Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-08-23
| LOCAL COMMENT

Young men of the American Legion
are canvassing voters OF the city for
their signatures on n petition to cail
special election to vote on bond
issue with which to Anance the build
Ing of a memorial hall in this city.
Fifteen per cent of the voters who
voted at the last general election must
sign this petition in order that the
election may be called. and upon the
sufriciency of the petition being shown
the mayor must call the election.
q
The soldiers are asking that bond
issue of $3.50, 900 be provided to finance
the building. A levy OF not TO exceed
5 mills upon the taxable value of the
property within the city is specihed.
The bonds would run for nifty years.
and no retirement could begin un-
I'll after FIVE years.
Memorials in some form or other are
going to be erected in Iowa and other
states Of the union, TO commemorate
the valor Of the young men who served
in the world war. The movement now
Is popular. II is conceded by the pro-
moters that, II a memorial hall Is to
be built here. now is the time TO Sc
cure the authorization. There are
many questions, however, that should
be explained satisfactorily to the pup
lice before the question comes 10 vote
Two hundred fifty thousand dollars Is
a lot OF money TO put into a public
building in this city. 1t will require
extra taxation for years to build IT,
The people who are asked to finance
the project Will want to know definitely
Just how the money is to be spent, ana
by whom it is to be spent. In other
words they will want to know. and
should know. II the money furnished
by taxation is going to be spent wisely
by competent hands.
II the election is held, and the au-
thority to issue the bonds is granted,
those who take charge of the project
should not be in too great hurry TO
begin spending the money. Present
high cost of building is not going to
continue indefinitely. 1t may for
few years, but n lower market is bound
to come. The spenders of this public
fund, assuming that they will be
granted the authority. should take 'he
present high cost into consideration
and await such time that the building
could be built for less money. The
needs of the memorial hall are not SO
pressing but that n few years couid
elapse and still the building would
serve the same public purpose that
is sought.
WHY would not a first -class exhibit
of world war relics make an approp-
rate feature for the county fair? In
this, the first county fair to be heid
since the war has ended, display
could be arranged that would attract
a great deal of interest, and provfde
interesting information for many peo-
pie. and especially children, who nave
not had opportunity to see varied
assortment of relics. A great many
of these mementos of the struggle have
been brought back by soldiers OF TINS
county. They could be loaned to the
fair management and carefully safe
guarded in one of the exhibit halls.
They ought to be labeled plainly, so
that all might understand the signih-
canoe Of each relic. or a returned SOL
der might be employed to explain the
different things to those who were In
terested. sFa air
The city has public park which,
while not what all of US would desire
for a park. answers the purpose and