Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-08-13
PLEASURE 10 FLY.

| What have the American cities 10
show for increasing Their per capita
| expenses one-third in ten years? Have
/ they better fire protection, better po-
! lice protection healthier communities,
/ fewer tenements and slums and pow
| erty fats. better pubic service. better
equipped men and women, less vice
and crime and a generally higher
standard OF living? Thats the test
of municipal government. When ap-
piled. does the Increase OF one-thiro
! in the per capita expense seem Justi-
/ fed? Or is every man. woman ana
child in our cities paying one-th:ra
! more than they did ten years ago IN
! order 10 furnish gewgaws and fuo-
dubs and keep an ever Increasing army
! of politicians IN soft jobs Sioux Ut!
Tribune.
! Ii is g pleasure to answer most of
those questions. Yes every city in the
United States has better fire protection.
The smaller cities have better fire pro-
ection even than the larger ones. Paid
apartments in nearly all the minor
lies equipped with chemical fire ap-
aratus carried to the outbreak in auto
wagons at high speed practically rem
der the smaller cities immune for
disastrous conaagrations and reduce
individual losses 10 e minimum.
Communities are healthier. The
question answers itself. Epidemics
that were common g few years ago are
practically unknown. Water supplies
have been purified. Science has taken
hold. The public conscience is work
ing. Pure food laws, individual un-
derstanding of health rules have made
healthier communities.
Men are better equipped. There is
less vice and crime and especially OF.
public and protected vice. There are
fewer saloons. The whitechapels and
bucktowns once adjuncts Of all Iowa
cities have been cleaned out. Sioux
Ci.v's once Infamous street and sec
ton have been If not reformed. modt-
fed. There is a generally higher stand
ard Of living. There are more skilled
workmen. more specialists in every
line The latest ten years has seen a
larger moral and mental and political
and ethical growth than the previous
half century.
Municipal government IS better
Those who are the municipalities are
giving more attention 70 their own
cities. The word politics" is taking
on a new definition. The sense Of re-
sponsibiliry Of the individual citizen to-
ward his town has grown, is growing
and becoming potential. There has
been a decrease Of ward politicians
! and a vast decrease OF their influence.
Soft Jobs remain. petty politics exist
knaves and fools are sometimes elected
! to Office but city government, and ma
tional government and state govern
ment Is better. Nobody who lives and
observes and thinks questions 1t.
! 1t needs but a glance OYER the past
! ten years. simple review of conditions
1 in Iowa cities to answer the Tri5une's
questions. Yes. We have much to
show for the expenditure OF the past
! decade, more than any other has ever
shown. We are better communities.
better equipped men and women, there
| are fewer Sums and less open vice and
/, follows that if public vice has less
/ ened private vice has decreased. There
are vastly fewer saloons. brothels.
gaming houses, vicious resorts of all
F.. characters.
Trot about Sioux City. II is stated
by those who have long been familiar
with conditions in that thrifty town
that it is one of the bright and shining
examples of the growth of the reform
spirit Let the Tribune answer its
own questions applying them to it's
own city.