Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-04-08
STATE EXAMINER OF CITY Ac-
COUNTS POINTS WAY CITIES
LOSING SALOONS.
orruMvvA GOOD EXAMPLE
OF NEW CONDITIONS
Examiner M. f. Cox Says PROPOSE
ton i. Simple One of Adoption OF
Business NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OF Rails
ina More Revenue or of Cutting
Down Expenses.

which has been without saloons for
four years, is held up as an example
of what a city may do TO build up its
revenues without the saloon license
by NJ. f. Cox, municipal examiner for
the state auditor, who is in Cedar Rap
ids preparatory to beginning the annuai
examination of the cityS books, winch
will be begun next month.
When the saloons were knocked out
at Ottumwa on Jan. l, 1911, the city
had outstanding warrants amounting
to more than $4,000. Its treasury
practically bankrupt and 1t was neces-
sary to take up a collection of sl5,ooo
to clean the Streets" Mr.. Cox en-
phasized. ION the first day OF Janu-
airy, 1915, there was about SSo,ooO IN
the treasury and the levy had been re-
duced from forty-six and a half mills
to forty-two mills.
How was it done? You wonder
Proposition Simple One.
THE process was simple one. The
force that was strong enough to drive
out the saloon was strong enough 10
put business men in Office VINO con-
Quoted the city on business methcds.
When there were saloons in Ottumwa.
If was necessary to maintain a police
department of twenty-five men. When
the saloons We're wiped out the police
| force was Immediately reduced 10 SIX
men, and while l do not happen to
| have the figures to show the number
! of arrests made under wet times as
compared with dry times six poilce-
men certainly have been sufficient to
handle the criminal business Of the
| city.
Il have visited a number Of cities
| in Iowa since the legislature sounded
the death kuell Of the saloons anc in
every one l found the people looking
at the matter from a strictly business
viewpoint and they are satisfied they
will be able to meet the new condition.
| They know that retrenchment will be
| necessary and the officials are pre-
pairing to retrench in every way pos
| sible I have cited the case OF Ottum-
wa to show what may be done in other
cities, because if one city is able to
accomplish so much there is no reason
why others should not.
Must Try Out Plan.
1t is simply a question Of obtaining
more revenue or reducing expenses and
both methods doubtless will be trieo
before a plan is worked out Some cit
les are considering the advisabillty OF
licensing all businesses and that ma!
be a good way SO long as the license
is kept at a figure which will not be
burden on the merchant. Davenport 10!
many years has collected a tax from
every class Of business and other cities
may be able to follow her lead.
Between the saloon town and the
dry town there has arisen a condition
which l am unable to explain. Withou'
mentioning the names of the towns
will cite two college towns in Iowa, one
of which is dry and the other wet. The
dry city has paved streets and more
of them, and business in general ap'
pears to be better than in the wet city
yet the wet city collects a considerable
revenue from her saloons and thi
money is supposed to be spent by tn
city for betterments. Both towns arr
about the same size, yet their condi
tons are not to be compared.
Get on Business Basis.
I'm my opinion, If the cities will Gu
down their expenses and get down t.
a business basis there is no question
but that they will be able to get alon
better without the saloons than wit
| 'N>
There is a great deal of waste in al
cities which could and should be elm
/ mated, and it appears to be the dispo
sition of the officials in the cities
have recently visited to do this. An
they must do this If they expect to ge
along. Cities must be conducted a
| sooner or later cities will elect bust
ness men to conduct their affairs.
Mr.. Cox did not apply the foregoin
| quotation to Cedar Rapids but he wa
| speaking of cities in general. Whe
| asked if he had any suggestion to OF
| fer as to how Cedar Rapids Nigh
make the yarn fit the stocking his re
ply was to knit the stocking smaller.
! Iowa Cities Fare Well.
The examiner has visited a numhe
of cities since the beginning of tn
. year, inspecting their finances and h
. says he has found all in good condition
He believe sthe state is recoverin
from the business depression Whic
struck it the latter part of last yea
and he points to the. crowded condi
ton of hotels as the best evidence {
returning prosperity.