Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-09-15
Iona Newspapers
THE CITY HALL FLAG.

F'luttering from the flag staff of the
city hall are the torn and tattered
remnants Of what was once United
States flag. Exposed to the elements
day and night this once beautiful star
spangled banner, is now but few
faded ribbons
1t does not speak very highly for
city to permit Old Glory to fly from it's
municipal building in such condition.
Over half hundred stalwart young
men from Ames are now on the Texas
border drilling in hot sands and facing
heavy rairfalls, for the honor Of that
flag--yet back in their home town the
city unfurls from its public building
flag that has been permitted to fade
and tear. The soldiers of, 81 passed
thru untold hardships for the honor of
that flag yet should they lift their eyes
to the flag staff of the city hall, It
could not but bring a pain to their
hearts to see the condition their coun-
try's flag has been allowed to come to.
1t is a sacred duty to fly Old Glory
from a city's public building. Custom
provides that the flag shall be lowered
at sunrise and property cared for. The
patriotic organizations of the city
Old Glory be given better care and kept
in better condition on. the city hall.
BONDS HAVE LEGAL LIMIT.
tGuthrle Guthrian.l
Iowa people have always been afraid
of bonded Indebtedness. When our state
constitution was adopted in 1857, the
abuses of the unlimited privilege OF
public bond issues in Illinois and other
new states which had voted large sums
as inducements to railroad building,
was much talked of and to safeguard
the rights of the newcomers, a provi-
sion was inserted in our state consti-
tuition limiting the Indebtedness OF
counties or other political or munich
pal corpora tons to per cent of the
assessed value of it, property. That
provision still stands and no bonds can
be issued by Iowa counties in excess OF
this limitation. All this talk about con-
iscating Iowa farms by county road
bond issue is 'tommyrot' it can not
he done. The average farm in Guthrie
county is assessed. we believe, at less
than $50 per acre. Five per cent 81
this would be So per acre. If this were
divided up into ten in9taliments, II
would amount to so cents an acre, or
if. thirty year bonds were issued, 1t
would amount to 10 cents an acre. iowa
farms will not be confiscated by that
size of burden.
Shall the people vote their road ami
bridge bonds or shall the supervisors
issue them? That is the real question
ROAD PREPAREDNESS.
Waterloo Courierl
II is reported by the office Of pub
lie roads of the department of agri-
culture that thirty -fou" &tates have
up to the present outlined in some
form a system of main trunk lines 20
be built under the new law. This.
the bureau says, is an ,aasuCy for
the success Of the federal air road
plan just inaugurated."
This is very good start. indeed.
and if Iowa us no. already included
in the list of prepared states. it is TO
be hoped that she will take steps in
that direction without delay. The
real test of the success of the Bank
head-Shackleford bill as practical
piece of roads legislation lies, after
all. with the states. 1t will not be u
success unless the states cooperate
and use the funds in building n sys-
TEN of roads that, is in fact national.
If the states are goii1g TO handle the
funds they receive from the federal
treasury in pork barrel fashion, dish-
ing it out in small! sums to widely
scattered communities ltsla good will
result therefrom and the purpose OF
the bill will be defeated
There will naturally be sharp rivalry
among different counties for share
of the federal aid, but il must. be ex
pended from the larger viewpoint of
the state and nation e it lis not badly
spent or in effect wasted
A JUST JUDGE.