Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-09-02

Entered as second class matter
October II, 1905, 1t, the postoftce, OF
tImwa, Iowa, under the Act OF Con-
ersos a March :, 1871
FNerdm representatives: Conc, kor.
ensrn Z Woodman. Mallers Building.
ChScaSt ~ SIS Fifth Ave-. New YORK
Citys q nlbol Bldg. Kansas City. ma
4 -Ne,.
WHY?
After two district judges Of highest
fepute In judicial circles in Iowa have
ruled that in whole or in part the capt.
toll grounds extension bill is, invalid,
still the administration seems bent on
putting the project, through. But their
plan does not include the one way
which Is recognized by the constitution
and by the courts as the prOpN " man
ner Of procedure W..
THAT rs TO SUBMITLTHE CUES
TION TO THE TAXPAYERS OF THE
STATE,
Why Is II that the legislature and
the administration will not let the peo-
pie pass Judgment on the plan? Has
It come to pass that the voters IN Iowa
who elected these same officials to
Office, have not Judgment and 1ntelli-
gence enough to decide the question
with the ballot?, Are the people OF
the state So Ignorant that they DO not
know where and when to spend their
own money-the, taxes that are paid
into the state treasury
It would seem that there is but one
conclusion to draw from the whole
situation. The legislature and the ad-
ministration Is bent Oh improving the
capitol grounds by. the expenditure OF
from $4,000, 900 To- $4,000, 900, but they
are fearful that II the people are al
lowed to say whether or not this I'M
provement. shall take; place the plan
will be knocked III the head. The
constitution provides a way for raising
the needed money, >, The state cannot
lawfully contract q debt In excess OF
$3.50, 900 without securing the approval
Of those wso will be called upon to
pay 1t. This logical and legal way mas
been scorned and other methods tried.
Even now, Attorney General Cosson
is on record as having stated that the
improvements cam sti4 pc made assplans
ned by the Legislature. He says the
part of the law providing for anticipa-
ton Of the taxes BY interest bearing
certificates, can be ignored and the
levy can be allowed to- stand until
enough money is In the treasury to
permit of the necessary purchases and
improvements being made.
What Is the necessity OF tanning
this measure down the Threats of the
people?
what was the objection In the first
place to submitting this matter to the
vote OF the people?
Every member Of the legislature, re-
publican and democrat, was elected
at the end Of a campaign that made an
issue pf getting the government closer
to the people. That issue was popular
and men were elected because they
favored that kind of movement. If
there is any part of our state govern
ment In which tho people have right
to express their optn ion, have right
to demand that they be allowed to ex-
press their opinion, 1t certainly Is In
the matter of taxes for internal i'm
provementa,0h, tn3 ~t"t @EsG
We cannot understand the attitude
Of anyone, either public Official or
urivate citizen, who objects to sub
hitting to the people the opportunity
to vote on whether they want to make
a contract obligating them to pay a
sum amounting to practically $4,000
600. The taxpayer has to pay this no
matter whether the land is bought and
improvements made from year to year
or whether the whole sum Is antici-
pated and warrants issued by which
to raise the money. II the majority
of the people Of this state are in favor
Of making that expenditure, then by
all means let it be made, but give the
voters and taxpayers of the state an
opportunity to have their say about it.
This matter of taxes is one that
should have a great deal of serious at
tention. City councils, civic associa,
tions. commercial associations. the
greater committees of cities will at
their meetings, discuss ways and
means OF economical government and
how to hold down the tax levy and i'm.
mediately turn from that subject and
vote in favor of some proposition that
increases the taxes. There Is too little
attention paid to such Inconsistencies
both individually and collectively.
Court procedure OF an expensive
nature seems assured and the out
come Of II all is problenatical and not
at all sure for the state.
AND YET THE ADMINISTRATION
HAS NOT APPARENTLY CONSIDER.
ED ADOPTING THE PLAN PRO
VrDED BY THE WISE TRAINERS OF
THE CONSTITUTIONAL VOTE ON
THE MATTER BY TIE PEOPLE OF
THE STATE
PRACTICAL SCHOOL WORK.
Boys in the 1shpeming, Mich, high
school repair the school buildings for
pay, conduct cooperative school
farm for profit, and are about to erect
a gymnasium for their school In the
same business-like way they have
learned to do other things for them