Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-08-11
JOINT BUYING BY
COUNTIES Of iowa
STATE ASSOCIATION OF SUPER.
visions INAuouRATEs I'M.
PoRTANr SYSTEM.
PLAN 70 REDUCE COST
Il. OF HIGHWAYS AND BRIDGES

a. War Economy Measure-Rsso'u !
tions Endorse Holden's Record az
Member Of Highway Commission
County Officers Split.
waterloo. Aug, 11-co- operative
buying among all the counties OF
Iowa, to reduce costs Of road and bridge
materials and to stimulate prompter
shipments, was authorized by the Coun-
Sty Supervisors Association of Iowa
Yesterday. The plan was proposed by
+. n. Macdonald, chief engineer of the
Iowa highway commission, in paper
before the delegates Wednesday after
noon.
without dissenting vote the super
syisors approved resolution calling
for the appointment Of committee OF
eleven men, one from each COMPRESSION
al district, to form an executive coun-
Gil. 1t will be the duty of this council
to receive estimates Of next years road
improvements from each county and
then place the total before the lumber.
reinforcing steel and cement producers
Tor their lowest price. Members OF the
f6nntiIs are TO serve three years.
President J. d. Buser and supervis-
ors from every section of the state con-
sider this the most important move
ments taken by the association. They
say II will save the state hundreds of
Of thousands of dollars by stimulating
competition thru the offer of contracts
which, In. the aggregate, will mount into
the millions.
Other important Acts.
s Supervisors in their resolutions pass
ed yesterday made the following rec
concentrations:
Extend the 2-mIll tax Tor county road
improvement to cover town and city
property, the amount thus raised to be
spent on county road improvement
Form improvement districts of all
projects to pave roads radiating from
cities and towns and taxing the cost
Of pavement in proportion to the bene-
fits derived in such districts.
Preambles to these resolutions point
ed out that tax on farms is many times
heavier than tax on city and town prop
serty; that paved roads radiating from
cities and towns are more-for the con-
venience Of the municipalities than the
farmers; that most Of the traffic over
the roads and most of the demand for
better road improvements come from
city folk. n
A resolution asking county boards
to appoint stewards of county farms
for term Of three years instead Of
one year was received by the super
visors' association and placed on file.
Members did notscare to accept the rec
ommendation ON the spur Of the mo-
ment, but wisheds4time for considera-
ton.
The resolutions approving the work OF
]. W. Holden on the state highway
commission was amended. A, dozen del
egates wanted the resolution to read
that the governor appoint supervisor
or an ex-supervisor" as Holden's sue
cessor. Mr.. Holden's second term on
the commission expired July 1, and
he has not been reappointed. The large
ma jority Of delegates approved his re-
appointment.
A War Measure.
Iowa is the first state to undertake
1buying in mass all the materials re-
hurried for road and bridge work. It
is considered war measure. For two
years past the price of materials has
been awaiting. The new executive
council, formed OF eleven members,
will undertake the task of providing
parachute, in which lumber, cement
and steel mainly may be induced to
descend.
The resolution as reported by the
committee provided that the president
name the members from each super
visor district. but he demurred on the
ground that headid not have sufficient
acquaintance. He suggested the boards
in each district get together and agree
on their member, and this idea was
incorporated in an amendment. which
was carried unanimously. Then the
resolution as amended passed with a
voiuminous AYE"
The cooperative buying council will
have power to let contracts. The
prices it receives will be submitted to
the various boards and bids will be
advertised. Only the individual county
boards have power to let contracts and
it is desired to foster all the COMPETE
ton possible Local dealers will have
the same right to bid as they always
have had.
Only one man spoke against the CO.
operative buying plan. He considered
1t d blow to the retailer, the home
dealer. He likened the proposed plan
10 the. mail order house, and was
against It. Before the vote was taken
he left the room.
The advantage of the plan, as point
ed out by Mr.. Macdonald, is for con-
sumer to deal directly with the pro-
Queer.
All the wisdom and cooperative eff
fort OF the Iowa highway commission
and the help and advice of the gov
ernor and attorney general are prom
ised 20 be at the dieposal of the new
eo-operative buying council.
VI Officers Elected.
J. b. Buser was fonored by his
fourth election to the, presidency of.the
County Supervisors Association. He
Il from Muscatine. His thanks were
I delivered feeiinsiy. ". 3. ssttra;;'c:: '"s'ss.
re- elected vice president. w. 2. Hop
Rims was reelected treasurer and J,
n. Nailor, OF Dallas county was elect
"a secretary.
Sherins elected the following: w. A.
g 0roneweg, Council Bluffs, president;
+. ]. Kennedy, Dubuque, secretary, and
3 ~ W loTSriff Dallas county, vice