Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-01-30
AGAIN the GOVERNOR AND THE SENATE

Governor Clarke responded to the in
duiry of the senate which was in the
concise vernacular of the street.
Graft Whaddyemenn graft" In the
beginning he replies by asking ques-
ton. What. ne inquiries. does the
senate call the unnecessary part OF
the $500 a day which is being used to
pay extra help. doorkeepers, clerks
etc. The governor defines graft as he
used it as turning over money where
there has been no equivalent of service
rendered for it and admitting that it
may be given other names, defends
his use of the word as plain and per-
fectly proper. He suggests that sena-
tors stick 10 a word and drag it out
of its relation both as to time and
place and fail to consider that it was
said with reference to a system or an
everywhere indefensible practice.
Then he goes on to point out many
instances Of ''indefensible practice
such as five men in the cloak rooms TO
hang UP coats and hats of members.
He doesn't say that every one OF them
hangs up his own coat and hat at
home but he doesn't see any use sor
FIVE coat and hat hangers, doorkeepers
where none but occasional persons
pass and those employees or members
four doorkeepers for the galleries
where except on special occasions not
more than half dozen persons ap-
pear two committee clerks to hand
senator a bill from a shelp or pigeon
hole when ne calls for it, etc, etc.
/ The senate and the governor have
really nothing to quarrel over unless it
| be the word graft as it was used in
the fateful paragraph and since that
| is fairly explained as referring not
| to senators but % the continuation OF
an ndefensible system or practice
| there seems nothing to fuss over. In
| fact the row should never have been
started. Few senators were convinced
| that the graft expression was intended
to reflect upon the individual honesty
of members or of the senate as body.
| Those who explained it as meaning ex-
travagance went scarcely far enough
| What the governor meant by 1t was
| that money was being expended know
ingly for which no adequate service
vas being performed or was expected
to be performed. That goes little
farther than extravaganza and doesn',
get as far as dishonesty.
The best thing to do is to forget
pique and join with the governor ir
reforming the fndefensible practice OF
unnecessary clerks doorkeepers anc
help about the state house employed
mainly for political reasons ant
in payment of political debt. This
senate organized along the lines tina
senates have organized these many
years in Iowa. It followed the ole
practices Some of which lacl
reprehensibility only because o
custom There is no occasion
for the senate and the governor to b.
at variance on these questions. Thu
thing to do is TO reform them, organic
along business lines, insist that thos'
who work for the state shall carr
their pay and render service for salar.
and wage and that however badl.
Jones' Thompson and stokes desire t
pass a winter at the state capital the.
shall not draw pay for perfunctor.
service or guard doors at state expens
where none enter. Whatever definition
each may give the short and ugly wor'
this is apparent: The governor il
right in counseling the senate and tn
house and all other state department
to hire state employees as they hir
their own employes-for service.
In short the graft incident is a spa
between friends. 1t should be droppe
except as to its lesson. There !
plenty of work ahead Of both legisla
ture and governor both have the con
fidence Of the people, the governo
seems to have the best Of the contro
versy. Let it all go at that.