Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1915-01-22
$4,000; addition to building for O.

dairy barn, $4,000; improvement OF
sewage disposal plant, $1,4OO; equip.
ment, furniture and furnishings, 81.
900; books and periodicals, $3.50; lee.
lures and amusements, 5000; con.
tingent and repair, $4,000.
Ends Long Service.
After service of nearly nineteen
years as railroad commissioner OF
Iowa, Colonel David ]. Palmer retired
from official life at the beginning OF
the year. 1t was in 1896 that Colonel
Palmer who was then serving in the
state senate, as the member from
Washington county, was appointed to
the state railroad commission by Gov
ernor Leslie NJ. Shaw. Term after
term following that appointment he
has been renominated and reelected
Last year he declined to be candidate
for another term. At the annual en-.
campment of the National G. A. r. at
Detroit last fall he was elected to the
post of department commander and is
now devoting his entire time to the
duties of that position. Colonel
fee of the railroad commission a
splendid record of good service for
the state, and he retires to private life
with the admiration and respect Of
everyone. He is succeeded on the
commission by James H. Wilson, of
MEMO who is entering upon the duties
of the office determined to keep up
the good record of his predecessor.
Fight Over State Printer.
In spite of the fact that the com.
mittee on retrenchment and reform in
their report declared against the
adjustment of the Offices of state
printer and state binder, it seems GER
tain that the matter is to come before
the assembly again for settlement.
The fight against these offices this
year is led by James M. Pierce. editor
of the Iowa Homestead. Mr.. Pierce
has issued circular letter addressed
to the members of the legislature and
to state officials and employees in
which he declares that the manner In
which the present state binding and
printing are handled is nothing more
nor less in some respects, than a steal
from the state treasury" Mr.. Pierce
declares the state could save money
by having its printing and binding
done by contract, and that great deal
of time could be saved in having the
work turned out more promptly than
is possible at present. In contrast
with this claim of Mr.. Pierce, the at
torneys of the state are asking the
legislature to provide that the su-
preme court reports, now printed I'M
der contract, be taken from the con-
tractor and placed in the hands of the
state printer so as to assure more
prompt delivery.
Capitol Extension Cost.
That there will be no backward step
on the matter of capitol extension has
been made plain by the leading mem
bers of both houses Of the general as
sembly. The threat that has been
made by foes of the plan during the
past two years that the whole act
would be repealed by the 36th General
Assembly and an order issued to re-
sell the purchased property. has found
no sponsor among the membership of
the legislature. The work of pur-
chasing the additional land for capitol
has been practically
completed by the executive council.
In fact Of all the blocks and lots in
cluded IN the proposed purchase only
three or four lots, and these Of resi-
dence property. remain to be contract
ed for. The total cost of the project
to the state. including an estimate Of
the probable cost Of the lots yet re-
to be contracted for. and the
accumulated and to accumu-
late ON the warrants outstanding is
figured by the executive council as
81 ,O37, 1O2.79. To this is to be added
the cost Of the condemnation jury
convened to determine what
. few certain pieces of real estate
should sell at, amounting to 3297.5O,
and the cost OF warrants drawn for the
payment of insurance on certain parts
of the property, $3.50. These amounts
will bring the total outlay for the state |
to $1,O37, 1885. OF this the state has
already actually paid out for pur-
chased property $915,219.79 and has
for other property amount
Ing to $7O,65O. The interest on out
warrants is figured rs
in total to $51. 1888. The ex-
penditure. of the amounts given here
with, has been made on statements ex-
ecuted by the governor and secretary
Of the executive council, as the ex-
act provides, while claims al
lowed by the executive council for
labor, insurance and 4 few
items have been
to the capitol grounds &C.
count. !
Looking 10 1916 Primary.
1t IL littl eearly for candidates for |
The republican nomination for COVER
nor two years from now to place |
themselves in the lists. But this |
natural bashfulness on the part of
several would be executives, while 1t |