Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-01-22
IBy on williams.1


some candidates for the legislature
coming 70 the front In various parts
OF the state With the thought Of get
ting into public life by reason Of fads
which they are willing to advocate.
For instance. candidate is out Tor
| senator in southern Iowa with plat
form which sets up as the panacea for
all legislative ills that he will advo-
cate having all committee meetings
| open to the public and records be pub
iished of all votes on bills taken in
committees. That is something which
has been urged by several we'll mean
ing persons as a real reform, bus
which has two sides to 1t, as has been
pointed out by the members who have
served long in the legislature. The
plan is a reversion and denial OF the
virtue of the accepted policy Of the
state of having every individual voter
determine, political questions on cleo
ton day with no guide save conscience
and no censor save his own Judgment.
II 1t is good for a voter to be shielded
from publicity as he casts his ballot
on election day, why not also useful
to permit legislator to cast his bal
lot see from the Intrusion OF the
boss? That is the argument. Sena-
tor Savage. while in the city the other
day pointed out that his experience on
the appropriations committee led him
to the conviction that II the lobby was
permitted to stand with a club over
members of the committee as they dis
posed of public business, a great many
more appropriation bills would be
passed and there would be no way of
holding down the expenditure OF
money. The hardest thing for mem
bers of that committee is to turn down
the men OF influence who are persist
ent In demanding appropriations which
the better Judgment OF members Of the
legislature know ought not to be made,
or rather which can not he made in
view of other more urgent demands
on the treasury Then II not infre-
quenly happens member will intro
Giuce bill, on almost any subject, and
hasten TO the chairman OF the COM
mittee to which II Is referred and beg
OF him to be sure to have it killed in
committee He had, perhaps, intro
duced it because OF the demand of
some constituent.
II has been often remarked by close
followers OF legislation that there are
entirely too many men who secure
election TO the legislature as faddists.
They win p nomination by promising
certain things II elected Then they
come TO the legislature bent on doing
that one thing. or few things, and
get nothing done For instance. at the
last session. a member was elected 10
the house from a southeastern Iowa
county who had as his sole platform
that he was going 20 repeal the high
way Law and put the supervision of
roads back into the hands OF the
boards Of supervisors He started in
early and kept IL up right thru on that
line He had promised II and ne was
going TO make good He was very
capable and would Nave made fine
legislator had he devoted himself TO
the business of the session; but he
traded everything for votes for his
fad. and ne permitted that Idea TO gov
err In all his votes cast. so that his
record was worthless 10 him or to the
state Another had pledged Ills con-
stfruents he would have the leg.sia-
ture order the resale OF the capitol
grounds and he did nothing else all
session hut scheme for rhat plan. But
the worst handicapped member is the
one who owes his election TO some
special interest and who must put in
all his time caring for bills that his
creators have advanced He seldom
feels a: liberty 10 vote, his convictions
on anything. For the benefit OF some
Of these badly Handicapped member
il has been often suggested that sys-
TEN of automatic and secret voting on
- 1< nc
adopted 90 that members could and
would vote their convictions regard
less Of the censorship OF the back seats
where the lobby always holds forth
The much abuse committee system.
which has great drawbacks. mas to its
credit that II permits killing of
great many bills by painless method
and actually operates to lessen the
bulk OF legislation run thru the grist
There has been injected into several
campaigns in Iowa a discussion Of all
legged unreasonable increases Of the
expenditures for state purposes IN q
decade when the national government
and practically every state Of the
union has been getting upon a higher
plane and mourning greater expenses.
There has been criticism because the
state taxes in Iowa are now over 81
100000 and there is collected and dis
bursed. for state purposes and for
various local purposes. thru state
agencies about 100000 a year. But
if the next governor Of Iowa should
have TO put it up to the legislature IN
language Ike that used by Governor
Mccall. in Massachusetts, last week,
then there would be something doing.
Regarding Massachusetts state finances
| he said:
THE cost of government in the
commonwealth has been increasing far
put of proportion TO its increase IN
population or wealth. Public expense
| has been mounting with such frightfui
rapidity as to constitute menace to
our prosperity and to threaten to inn
| pose such burdens upon our industries
as will make 1t difficult for them to
| maintain themselves in competition
| with their rivals in other states who
are more lightly taxed This Increased
expense is reflected not merely in in