The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1914-01-15
MIR. ROWLEY MAKES STATE
MENT.


ing an issue of the capitol extension
matter, makes the following state
ment in the last issue of his paper,
the Keosauqua Republican regarding
his candidacy:
Had the supreme court sustained
Mr.. Rowleys contention that the 81
100000 appropriation by the last
legislature should have been submit
ted to vote of the people, he would
not have been a candidate. Mr.
Rowley's contention was not against
the right of the legislature to appro-
pirate 100000 to purchase Sc
acres or more of ground, covered with
buildings, to convert into a park. or
to appropriate ten times $2.0oo.oOO,
or enough to purchase the whole city
of Des Moines, provided it was sub
mitted to the people for their APPROX
al at a general election, as the constI-
ton directs. This was not done; the
people who have to pay the bill We're
designedly ignored; they were not
consulted. The governor and the
other three members of the executive
council went into an appea! against
the people who had voted them into
Office, and the supreme court sustain
ed the contention of these gentlemen
by a decision that holds that legis-
lature may, without any considera-
tion of the electors of the state, APP
propriate fifty million dollars, a hun
dred million, or an amount that
would bankrupt every property hold
er in the state. And already the
members of this council who usurped
the rights of the people and refused
to permit them to vote as to whether
or not they be compelled to pay the
two million dollar graft, are prepar-
ing to ask the voters whom they
scorned, to return them to the official
positions they now hold.
Mr.. Rowley does not believe the
fathers who voted the organic law
into being, which is the political
Bible of the state. lied, when they
said to legislators, you can obligate
the people thus far, but if you go
beyond the limit we have fixed. the
people must be consulted.
The result OF his contention against
the usurpation of the peoples rights
by the powers that be- Quartered
under the dome of the capitol at Des
Moines, has forced Mr.. Rowley's can
nored may express their desires at
the next election, and he submits the
following cas- suggestive of the main
points on which he shall base his
campaign:
That the capitol ground extension
act is the product of a conspiracy.
That the extension grounds bill in
troduced and passed by the legisla-
ture, is a bastard. having no known
parentage.
Of the hundreds of bills introduce
ed, this is the only one railroaded
through in one day.
That the gentlemen credited by
Des Moines papers SO largely instru-
mental in getting passengers aboard
No. $50 Extension Special Train" of
April S, was given free junket to
Europe, while the conductor in charge
of this legislative train during its
railroad record breaking run over
the first division, calling in success
sion the stations. Take Up The Bill,
Suspend The Rules" Reconsider
And Lay On The Table, was appoint
ed member of the Board of Control.
That the act of the state executive
council in stepping out Of its sphere
as an equalization board OF assess
ments as returned by counties, and
doing what an executive council has
never done before, viz; constitute it
self an assessing board and raising
the valuation Of real property 40 per
cent over the state, is simply a sup
plement of the capitol extension act,
this 40 per cent increase, as intended,
giving the capitol grounds fund near
ly half million dollars more for the
first two years than it otherwise
would have had. Hence had there
been no capitol ground extension act
property holders of Iowa would not
have had to pay one third more taxes
this year than ever before.
Mr.. Rowley urges the election of
a legislature and an executive coun-
ell favoring the repeal of the capitol
grounds extension law and selling
every dollars worth of ground bought
in excess of the $250.000 limit
authorized in Article Seven of the
constitution. To this end he urges
that all candidates for legislative Of
fees be required to define their po
sition in this matter previous to the
primaries, and that county conven-
tons pass resolutions for the repeal
of the law and selling Of grounds as
herein set forth.
4 He favors a careful review of the
much complicated road law by the
next legislature, looking to it's i'm
provement by needed amendments
and repeats Of objectional sections.
He favors the preservation and
utilization of the waterways and
lakes of the state-a gift which ma
ture has blessed Iowa with and which
our people should greatly appreciate.
He favors a thorough review of
all laws of the state by the next
general assembly. so far as can be
done during the session, looking to
amending and repeating faulty legis-
lative acts.
He favors the referendum and its
enactment into the constitution of the
state. He believes in the recall at
the primaries and at the general
election of all officials who disregard
the rights of the people and are not
faithful to their official duties.
2 The creation of nearly $50 new Of
6ces by the last legislature, Gas many
per11apS as has been created, all told,