Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1914-10-30
Ing them power to lease. remove and
sell buildings and to plat and sell
Governor Square.


ity that would make a real estate
agents mouth water, and l am in
formed the Executive Council have
sub-let the job to Des Mones real
estate agents. No one suspects that
the Executive Council would specu-
late on this stupendous deal, but why
place temptation before the most hon
orable? Especially after Governor
Clarke and the Executive Council leas-
ed Wall Lake in Wright county to F..
| r. Austin son-in.law of member
Of the Executive Council, for twenty.
five years without consideration Of
value; one OF the most fragrant and
unprecedented proceedings ever ex.
posed by the people and recinded by
order OF the attorney general on ac'
count of its Illegally and savoring
of peculation. was informed by real
estate dealers in Des Moines that
! much OF this property is being bought
by the state at prices far in excess
OF what it could have been secured
for before this law was passed. Not
withstanding the claims of the Gov
ernor and his friends, that the prop
erty being purchased could be sold
at profit, am clearly of the opin-
ion that after the demolition and
removal of the buildings, it could
not be sold, including the real estate
and what is realized from salvage and
buildings, at fifty cents on the dollar
paid by the state, and all this talk
OF the governor and his friends that
this vast park" can be sold at
profit is rotten stall stuff, subtle and
unwarranted by the facts, to divert
and deceive the taxpayers OF Iowa.
am informed that the executive
council through their rea! estate
agents, paid $4,000 for one church
and $4,000 for another which after
removal or demolition both would not
bring one-fourth what the state will
pay for them real estate owner
told that many properties are being
bought by the agent Of the executive
council at double the price asked by
owners prior to the passage OF the
Capitol Extension bill, and think an
investigation would create an unsav.
DRY "scandalun magnatum," which
would smell to heaven.
The Veto Power.
The kingly veto power is vested in
the governor, and do not believe
anyone OF the former governors OF
Iowa from Dodge down to Carroll
would have signed the Capitol Exten-
sion Bill" railroaded as 1t was
+hro,gh <ha osth Eonoro, Aecopb1y
without the knowledge or approval OF
the people; but would have vetoed it
as "hasty, ill-advised and vicious legis.
lation," and, knowing as he did. the
methods employed in its passage.
many citizens will. no doubt. wonder
why Governor Clarke failed to veto
it. Would the Old War Governor
Kirkwood, the late Governor LARA
bee. or even Governor Cummins have
signed the Capitol Appropriation
Bill as passed by the 35th General
Assembly? do not believe for
moment that they would: but would
have promptly vetoed it. And Govern
or Clarke was recreant to his duty as
governor, knowing as he did just how
~ rushed through the Assembly. and
he was untrue to the people. when he
failed to veto IT,
Will Cost Millions and, IS Wears e.
Finish.
It IL estimated that II will require
Is years to complete the Capitol Elk.
tension as planned and II will cost
ave millions. and the upkeep Of this
park will cost from is to 20 thousand
dollars per annum to the taxpayers
OF Iowa II costs Des Moines about
100000 per annum to care for her
parks, and the Capitol Extension will
be more expensive and cannot cost
less than $4,000 per annum to keep
all drives, flower beds, monuments.
etc. And yet this immense cost Of
purchase. fitting and upkeep running
into millions. was rushed through the
35th General Assembly in one day
without amendment or discussion, and
did not consume four hours time in
both house and senate Oh April 8,
1913. and not one taxpayer in ten
thousand had ever seen or read the
bill or ever heard OF II as IT passed
but while the hands Of labor were
busy. on the sth of April. 1913. this
| stupendous burden was placed on
| farms, crops live stock and al, tax
able property, placing blanket mort
gage for millions on every farm and
home in Iowa. and blanket chattel
mortgage on all personal property,
tangible and intangible: on al! live
stock Of all kinds, together with all
their increase for the next decade.
| which mortgages are first lien,
prior to all other membranes.
Oes Moines Not Responsible.
Gels Botsford. secretary OF the
Chamber Of Commerce. of Des Moines,
| addressed a letter to John T. Hamil-
| ton. Democratic candidate for govern
OF. on Oct 8. 1914, that the Capito;
Extension was never even talked By
| the members of the exchange or its