Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-02-13


performance of the publics work is
centralized in fewer men and can be
more easily located. But whether or
not the commission plan of govern
, ment is a success depends entirely up
on the character and type of men
| elected mayor and commissioners. II
! is these officers who can make the sys-
| tenn a success or failure. Voters should
remember this very evident but inn
| portant fact in the campaign that has
! just opened.
! The job of commissioner now pays
$3.50 and the mayors salary is $3.50.
| These salaries were increased to these
! figures by the present administration.
! The salaries are large enough to at
! tract good local politicians to the
Offices 1t is just because of the at
I tractive power of these salaries that
! the voter should watch the jobs closely.
| If you, Mr. Voter. We're about TO hire
three men at the same wages the city
will pay the three elected YOU would
! look into their capabilities for the JOB
pretty closely. would YOU not? You
! would back track them to see what
they had done that made them likely
to be worth the pay. You would pry
| into their pasts. their characters. their
+, capacities. their business ability. their
, honesty, and all the phases of their
makeups. that would help you decide
whether to hire them or not. Use the
same horse sense then, when you help
! hire with your vote three men TO run
the city's administration plant with
expenditures of over 100000 a year for
| the next two years.
If there were law providing for
general managers for cities, the three
right kind of men who Will get to-
gether on platform to turn over
$4,000 of their salaries to pay gen
eral manager TO run the city will be
the political hit OF this campaign and
will run a mighty good chance of be-
ing elected" said business man. He
figured it. that it would leave the Coun-
cilmen 1920 a year for attending coun-
Gil meetings. perhaps once week
The mayor would have $500 year
for holding court and attending coun-
ell. Three thousand dollars would hire
a general manager of ability. The
business man thought that any three
good men who would turn over $4,000
OF their salaries year 10 hire an eX
pert to run the city would make ten
strike politically The stumbling block
most voters viii see in the way of this
plan Is that most of the candidates
probably want the salaries themselves,
that's why they are candidates.
Ex-Mayor Ingledue's speech Al,
Waterloo was a frank confession that
ne had been wrong from beginning TO
end of his endeavor - retain the sa-
loon as an institution in Marshall-
town and that those who opposed him
and his purpose mai pcen right. in
fact it was complete confession and
doubtless good for the soul. as full
confession is reputed 10 be in other
lines of repentance. Il is a good hear
ing 10 find the leaders of the saloon
forces denying the saloon as a~business
proposition and condernning Il as foe
To morals and good government AS
public service by a private Individual
it was notable. IT helped along the
cause OF temperance in Waterloo and
drove the last nail in the coffin of sa-
loon agitation in Marshaitown. Mr..
Irgledue IS 10 be congre tulated upon
MS change Of heart and the courage
10 make the most OF I; So far he will
find most Marshaltown people in
agreement with him.
Il doesn't necessarily follow how
ever. that Mr. Ing1edues assertion OF
q change of heart on he saloon ques
ton should become an immediately
convertible political asset to be cashed
in at the polls. Some very excellent
rta p,, He,t. he INTO ~
the city at heart are suggesting that
hundreds of other men have changed
their opinion after having been shown.
but who are not seeking office on a
dry platform or as the reward of re-
pentance. These are not slow to sug-
gest that a period of probation would
have been the wiser Plan: that the
saloon question is settled and that the
wet and dry controversy is over and
done with: that nobody desires to raise
! ii: thar the good feeling of the city is
at the hlg hest tide in Its history; that
! those VINO were chiefs in recent con-
! troversies should subordinate their
ambitions and that none should go
seeking preferment With political
candles among the gasolene barrels OF
city politics. And these expressions
are common among those Of both
| former factions and among the friends
Of all candidates declared and tenta-
tive.
There Is one paramount issue In
MarshaItown, the progress and peace
OF the city. To these personal am
billions should patriotically give way
No former chieftain should force the
personal note or urge a candidacy
upon personal grounds whether Of
sudden change of opinion or sudden
reformation personal or political. o
for any reason except the best inter
ests of the city, the continued cult
walton of the united spirit and pur
pose Of the new Marshalitown ant
capable and honest conduct Of tn
city's affairs
Indications point to an incomplet
and incorrect state census of Mar
shalltown. The work at present unde
way is not progressing. The enumera
ton is being made in conjunction wit
the annual assessment Of real and per
sonaI property. The assessment alOn
is huge task, and the time necessar
for this work precludes a rapid an
accurate count of population. TIL
assessor now finds himself otherwis
Handicapped because of a shortage {
help. Four assistants were name
when the work was begun. Three {
\ ~ ~. IT, ~