Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-01-12

tle SCdLe Will make no IuSS dOOuL IHc
time consumed if each member will
absent himself from the capitol for a
few days in order to make a genuine
study of the constitution of the state
and to the oath which every legislator
takes upon assuming office.
| The state constitution will tell him
very definitely what are the duties OF
the legislature to which he belongs. II
f; the legislature confines itself to it's
proper duties, it will save the state
much embarrassment and much eX-
pense.
! The member who conscientiously
studies his oath of Office will find
much food for thought He will find
that he is the sworn servant Of the
people. He will find that he has ap-
piled for and been given definite job
which is one Of responsibility and
which entails the handling Of the peo-
! pies money. He will find that he has
! pledged himself to be a good stew
ard. not royal spender; that he has
agreed to serve, not to sponge; that
he has a salary to earn, not merely to
receive.
A legislator who is DESTROYS of earn
ing his salary and of respecting his
oath of Office, will not start in by
drawing up bills to pay out money. On
the contrary, if he is a good business
man and deserving Of the trust i'm
posed in him, he will first make it his
business to see what the state is now
getting for the money it is expanding
His real worth to the state and to his
own constituents is not measured by
the money he secures from the state
treasury in the form Of apprOpria-
tons: rather it consists of what is ac-
complished with the money so appro-
priated. And the man who saves mon
ey that is being, or otherwise would
| be, wasted, is giving value received
for the salary he draws.
Any man in the legislature who
takes his oath of Office seriously and
considers himself an employe Of the
people with duty to discharge, can do
something at this time far more valu-
able to the state than finding some
new way of spending money.
! Iowa is like most other states in
that the cost of state government is
going up by leaps and bounds. Half
century ago New York state spent
sixty-seven cents per capita for state
purposes. Today New York is spend
| ing 1852 Much of this increase IS
justified by valuable work that the
state now does which was not done
half century ago.
The figures for Iowa are not as high
as those for New York, but they are
growing constantly. It is very hard
to believe. in view of what we all know
about legislative methods, that great
saving could not be effected. 1t is
matter which any or every legisla-
tor who wants to be of real service
to the state may we'll take up.
For a beginning. why not look over
the record Of what the state has been,
and now is spending each year. The
executive council of Iowa has just
issued a volume labeled Report of Elk
penses of State Offices, Boards and
Commissions, and Fees and Money
Collected There are some 533 pages
in this volume and it purpcrts to show
the receipts and expenditures of the
state government for the period from
June so, 1914, to July 1, 1916 If it is
possible for an intelligent and efficient
legislature to go through that book
without finding at least one place
where there is an unnecessary or I'M
justified expense, he can at least ques-
ton the need Of spending money in
sending out report over which there
lis no chance for difference OF
opinion.
The state is hoping for much from
the present general assembly. Will
its members live up to their oaths and
will the legislature as whole fulfill
the duty imposed upon it by the con-
stitution?
What will the answer be?