15 The Woman Citizen's Library, Vol. VII, pp. 1796-1799. 16 Senate Bill No. 63, approved June 26, 1913. 17 House Reports, 1st Session, 48th Congress, 1883-1884, Vol. V, No. 1330, p. 4. 18 Senate Joint Resolution No. 1 as given in Senate Documents, 1st Session, 63rd Congress, No. 155, p. 5. 19 Mrs. Wilson's The Legal and Political Status of Women in the United States, pp. 134-143; also the same author's Legal Status of Women in Iowa, p. 81. 20 Code of Iowa, 1897, Sec. 493, p. 248. 21 Code of Iowa, 1897, Sec. 2734, p. 929, and Sec. 2748, p. 933. 22 Code of Iowa, 1897, Sec. 1131, p. 420, and Sec. 2747, p. 933. AUTHOR'S PREFACE THE selection of public officials in order to secure efficient, harmonious, and responsible administration in government has come to be a matter of prime importance. The situation has long demanded reform: it is now receiving close attention. Voluntary associations such as the City Club of Chicago, the Municipal Association of Cleveland, Ohio, and the National Short Ballot Organization are investigating the methods of selecting public officials to determine which officers ought to be elected and which appointed, and, if appointed, the proper agency by which appointment should be made. It is the purpose of this paper to state the methods of selecting public officials in Iowa; to point out some defects in these methods; to present some changes that have been proposed or have been put into operation in other States; and to indicate changes that would seem desirable in the methods used in Iowa. The writer bases this paper for the most part upon a more extensive study of the selection of public officials in Iowa which he has recently completed. At the same time these pages contain some new information not included in the larger study. To Mr. Jacob Van der Zee the writer is indebted for a thorough revision of the manuscript as originally submitted and for the compilation of the table which appears on pp. 347-356. Indeed, so important was the work of Mr. Van der Zee that the writer freely acknowledges that much of the value of the paper is due to his painstaking work-which amounts practically to joint authorship. Miss Anne Stuart Duncan, Librarian of the Iowa State Teachers College, was very helpful in looking up material. Valuable suggestions came from discussions with Dr. Frank E. Horack, Dr. Clarence R. Aurner, Mr. O. K. Patton, Mr. E. H. Downey, and Deputy Auditor of State Mr. Joe Byrnes. Dr. Dan E. Clark was always ready with advice and suggestions; and to Dr. Benj. F. Shambaugh special acknowledgment is due for untiring patience and counsel during the preparation of this paper. HENRY J. PETERSON IOWA STATE TEACHERS COLLEGE CEDAR FALLS IOWA |