Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-01-17
ME AND MY DOG"

I'VE can not have great deal OK
sympathy with the Rowley movement.
but, at the same time We do not want
TO approve the methods by which the
things that Rowley complains OF were
done. nor with the thing that was done
itself. The purchase by the state OF
such a vast tract OF ground IN the
heart Of a city Is a useless expense Oh
improving ii and maintaining 1t VIII De
constantly growing into the many mil.
lians-miilions that we believe woulo
have been better bestowed upon the
institution at Ames which Is doins
something to increase the production
of our farms."-Cedar Rapids Repubii-
can.
Thus writes the editor of the Cedar
Rapids Republican and the only way 10
answer such an argument Is by max
ing direct application OF II. anu
leaving Dis Moines and the capital ex-
tension out OF the story. what wouio
the same line of argument do for Cedar
Rapids.
Cedar Rapids condemned an island
in the Cedar river lying right in the
heart OF the city for the purpose OF
erecting thereon fine city hall. Why
all this waste Of the peoples money for
a site on which to spend several hun
dred thousand dollars for building
when the city officials could have rent
ed fine office rooms in some business
block at less than the interest cost on
a new city hall and site?
Cedar Rapids also built fine cement
bridge across the river. touching the
island. and it Is said to be the longest
bridge Of its kind in the state. We do
not know the exact cost OF the bridge
blu; have been told it runs well over
500. 900. Now why didn't the city build
another steel bridge, similar to the one
Just north of the cement bridge, and
thus save a good many thousand dol
lars? Why this waste Of money for a
little beauty?
Again Cedar Rapids has a whole
block, right Sin the heart of the city
which is given over to park purposes.
Why doesn't the city sell this tract
opposite the union depot for business
lots and thus save the cost Of moving
the grass, the cost OF flowers. and the
interest lost on the value of the prop
erty?
The real epitome OF the matter, how
ever. 80 far as Cedar Rapids is con-
cerned, lies in that city's desire to
have Lynn county spend all the way
from several hundred thousand to half
a million dollars for a new court house.
the same to be moved from Marion to
Cedar Rapids, of course. Linn county
has an old building at Marion which
the Cedar Rapids paper calls a disgrace
to the county. Undoubtedly 1T is all OF
that, but why so to the waste OF money
for a new court house located on some
expensive tract Of ground in the heart
Of Cedar Rapids? Why doesn't the
editor of the Republican advocate that
the money be used to build a county
high school where the work being done
at Ames can be brought right home
to the farmers. their wives and chill.
dren. of Linn county?
II it Is a waste Of money and an UNI
warranted extravaganza for the state
OF Iowa, having about two and quar-
ter million Seople. to spend less than
100000 to beautify and enlarge the
capitol grounds at Des Moines, surely
1t Is q much greater waste of funds for
Cedar Rapids to ask the $4,000 citizens
Of Linn county to give that burg q
$500. 600 court house and proper set
tings. And mind you this. whereas
the capitol extension movement was
voted to Des Moines by the repre-
sentatives OF the people Of Iowa,
a new court house for Linn county
Is recognized down there as being
project that originated in the minds
OF Cedar Rapids people and is being
pushed by Cedar Rapids men and news
papers. It's the difference between q
free will Offering and one that has been
solicited.
We are not raising this question
for the sake of argument because
we hope Linn county gets a new
court house just as we are glad the
capitol grounds are being improved.
We merely want to emphasize the
fact that. II the money to be spent on
capitol extension would be given to q
better purpose II given to Ames. then