Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-02-21

| Iowa are Clearly ueHIeQ ana set
before the people. They are contained
in the new Johnston bill and the FL
| wood bill
/ The main point of contention is the
matter OF state supervision. The FL
| wood bill. seeks to retain the highway
commission and to remedy minor evils
| In the laws under which 1t operates.
| The Johnston bin would abolish the
| highway commission and establish
| state engineer. This engineer would
| conduct the examinations for every
], county engineer in the state and would
| have certain powers of removal, duties
! which might easily lead 10 arbitrary
/ authority.
| The question of township, county or
| district bonds for road and bridge inn
/ provements does not enter into this
| Johnston -Elwood controversy at this
| time The Elwood bill does not mem
! ton il. The men backing the Elwood
! bill want TO fight that out in a separate
| bill. The Johnston forces. for political
| rea sons, have inserted in their measure
| a bone dry no-bond clause. 1t IS
| there to draw the votes of the no-oond
| men. who favor the retention of the
| highway commission. That there are
men in the legislature who are divided
on the bond and the commission ques-
| ton goes without saying.
The legislators in charge of the
Johnston bill believe they are fulfilling
| a heaven sent mission to wipe out the
highway board and to block any move
| 10 let the people vote road bonds. They
| believe that the overwhelming major
| ity by which the administration was
| elected is evidence OF it.
| The Capital cannot bring itself to
| agree with this view. 1t will not be-
4 Iieve that the l36 900 majority, or any
appreciapIe part Of it voted for Gov
ernor Harding withS The thought IN
| mind that he would oppose the high
| way commission. Governor Harding did
| not so about the state crying down
with the highway commission" in his
| campaign BY inference he let it be
| known before certain audiences that he
| favored some changes in state road
| supervision. The republican party
platform does not contain pledge to
abolish the commission. Governor
Harding. in his message does not adj
vocate directly that the commission be
| wiped out
The question of bonds was more dis
tinct both in the campaign and In the
governors message. Yet the Capital
Is of the opinion that sentiment over
the state has undergone great change.
i It believes that IL the road bond issue
could be put before the electorate today
that it would carry. One fact upon
which this belief Is based is that
large number of influential newspapers
which fought consistently for the elect
ion of Mr. Harding in the campaign,
arc nov demanding a road bond law
with equal force.
Members of the general assembly
should not be duped into voting for the
Johnston bill by the no-bond clause.
They should Judge that bill entirely
upon the highway commission issue.
When the opportunity comes to vote
on the bonding proposition, the legfs-
lators should canvass the sentiment
at home. The people Of Iowa have been
. doing quiet thinking, uninfluenced by
the heat and passion OF political cam
paign The issues have been clearly
!, drawn for them Are we to have roads
, on the business basis Of bonds ana
the highway commission or a make
shift, political machine substitute that
puts Iowa back into the old ruiz
THE DISTRIBUTION OF TAXES.
GCedar Rapids Republican,
Il state Senator Schrup has introduced
bill at Dies Moines that implies some
!, new ideas in taxes. 1t provides Tor
partial exemption from taxes OF all
!, homes valued at less than $1,000. Such
homes are to be taxed on half their
!. VALUE But the man who owns q home
valued at 31,1oo or more must pay taxes
on the full value Of the home.
There are some rational objections 70
: the drawing Of such lines. Why should
$1,000 be the dividing line? Why
should the man who owns home VAL
tued at $1,000 be taxed only half as
: much as the man who owns home
> valued at $1,100? OF course the main
object is to relieve from taxes those
. who are not supposed to be rich in this
. worlds goods It is often said that the
tag valuation on small hnntes is toe
2 high as compared with the tax values
nut on more expensive homes. Thai
y may be true. II It is true 1t ought moi
e to be 80. But the proper remedy \
y strikes u.s. is to tax the man IN the DIE
house more, and not to relieve the mar
9 IA the small house entirely. or in part
{ at least not Il such arbitrary division
T lines have to be drawn as between VI
2 600 and $1,100.
3 The theory Of shifting the taxes OF
r certain classes is to be deplored In TIM
country for it will eventually lead z
many complications. We have at TN
present time these evils in our incom'
taxes. The so-called rich are taxet
e exclusively for certain purposes.
u makes a grea. field Tor the operation
n Of cheap demagogue Legislators AM
70 tax spenders. They can always al
Ii =. 90 aaa .se 4 q
Il ltions for pork and politics and g