Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-02-28

While the Times Republican v not
goinG to oppose the city councils
program 10 put thru q special cleo
ton to increase the bond Issue for
y new city hall from SS0.0V0 to $780,
600. this Newspaper II not In favor Of
the procedure and will DO frank In
saying 90. The Times Republican
has gone on record. and secs no rea-
son to change its attitude. to tho ef-
feet that public improvements that
can DO dispensed with should not be
attempted at this time of lack OF
production and its consequent short
age Of material, and the scarcity and
high price OF Ia
Already taxes very high, and
the doubling OF the indebtedness for
city hall will not lower them. The
city Is In need Of good place to
conduct It's business. There 10 no
questioning that fact. However, tho
Times Republican believes that with
the present board OF supervisors the
council could come to some business
like arrangement whereby the city
could be accommodated for a few
years moro. and make tho best Of
the quarters now occupied In the
court house. BY putting up with the
Inconvenience for few years, or
until the cost of building Is lowered.
would be a far more business like
way to proceed.
The argument that rental for the
| period that must intervene, were the
city to postpone it's building project.
| would Offset the Increased cost OF
present year building, is no argu-
ment at all Money is worth per cent.
and It will not cost the city $4,000
for rent annually. Business men who
are not pressed for new quarters are
not contracting building expense at
this time because, Of the exorbitant
cost. If business men figure private
! enterprises on a basis OF cheaper
! building costs a few years hence,
why Is 1t not policy for a municpali-
ty to figure the public's business the
same way?
II it were a school house that the
city was going to build. the situation
would be entirely different. School
houses we must have If we are to
provide the Accommodations necessary
| for the increasing school population.
No thinking person would hesitate
for moment on creating a public
| expense necessary to provide school
houses. A city hall, however, differs
| from the standpoint Of public neces-
sity. This city has managed to get
along for years with It's present
quarters. The Times-Republican be-
iieves that these quarters can be
retained few years longer when
the dire necessity Is realized by the
board Of supervisors. While the sup
ervisors may not have any lega,
right, to rent the court house base
ment for the purposes Of the NUM-
cipality. who is there to question the
right providing the board deems the
rental a public necessity? The ques-
ton is one that will bear careful
consideration on the part of the tax
payers II the council determines to
submit the Increased bond issue at
speclai erection.
&
Voting to consolidate rural school
districts at Green Mountain and
Liscomb this week is a progressive
step. and a step the patrons of the
schools affected will never regret. The
only regret they will have Is that
they did not determine to take the
action years ago. Each Of the con-
solidated areas has voted on the
question before. and it lost. Console
dation of rural schools is great deal
like permanent country highways, in
that the sentiment, when first sug-
gested. was In advance Of the times.
AS we progress we come to see
where we made our mistakes, and
wonder why we did not see them