Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-12-19
rBv Ora williams..I

| tBy Ora WliuarnS..J
Three weeks from next Monday the
| legislature will meet and the next day
the vote will be counted, the governor
be inaugurated and the wheels of iegis-
| lation will be set IN motion. Two years
ago when Governor Clarke was IN
Quoted into office he said:
The thought which seems to UNDER
| lie practically all present day politi-
cal discussion is the thought OF the
good of ALL
Further in his address on that oc-
casion he said:
we have reached the point. think
| brought about by. present day condi-
lions. when we realize that there never
can be a contented people where there
is inequality. of rights or opportunity
or where the work or occupation OF
man or set OF men Us ! beset with
hazards that they must bear alone that
a common good may be enjoyed.
After rather full and decidedly In.
teresting discussion OF the doctrine OF
collectivism as applied to all pubic
affairs. the governor laid out program
for legislative work OF his administra-
ton including the following:
workman's compensation law
Iowa. in lire with the most enlight-
ened thought should make the hest
solution possible at this time of this
question"
4 public utilities hill The state
should add her strength to the weak
and bring about equality" he said.
He favored any good measure that
would make a g art III this direction.
Good roads NO state can longer all
low herself to be Handicapped By mud"
he said. The economic waste is
enormous. Not IN the future can there
be such a thing as g really great up
io-date state without good permanent
roads
Reform in county management. The
coun'y and the state as well are en-
titled 20 have their business along the
lines OF up to- date methods and such
aG have been demonstrated in the bust
ness world as absolutely essential to
success"
Election reform by making it Illegal
to make any promise of office or other
thing by a candidate.
A shorter ballot for the primary and
larger number OF officials made ap-
pointive.
An extensive program Of be;terment
nf the whole educational system.
Aboliation OF office of school
treasurer.
Reorganization OF the state board Of
heath and Strengthening the health
system.
More aid in the agh, against hog
cholera
Prison reform, the penal farm. pay
ment of wages to convicts.
Presidential preference primary.
Submission to the voters of the
state Of the question of equal votes FOR
women
Reform Of court procedure.
Reform in me;hods of getting at the
proper assessment and taxation OF
property.
Enactment OF q .blnesky law.
Enlargement of the capitol grounds.
Attention of agricultural interests.
the weed law. aid TO dairying, etc.
Aid for manuta curing industries.
AS TO majority Of these things the
program as outlined by the governor
was entered upon fairly and honestly
and in not a single instance was there
! partisanehip considered or any division
on partisan lines The governor coun.
seled with leaders on every important
bill and made no distinction as be-
tween members OF his own and the
| minority party. The utilities bill
failed because special interests got into
! the game and decreed that unless they
got what they wanted there should be
nothing. and the bills were all defeated.
Steps We're taken toward better roads.
county government reform. a shorter
ballot, interest on School money, board
Of health reorganized. a serum plant.
a penal farm, a preference primary,
woman suffrage, a bluesky law, en-
largement of capitol grounds. In fact,
| it is doubtful if any governor ever had
| such a large part Of his announced
program entered upon. Vow what VIII
the governor recommend in his first
message to the legislature? 1t is safe
to say It will contain no innovations.
1t will be what might be called con-
servatively progressive or progressively
conservative. But he will undoubtedly
recommend amendments to some OF
the enactments Of the last legislature.
as shown necessary by experience. He
will probably urge again a utilities
commission to protect the interest OF
the people. He will again urge that
the railroad commission be made ap-
pointiye. He probably will urge some
amendments to the primary laws
especially as to judicial positions. He
will urge home rule for cities. He will
continue his efforts on behalf Of max
Ing the prison and penal system OF
Iowa as nearly perfect as possible. II
may be that he will urge strongly that
there be some reforms in methods OF
legislation and In the manner of max
ing appropriations and "a revision OF
the financial system Of the state. A,
any rate it may be anticipated he will
cover a great many things which ex-
perience has shown to be needed.
The legislative program. it may BIZ
anticipated. will be largely in the
nature Of finishing up process. En-.
tirely new subjects will not be much
in favor A good start has been made
on many things but there is need OF
completing the work.
One Of the big features OF the pro.