Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-12-20
"A GOOD PLACE TO BEGIN
GIowa City Press 1Stizep !,

iowa City Press Citizen
II 1t be true. as the Homestead as
serts. that there are SO persons en-
ployed by the Iowa senate asain.,
50 In Wisconsin. and 10S employees II,
the Iowa house as against 81 in the
Badger state. it looks as IL that
would be good place to begin those
economies to which the new admin
istration Is pledged.
There can be no possible reason
why ths Iowa legislators should need
Sc many more clerks and stenogra
piers and doorkeepers than are re-
quired in Wisconsin.
In the late campaign, both parties
pledged themselves to institute great
changes In state government and to
effect economies in administration
wherever it is possible. While this
is not 30 specifically true of the leg
islature as 1t Is of the governor,
there should be every disposition to
make economies everywhere it is
possible.
The era Of high prices has made
the cost Of government high every
where, in nation, state, county and
town. And there must be rigid econo-
my, or much higher taxes.
In Iowa this year there Is addition
al reason to urge that the legislature
be organized on as inexpensive a
basis as is consistent with good SER
vice, because If an extra session is
held, as the legislative program COM
mittee has advised, the cost of the
assembly the coming year is certain
to be much greater than in ordinary
years.
There ought to be no disposition
to demand that the lawmakers shall
not have clerks and stenographers
enough to enable them to best serve
their constituents, but the taxpayers
burdened already with heavy taxes at
every turn have q right to insist on
the most rigid economy consistent
with such service.
HARD ROADS FOR DUBUQUE.
dubuque Telegraph Herald
The improvement of the military
road from Dubuque to Cascade, a
distance of twenty-five miles, has
been undertaken. Some re-locations
will be involved and a viaduct will
he thrown across the Illinois Central
track at Rockdale. Hard surfacing OF
the road is now proposed, tho no Of
fetal action along this line has been
taken.
The Hawkeye highway, from Du-
buque to ,Dyersville, has been con-
structed by Joint action OF DUBUQUE
county. the state highway commits
sion, the federal government and
private citizens. It is fine road in
good weather, but it is not hard sur
faced and since It's construction
much repairing has been required.
A gravel road has also been pro-
posed as a compromise between mud
and hard surface. It Is the sentiment
especially OF those who have had a
hand In building it that the Hawk
eye highway should have been hard
surfaced in the first place, at least
to a width sufficient to allow We
hicles to pass each other. The United
States department Of agriculture and
the postoffice department are for
hard surfacing Of the main highways
and their influence will be thrown in
favor of liberal appropriations by
congress to assist in their construc-
ton.
The education of the public has
reached the point at which the value
Of hard roads is no longer in dispute.
The whole controversy now relates to
distribution Of the cost. This is, of
course, most important and it will
take an indefinite length Of time to
work out method Of cost mutually
satisfactory to city and country and
upon which the farmers themselves
can agree.
1t does not follow that enterprising
communities should await the incor-
poration of such an agreement into
law. They are free to originate and
execute their own plans and. should
find il profitable to do so immediate
ly upon concluding that the hard
road is worth it's cost The working
out Of such a plan is a task of suf-
ficient Importance to deserve the at
tention Of the best business talent in
the community.
Trying the Back Door.
IF YOU cannot get in at the front
door. try the back" is a policy that