Jasper County Democrat, Volume 22, Number 84, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 January 1920 — DUNLAP ADDRESSES LEAGUE [ARTICLE]

DUNLAP ADDRESSES LEAGUE

Attorney Speaks at Ixxal Organization Meeting Monday Night. Attorney John A Dunlap addressed the local branch of equal franchise league Monday night in the west Court room on “County and Township Government,” being the that of this week’s talks which the league has secured for the School of Citizenship, which is now being conducted. Mr. Dunlap gave these important reasons why the local government should be of unusual interest to the residents of the community, especially to the women. First—Because the local government is the base upon which all government in this country is erected. Second— Because through the local branches of government the community administers the affairs which affect it most directly. Third—Because it will devolve upon the women to redeem the underlying principles of the structure of our local government. Because the last reason he showed how we are now gradually drifting away from the principles of direct government, how the power of government is becomng centralized in a few offices and commissions and the necessity for again taking over of that power by the people themselves. The principles of township and county government. was then discussed and the speaker very carefully traced the history of the same, showing the origin of and the result of the system which had developed in Europe, being established in this country. He then traced the development in the different sections in this country, illustrating the differences in the early settlements of the northern states and those of the southern states. Finally, the development in our own state and an outline of the present system of government in townships and counties.

The different offices in the township were then discussed, the duties of each officer and the relation of that officer to the county government. Then the offices in the county and the duties devolving upon the incumbent, the method of his election and the general administration of his office. Special attention was given to the development of the funds for schools in each township, and in this connection the great handicap under which local uits of government have been placed by the provision of the tax law whereby a township or county, although supposed to be self governing, was thereby deprived of that power, and compelled to obtain permission of the tax board before an issuance of bonds could be made. Mr. Dunlap then explained the duties of Citizenship in respect to each individual. He showed the necessity for careful attention to the needs of the local government by each voter and summarized that necessity by saying that altho our government had been laid upon the soundest of principles, so had other governments which were now despotic in form; that the danger in our own government lies in the “indifference of its friends,” that this indifference to the local affairs constituted a , real and grave danger and that it was the duty of the women voters after suffrage had been conferred upon them to so inform themselves as to be able to meet all the problems \>f the present day and to exercise the rights of franchise with the same degree of care as they exercised the rights and privileges of a private individual; that local government was as necessary to preserve as were the rights of a person.