Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-06-07
GATHERED IN THE sywAYs.
sBy Ora Williams.]

Is Oh the opinion, without having gone
very deeply into the legal phase OF the
question that the efficiency engineers
or expert accountants who are IN the
employ OF the retrenchment and reform
committee of the Thirty-f1fth general
assembly, exceed their authority When
they, for themselves or for the commit
tee, undertake any administrative or
executive function. If they make any
| recommendations that is all right, for
any citizen can recomemnd or petition
or suggest or give information; but
when they undertake to say to an
elective state official that he shall do or
not do certain things in his office. or
how he shall file his papers or how
much he shall pay for pencils or that
the towels shall be washed by laundry
and not by needy woman. that Is get
ting outside Of the rightful powers OF
| legislators or their agents. Very ike
ly. however. it will never be necessary
for anyone to decide the matter formal
ly. The state officials are Just as de-
sirous of having state work done well
and economically as any others can
possibly be: so any suggestion for pct
terment Will be welcomed,
There is a clause of the state const-
tuition somewhere which says:
The powers of the government OF
Iowa shall be divided into three sep
arate departments: The legislative. the
executive and the judicial: and no per-
son charged with the exercise of pow :
ers properly belonging to one of these
departments shall exercise any func-
ton appertaining TO either OF Inc
others. except IN cases hereinafter eA-
pressly directed or permitted,
Then there is provision as to the
duties Of the governor
He shall transact all executive busi-
ness with the officers of government,
civil and military. and may require in
formation in writing from the officers
of the executive department upon any
subject relating to the duties of their
respective Offices. He shall take care
that the laws are faithfully executed, y
Some years ago. and It was when
Clarke was member of the house. the
legislature, at the earnest insistence OF
some people in Sioux City DESTROYS OF
reform. passed bill TO provide that
the municipality owned water works
system be turned over to board OF
directors or trustees appointed by the
judges of court in the Fourth district.
That looked like a good way to get the
water works out of the hands OF city
hall politicians The trustees were
named. The courts did the rest.
In 1902 the Sioux City water works
case was ground thru the supreme court
with the result that il was held that
the district court could not be clothed
with the authority to appoint executive
officers and that the bill was in clear
violation of the clause of the consti-
tuition quoted first above because it
undertook to provide that some persons
charged with the exercise Of powers
properly belonging to one Of the de-
partments Of state should exercise a
function appertaining to another.
Let us adhere to the traditions and
history of the past wrote Justice
Deemer in this decision which is a
classic. "let the judge be supreme in his
field. the legislators in his, and the
executive remain where the constitution
placed him let the three coordinate
de partmen,s of government be pre-
served intact, let neither trench upon
the other, and our liberties viii be pre-
served. and our rights duly maintained
I Until Justice Deemer leaves the Iowa
supreme bench there win be no ming
ling of the functions of government or
com bining them or any TWO Of them
in any one person.
The retrenchment and reform COM
n1ittee is wholly without power.
Senator Francis has no, attended any
of the meetings o. the committee on
! c-i. no
legislature adjourned.
From republican tandpoint the
talk of having Frank P Woods OF Iowa
made Chairman of the republican ma
tionai congressional committee is very
| gratifying. Those who know assert
there is no better politician in the
country than Congressman Woods. He
! is resourceful and active. he strikes
early and effectively, he is aggressive
1 but he is peacemaker. he stands Tor
definite principles but he has due re-
gard for the views of others who differ
! from him He il a progressive but he
/ has always maintained friendly re,a
! tons with all persons. He successfully
managed the republican campaign II,
| Iowa at the time Of the big bolt when,
| SO II is claimed, $4,000 republicans
| bolted and went over to the democrats:
| but Woods saved the day His friends
believe tina, If he had been selected
| chairman Of the congressional commit
/ tee the last time there would have been
a republican house. Woods was called
into consultation with Taft and Sher-
man AT the outset Of their adninistra
ton to consult. as representative
! progressive aD,,u. Z: tariff cac.pa ign,
| and the then president agreed upon Il
program. in writing, which If 1t had
(! been followed would have assured sue
cess OF the administration and his re-
election If Woods is made chairman
of the national congressional commit
| tee it will mean that the fight OF l9l
| will start right away in every state.
| Joseph Byrne, who has been during
all of his term deputy under State
Auditor Bleakly. is being strongly
urged to make the race for the repub-
lican nomination for state auditor next
year. Mr. Byrne is most capable
state official and has done his fair
share to maintain the high standing OF
all the executive departments OF the
state government SO that 1t can now be
fairly said that Iowa has the best and
most economical management OF state
affairs in the country. Mf. byfne IL
popular with all who have had to deal
C.