municipalities. The convention
Will begin on Tuesday, Sept. IS, and
continue thru Thursday. Sept. IS. The
sessions will be held in the east cour,
room.
The convention is. important from
the fact that the membership of the
+ league comprises the governing bodies
of the municipalities OF the state. and
the 1913 convention promises to be one
! OF the most important ever held by the
! league.
! Attic there IS no indication as yet
as 20 what cities are going to be in
! the field for the next convention. Bur
iington is considered a likely candi-
date from the fact that she wanted the
/ convention last year. ana will likely
renew the invitation.
! Almost every one in the state is in
1 terested, either directly or indirectly
in the questions with which the mu-
inequalities o. Iowa have TO deal \
great nany OF the cities and towns
have already appointed delegates TO the
/. meeting. and the attendance promises
70 he the largest Of any meeting OF the
I league.
] Every city ana town in the state has
+ been invited 10 send delegates 10 this
meeting. whether such municipalities
are members Of he league or not, and
the fact that q municipality that is not
I a member. sends delegates 10 the con-
venrion. does not IN any way place the
municipality under obligations TO take
out a membership. The officers OF the
. league and the officials OF MARSHALL
! town desire that every city and town
, in the state be represented at this
meeting Irrespective OF whether they
maintain a membership or not.
! Many important questions will be
! presented by men who have made
special study Of the subjects under
! consideration.
To Discuss Property Assessment
/ Probably the most important Ques-
I ton and the one that affects every
citizen in the state is that OF the as
J sess-nent of property for taxation. The
| League o. Iowa municipalities. two
years ago. authorized the beginning Of
an action in the Polk county district
court 10 compel the state executive
council TO assess properly strictly in
accordance with law. and at lis full
value. A writ Of nnandamus was Sc
cured ordering the council 10 comply
with the law. and the result was that
last July the valuation o. all property
in .he state MAS largely increased and
values placed somewhere near their
real value. The action taken by the
executive council VIII be- thoroughly
considered al this meeting. and the fu-
ture policy Of the league in regard 10
-his litigation will he decided.
State Utilities Commission.
Another most important question,
and one that every city and town in
the state Is vitality interested in. is
that OF state utilities commission.
The need OF such a commission will De
presented by Senator Crist and Repre-
sentative Stipe, uernh hers Of the last
general assembly, while the objections
TO such a policy viii he presented by
Mayor Ford. of Fort Dodge, and other
municipal officers. y definite policy on
the part Of the league in relation TO a
state utilities commission will prob
aIblv De decided at this meeting. and
every city and town in the state. es-
pecialIy the larger cities where large
utilities are operated, should take part
in these deliberations IN arriving at
the correct solution
Health Questions CchSISefec.
Questions OF health vii be giver.
much consideration. DIR. Walter Z. Bier
ring. of Des Moines. chairman OF the
state board Of health; DR. G. II. sum
ner. OF Des Moines. secretary Of the
state board: Prof. c. y. Kinney, state
chemist; and Lafayette Higgins. of Des
Moines, engineer OF the state board of
health, will all 20 present and
Tr r.
Barney, srare dairy and food commits
sioner. will explain the work Of his
department AS che league believes
there should be close co-opera ton
between state officials and municipal
officials. al this conference an effof
will ne made 10 outline basis for CO
operation between the state and the
municipalities. In addition 10 this sew
e-al papers will ne presented by mu-
nicipal officials dealing with health
and sanitary matters
Poe on Building Codes.
The last legislature passed law au-
thorizing cities and towns 10 adopt
building codes. This question OF con-
trolling buildings. especially IN relation
to fires. is one OF the most important
with which municipalities have to deal,
and the discussion Of this subject will
be opened by Ole o. Roe, state hre
marshal An effort will be made to
agree on a building code ordinance
that will be suitable for the municipal
ties OF this state.
otfer Features Of Meeting.
Other important questions, such IS
home rule for cities. bond issues, street
lighting municipal franchises. street
paving, and water works, viii be dis
cussed and. in fact, every question
that will he Up for consideration will
be one IN which the people % the cities
and towns of Iowa are vitality inter
ested.
The municipal officials Of Marshall
town. together with the Marshalhown
Club. have arranged to show the v1si-
tors over the city and to give them a
luncheon Wednesday evening at tae
club rooms.
1 In connection with the convention
there will be a municipal exhibit at the
iMarshalltown Club rooms, showing the
| Improvements made py the different
cities and towns of the state, and AS