Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-07-24
Political Pharisses.

| game, and as an expert performance Of
| wire pulling. sham and deceit 1t Is an
/ art par excellence. The game Of de-
| ception performed in the political arena
may be successfully practised within
! the limits of law and the moral codes
! OF the public conscience; but very fire.
quently it degenerates into disgracefui
! scandals OF bribery and graft. That
there are in public life many honest
and upright politicians. goes without
saying. but it Is nevertheless a stubborn
| fact that one must look with the
lantern of Diosenes for a professional
politician whose words and actions as
a party leader" are strictly honest and
consistent,
/ To the distinguished honor of Iowa
(. be II said. that she has always kept her
! escutcheon bright, and her public serv-
ants in state and nation, have left all
questionable transactions severely
alone.
But, admitting that the banners of
old Iowa still wave with effulgent
brightness over her temples of law and
justice. l question the consistency.
motives and acts of the last two Iegis-
latures.
individually and collectively those
legislators posed before .he people as
''reformers." standing firmly for politi-
cal economy and retrenchment. How
veil they lived up 20 their fine phrases
( was shown by the way those unselish
patriots raised their ONT comfortable
salaries at the expense OF the dear
people" Doubling their own pay in the
name of patriotic zeal 70 serve their
beloved state is new political system
OF retrenchment and reform I can
just imagine how blissfully fine" those
patriotic lawmakers felt after they had
so literally helped themselves to a
higher salary, Having provided for
( themselves a very confortab BILE living.
the happy solcns naturally felt grateful
for such wonderful blessings and q
sanctimonious Oarson was given a job,
leading in prayers" The praying par
son found this desira BILE job q grea
calling. and he measured ont his uD-
to-date prayers by the yard being
paid S. in Uncle Sans good money fer
each pharisaical performance Doing
business in religion and political sham
may he very pleasant and paving oc
cupation. but the God Of christianity
can never be deceived by long-taced
pharisa:sm and hypocritical cant.
II our legislators must have s.
prayers for the good Of their spiritual
anatomy, let them turn their heads IN
pious devotion 20 the cross-eyeG gods
of China: for their oriental ears may
BE long enough 10 listen to a sermon
on Iowa politics.
After raising their own salary an!
paying s. a day for sweet picked
prayers. the august assembly Of law
makers Wen, ~ work. repairing and
patching the Old school .aw. y new
objec- lesson in economy is I.o1 pre-
sented to IN admiring p1hli'. The
christian co, ,rine. that those who have
a great deal ..cI. ser more, and those
, who have ntlie sbail lose even wha7
they have. IS ,:ou6ht into admirable
practice by depriving treasureis OF
school districts of their pay. Eternal
powers What masterpiece OF econ
omy, AS the writer OF these lines ne|er
was a school district treasurer and
never expects to be- he can not be ac-
cused Of Any selfish motives in calling
attention to this ridiculous farce in
Iowa iawnnaklns. Now gen,4emen, the
fact is that the treasurers and secre-
ta-ies Of the rural school districts have
generally been paid an annual salary
amounting to that paid by our pious
and long faced Legislature for one
single hypocritical and pharisaical
prayer.
The salary of some Of the best paid
county officials was also raised quite
literally by the magnanimous legis-
, lature but the board OF directors OF
rural school districts received mands-
tory notice from the county treasurer
that they must not pay their treasurers
a red or rusty cent for his services. The
treasurer is compelled 10 furnish bonds
for double the amount OF the money
ne handles: but he must take all thai
trouble and risk for-nothins. A schoo
) district treasurer is generally expected
: TO pc a man Of some financial s.andtns
and experience and 1t Is sometime:
hard to get the right man f1i the bust
ness Then q sanctimonious and phar!-
saical legislature issues dictatorla
mandate to stop the pay OF schoo
district treasurer a man would be
fool for accepting the office. He nigh
take the job as piece of charity t.
holm the school board in n case OF ne
ceesity: but no power this side OF haoe'
can compel him to serve.
am told that certain we1l-pait
! county Official said in pompous way
: wen, II the school districts don't ge
!. treasurers, they can't get any money
e that's all. and then they have to ~
withou. schools" We thank the 1egis
lature and the county officials for sucl
an expression Of kind consideration
Now, gentlemen, suppose we close tn
schools and let the whole blamed bust
g ness go to-gehenna, what In tn
sacred name of Sitting Bull are yo'
o going TO do with all your charmin
schoolma ans and their wonderful sup
Div OF superior knowledge? II we clos
the schools those pretty dears can
get any maximum" salaries any more
r and one liberal legislature must appro
e pirate money for their wedding gowns
Q The school law is tangle OF re-
q tape; but as all the laws seem to b
made for the benefit OF lawyers, we oil
r "corntassels" must listen with admirin
>. wonder to the wisdom Of the moder
II OLE O. LIEN.
III Marshalltown.