The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1868-02-13
DEs MONIES, Iowa, l
February Sth, '6S

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DEs MONIES, Iowa, !
February Sth, '6S
The most exciting
subject that has been under consider
alton of late in the legislature, is the
bill originating in the Senate for the
of certain lands, to the
Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific
Railroad Company. This Company
is the successor, by purchase at judi
cial sale, of the road formerly known
as the NJ. & NJ. Railroad. There
seems to be no disposition in the
legislature not to re-grant these
lands to the new Company, but the
struggle arises on the simple question
whether the right shall be reserved
to the State to regulate the tariff
rates by the terms of the bill making
the regrant. As a matter of course,
the Company is represented by force
and extensive lobbying is going on.
In the Senate the right to regulate
their tariff was reserved to the State
by the very close vote of % to 21.-
The bill so passed in the Senate came
up in the House yesterday, on the
report thereon from the Railroad
Committee ofthe House, by which re-
port the bill was SO amended as to re-
serve the right Of regulating tariffs
to the State, only in case the same
rule or right could and should be APP
piled to all other Railroads in the
State upon motion to strike out
the amendment made by the Commit
tee to the House. The matter has
been under consideration for the
greater part of two sittings, and a
very spirited and interesting debate
has ensued. In this debate the Hon.
S. T. Caldwell Of your county opened
the ball in a very able and forcible
speech, taking the position that the
State should by all means reserve to
herself the right referred to, and say,
that in his opinion every member Of
the House would be recreant to the
trust confded in them did they not SO
vote. A vote has notyet been reach.
ed on this question, and the consid-
GRAFTON of the bill may occupy Mon.
day and Tuesday of next week.
A bill was introduced in the House
to day to license the sale of liqnors
and was laid on the table by a vote
of 4S to 40 This is, perhaps, no cor
rect indication of the sense of the
House upon the naked question O
licensing the sale of liquors, bat il
cannot be denied that there is quite
a strong feeling among many mem
bers looking towards some change ir
the laws of the State upon this sub
ject, and judging from the remarks
/ made this feeling arises from what il
termed the inefficiency of the presen,
law, because as is alleged the people
do not enforce it.
| Miss Anna Dickinson spoke last
night in the Court House to crowt
of at least 800 persons. Her lecture
was perfect success. Her power
as speakar is too well known for m,
to add one word in commentator O
it. Let me say to all of your reader'
who have not heard her that they
should one and all embrace theopport,
nifty afforded them to hear herat you
place. Those who have heard her
know will not fail to hear her again
Your Hon. Senator and Represen
tatives from old Wapello complain o
being very comfortably quartered a
the Des Moines House, and desire IN,
to say that they would be glad to SCI
their friends and constituents VIII,
may be visiting the Capital.
The bill creating State Reform
| School has been re-committed to
special committee in the Senate. 81
various is the opinions entertained a
to the provisions of this bill, that tn,
consideration of it occupies mucl
time and elicits a good deal of discus
sion.
| A potion has been presented in tn,
Senate praying for the establishment
Of a Normal School in each Congress
sional District, whenever the peopl
of the District will present ground
and a building therefor of the valu,
of at least $4,000. The petition i
signed by Jonathan Piper and others
This seems to me to be such PROPOSE
| ton as to be impracticable, but may
be Mr.. Piper has way open to get
school somewhere.
WILL.