Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-01-13
LOCAL COMMENT

The new year has no more than
| dawned than the announcement comes
| of the development of a building site
| in the southeast part of the city, adj
joining the Improvement already made
by the Lennox Furnace Company In its
Walnut Park addition. With twenty six
houses eventually to be built on the
tract, and ten announced to be built
next season. this part of the city will
show great improvement, and work
men employed in the factory district
will have an opportunity to buy small
homes near their work. Incidentally
Improvement in the way of paving,
sidewalks, sewer, gas. and electricity
before the houses are built, has had
much to do with the selection of the
site for building purposes.
q
Members of the local carpenters I'M
ion feel that the Times Republican has
not been fair in reporting the action
taken by the labor organization in in
creasing it's wage schedule for next
season. While no criticism is made as
far as statement of facts. the local be-
lieves that the news story was unau-
thorized, in that it was not furnished
by an officer of the union, and that the
announcement is classed as ''prema-
ture." While the news may have been
announced in advance of any con-
firrnation by the national organization,
the carpenters should not criticise the
newspaper for giving the facts of the
local adoption of the higher wage
schedule to the public. The public is
interested in the increase of wage
schedules. and is entitled to know of
any action that is taken by wage
workers that affects the public. To
await the ratification by the national
organization does nothing more than
postpone the announcement, for the
carpenters themselves say that the 10
calls action must necessitate vote OF
55 per cent of the members, and that
the national organization confirms the
action when such per cent of the local
organization is favorable to the in
crease.
Objection is also made to the COM
ment on the action, on the ground that
it is prejudicial. The Times Republi
can has no criticism to make OF the
carpenters action, nor did it have. The.
newspaper simply called attention to
local conditions in general that might
affect building during the coming sea-
son. Among the conditions was the in
crease in labor. The Times Republican
did not nor does not presume to say
that if there is a cessation Of building
operations this summer it will be due
entirely to the increase in the cost of
labor, but to other conditions as we'll.
The newspaper referred to the danger
of the increase together with other
conditions, making building prohibitive
to persons of moderate means
The report of the county engineer,
showing bridge and road work done
during the year just closed, affords an
other illustration of the lack of per-
manency of public Improvements.
Temporary bridges and repairing OF
bridges cost the taxpayers of the
county over twenty-three thousand
dollars, and temporary roads and re-
pairs cost almost another twelve thou
sand While much work Is classed as
permanent" 1t became necessary to
explain that when it comes down to
actual permanency much OF the work
classed as permanent was not perma-
nSnC III IdCt, UuL O1iy d. AdA as IL "CAAt.
When the taxpayers of a county be-
come imbued with the spirit Of per-
manency in their building, big repair
bills, contracted annually, will be
saved. and the money put into repairs
can go toward paying interest on the
investment OF actual permanency. e
Z
E. B. Binford, former MARSHALL
town boy, now rancher in Oldham
county, Texas, and here for visit,
says "You folks in Iowa ought to
ceme down to Texas and see how we
build roads" In Mr.. Binford's county
there are only 225 voters.s All but a
very few Of these Joined in petition
to bond the county for $125,000 to
build fifty miles of permanent road
across the county. In a good roads
meeting, called for Oklahoma City. to
organize for the securing of a perrna
nent highway thru the section, over
10000 enthusiastic road boosters were
in attendance from outside points.
People from other parts of the country.
where permanent roads are being built.
find it hard to realize how Iowa, with
it's boosted wealth and prosperity, can