Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-01-29
GOVERNOR REPLIES TO SENATE
DEMAND FOR GRAFT CHARGE
EXPLANATION
ANSWER BELIEVED TO
BE END OF CONTROVERSY
Governor Says He Repeated What He
Said to Legislature Six Years Ago
and Stands by His Declaration
Message Prepared Days Before Leg
Mature Convened.
ecial 70 Times Republican.

Special 10 Times Republican.
Des Mo!nes, Jan. %. Governor
George W. Clarke, in response TO a de-
mand from the state senate, came back
good and strong on the question OF en-
pIoyInent by the legislature OF more
extra help than needed and the ex-
penditure OF public money withou; due
regard 10 economy. Having referred to
the system which makes possible this
wastefulness IN message prepared
long before The presen. general assem-
bly, mat, and having quoted therein
what he had said years ago face 10
face with another assembly the
senate proceeded 70 force him to be
more specific. and accepting the chal-
lenge he came back today with state
ment which VIII end the discussion.
The governors statement IS:
Il am IN receipt o. your coulmu.i-
cation setting out IN full q resolution
.dopted by the senate in which il IS
said In view Of The fact that the gov
srnor has, IN his message 70 the joint
assembly, imputed graft TO this body,
that a committee be appointed for the
purpose OF investigating whaI fouada-
ion, il any. exists fer the said charge
and asking ne for facts and sugges-
ions that may assist you IN the in
vestigalon.
4 beg the privilege % saying first
OF all, that = seems 20 me that sena-
tors had not even read with any care
what I said
Said Six Years Ago.
What said as I stated. first said
six years ago az the opening OF the
Thi-ry-tttr5 general assembly when I
was president Of the senate and Il
~as printed IN the journal. The sena-
tor who introduced the resolution
above referred 70 was then a member
II the senate as were others who now
criticize. They offered no criticism OF
{ thar. 50 far IS Know. nor did any
ore except very few who thought not
enough was involved 70 De % conse-
suerce. I venture TO gay that not
senator a. thai time thought OF such
thing as Is now assumed aI-lo i was
spoken II the senate to the senate upon
us organization.
IL the present case tas message
was prepared. including this para
graph, several days before lie opening
Of the legislature, and therefore, was
,utirsly ;mpersonal and had no refer
ence a. ar 10 anything me senate OF
he Thirry-sLth had dore, because i
had not rhen done anything. was
simply laying down come very sound
principles Of administration for conssd-
GRAFTON.
Previously Considered.
Have senators really considered
what was said: y Is quite apparent
Aey have not Referring 70 an ex-
pendirUre OF $500 per day for extra
lelp, clerks. doo-1sepers, etc, said
some Of thss Is Absolutely essential,
bur much OF i IS pure ura5uIterate ed
graft What DO senators call -ae ex-
cess, The non essential thar ne state
pays for? What excuse what 5usu-
>icatior. csu they make for Il: They
mould say there may ce : difference Of
spinion as 20 the non essential, ou. Is
MY TIE excess vas referred 10, there
can De no criticism am nor 10 5e
understood IS even suggesting thu.
<11y senator would Justly going De-
vond needs. I am only suggesting ma;
. his haste. from whatever motive, he
has failed % consider what was ac-
'ually said. when the sddress vas pre-
pared, and that it only had reference 70
common, indefens3ble pracI5ce and
closed by saying the Thirty sixra
ought to organize along dltferen,
lines
Again, 7 said: Public money f.
taken from the people tor : pu5lic
purpose only and II IS intolerabIe tns;
1t should be Used for petty graft, d:
turned over even n small SUNS 10 per-
sons who have rendered 10 equtvalert
Of service in return Car senators
rsn anybody, hnd any just objection tc
that statement? Graft there - re-
ferred 70 az equivalent % turning owe,
money where there has been N
equivalent of service rendered for +.
Does anybody have such an idea .,
the use Of public fumes az 20 criticize
that statement? Il may BE calIet
graft or Il may be called by som.
other name, but the SEM. in whici
the word was used II the paragraph Il
plain and it was perfectly proper uge
If those positions and expenditures II
excess Of need had been referred to a
sinecures no one, perhaps would ha9t
thought Of criticism and yet 4 sinecur,
IS an office that has revenue witnou
employment
Stick on Word.
Permit me to most respectfully sug
drag 1t out OF it's relation, both as :,
time and place and utterly fall 70 con
slider the whole that wss said, and tina
it was said with reference to a sys,en
or an everywhere indefensible prac
tice Can any sentence Of what va
said be denied as to facts or results
Il suggest the foregoing because
think that in the very beginning O
your investigation you should deter
mine whether there was any groun
whatever for the grave charge mad
against the executive in the resolutio
and / suggest them because you as
me for such information. facts or sus
gestions as may assist in determinin
the real situation
Much seems to have been said
debate and in another resolution a bot
the old soldier. Why, | am sure, nc
body can tell, unless to create prejr
z dice. 1t does serve, however. to thro
light on the motive Of it all. Nobod
has said a word about the soldie
Might just as well have assumed gre
sympathy and expended ora.ory in b,
half Of the five times more numero,
young lady clerks But that wou
have Seen ridiculous; no more g
however than as it was. II doorkeel
ers and clerks are mentioned at Il