Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-12-26
IBy Ora williams.1

| Des Moines, Dec. 26.--Those peopls
who read legislative reports chieny
| for the purpose of catching glimpses
of the political currents. If any there
be of this kind. are again doomed 10
disappointing the next Few Weeks
unless all signs are deceptive. Pres
ent prospect is that the legislature VIII
be overwhelmed with business that is
not at all political in nature-strictiv
business. The big problem of the
legislature is that of finances. The ex-
penses of the state have been increas-
ing. That is true of every state II Is
true of the United states. 1t is true
of the counties and cities and schcoi
districts The upward tendency In eX-
penses has been known and noted d
long time. 1t is nonpartisan. 1t Is a
result of changing conditions of life and
civilization and the increasing demands
for the larger activities of government
But whatever the cause there is gong
to be demand for more revenue 10 De
derived from some source, and TINS IS
the one big problem ahead of the legis-
lature. The proposed amendment 10
the constitution to permit OF the state
getting all the taxes from railroads ana
iects incidental to this larger one.
Bills for additional fees and increased
taxes on various business will be pre-
sented. on the other hand, there viii
he r,uch hard work done in deciding
how to use the money, as between the
clanors for all sorts of expenditures
60 If the business of the session Is at
tended 10 there will be little time Tor
politics.
Unless the legislature itself stirs
things no there will be little of par
tisan politics at Des Moines the coming
wear. An erroneous impression mas
been created that Des Moines, or more
specifically the state house. is CEN
,er of political intrigue, and that 1t
continues more or less the year round.
Nothing of the sort 1t is rare that
there is any political discussion go
ing on in the offices at the state house.
state OFFICIALS are busy with their
work. some persons. however. seem
In AXE delight in trying TO start
something politically. or to compel a
ouarrel over some political matter, re-
gardless of the serenity OF all con-
cerne3
since the allied temperance orsanlZa-
tons presented TO Lieutenant Governor
Harding a list Of mem ers Of the house
and senate acceptable TO them for
majority of the temperance ana
amendment committees Of the Two
houses. there has been good deal OF
correspondence between them over the
matter. but no result has been reached.
The temperance people are holding fast
to the idea that all they will do is TO
present the names Of known dry lead
ers and ask that they be placed in ma
jority on both committees. No alterna-
tiyes will be mentioned But as mat
ter OF fact, as everyone knows, there
is no committee of either senate or
house that can smother any measure
unless with the approval Of the house
/ to which 1t is responsible. 1t is pos
| sible for either house or senate at any
! time to recell a bill from committee OF
! to order a report and the committee
! can not do otherwise. So the matter OF
/ the personnel of committees has been
much over-estimated.
The amount of money involved is
the mistakes. errors and discrepancie
| dealt with by the county accounting
department Of the state the past year
and half approximates 100000. In
! other words this department has shown
the counties Ntare they have lost that