Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-02-06
GATHERED BY THE WAYs1DE

other day another probing committee
went to work to find what's the matter.
Then the senate sanctioned scheme
Tor still another to do some probing
around in the offices. Next thing will
be committee OF investigation to adj
wise as to how much duplication and
unnecessary work Is being done by the
various and sundry probing bodies. But
the senate graft COMMITTEES" is at
work and members are faithfully and
honestly trying to get at the bottom
facts regarding a few matters In con-
troversy. How almost impossible this
will. be has already been demonstrated.
The testimony before the committee
has practically all been of a character
which suggests self-interest or person
al grievance. Each witness has his
own view as to just where economy
should begin. and of course it is as far
removed from the witness as possible.
Each one points ;he finger In some di-
rection. 1t is easy to see that these
are cliques and crowds" among those
who are available for witne 1t is
easy enough to understand that for in
stance. While all old soldiers are for
the old soldier first and all the time.
1t makes Il good deal of difference just
which old soldier Il is. Now what the
COMMITTEES will, in truth, find and
ought to report, is that while there
are weak spots in the public service.
they have been reduced pra ctically to
the minimum. that while there are
times when some employees are not
needed there is work practically for
all. that while some better method
might be devised for transacting pub
lie business none has been devised: in
short that while 1t is not perfect pub
lie service in Iowa. in legislative. exec
utlve and judicial branches is on
high place, and substantially all are
striving earnestly to secure for the
state the best possible service.
But. however much the probing
makes fine copy" for newspaper, it is
not doing the serious work of legisla-
ton.
The springs of action which move
men in certain directions are not al
ways visible. A member of the legis-
lature illustrated this the other day
with regard to the fight to repeal the
indeterminate sentence and parole law.
He referred to the fact that a crtain
judge in Iowa is so strongly opposed to
lhe LAW tldl ne pTdctlcaily SENDS no
men to prison under the indeterninate
feature Inquiry showed that the judge
has a near relative in prison and he
has been unable to get any action from
the parole board. Another ilustra-
ton: The state senate refused to APP
prove of the selection of four persons
named in a resolution approved by the
retrenchment and reform committee.
to be extra janitors in offices outside
tho state house. 1t develops that the
four men were named by the custo-
dian, who would have to give them d.
rection,and there were senator's who
had picked out four other men for
these places. One of the other men
said that unless the senate is permit
ted to choose the individuals there will
be no janitors at these offices.
The soldier preference law. or rath-
err the idea which it embodies. has been
at the bottom of more trouble in state
affairs than any other one thing. II
knew 1t was trouble breeder at the
time" said an eX-state senator yes
terday, but l voted for the bill. I had
to do it, To have voted against it
would have been construed as that
was hostile to the old soldier. When
hesitated a long time and before sign
ing it admitted that while in perfect
sympathy with the idea of preference
for the old soldier he feared the re-
suits of trying to enact it into law.