Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-09-13
OLD MAN DAWSON.


| Old Man Dawson GA. II. Dawson
secretary of the executive counciD Is
undoubtedly the most cordially disliked
old crank in the state of Iowa. He is
the goat for the entire state admins
tration. He receives all the blame. the
cussing and the censure for the entire
state government. The strange thing
about it is that he likes il. Dawson
is always happiest when nigh state of
ticials, members of the supreme court
boards and bureaus tell him to his facs
that they will get him and see that he
does not get another chance at the Of
flee he has held for so many years.
How he remains in office nobody
knows. Every time there is an cleo
ton to the office all members of the
executive council declare in advance
they will never vote for Dawson. After
the vote is taken each declares that
the old crank was not elected by his
vote. Dawson keeps the record and
The votes for secretary are never pub
lished. Dawson just holds on and
ETins. He is a ear and hangs TO the
office regardless of the statement OF
the members that they did not vote for
him Yet nobody has the nerve 10
start custer proceedings.
Dawson passes on ali bills presented
TO the state for payment, issues sup
plies. superintends the printing and
binding of books and has general
charge of the detail affairs of state. He
relieves the members of the executive
council of turning down propositions
which they have not the heart to turn
down. They put the problems up to
Dawson. If Dawson is unable to find
q Law for allowing the privilege he
turns them down. He has turned
down the requests of members of the
supreme court and has won his points
when the questions were submitted to
the full court for decision. He obs serves
the order of the attorney general when
that order is accompanied by an Off
cial opinion, but the order of the attor-
ney general is not worth any more
than the order of an ordinary individ-
ual when Old Man Dawson says that
the law will not permit. He checks up
everything sysi-Inat :caiiy and Nhere
he has a chance to cut expenditures OF
any and every kind he cuts them with
a cold disregard of feelings and re-
gardiess of whose friends they are or
what office they emanate from. He
keep an eye on members of the legis
lature TO prevent them from running
off with the furniture, codes. waste pa
per baskets and cut glass ink stands.
When member OF the legislature at
tempts to draw more stationery and
supplies than is permitted by the laws
or resolutions passed by the members
themselves ne heads them off.
Complaints by the hundreds made
by legislators. state officers, clerks.
boards. bureaus. commissioners and
janitors are filed with the executive
because Of Davson's high
handed method of doing business. The
members of the executive council al
ways promise to see that Dawson
never gets another term and yet Dayi-
son hangs on. He makes a very ac-
ceptable goat FOR the state govern
ment.
Dawson says that he will allow any
body to take the gold from the dome OF
the state house, If a law can be found
TO grant the privilege. but so long as
there is no law giving such privilege
he proposes TO see that the gold stays
in its place.
People who are sore at Dawson
never publish the cause Of their griev-
ancc.