The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1872-02-01
FROM THn CAPITOL.

1'kkV@ V39 VAETGVxs.
Dies MONIES, Jan. 80, 1872.
EDIroRs COURIER: We had the
game played in the House this morn.
ing of diamond cut diamond, and
such a fight over . little matter 1
never saw. The subject for this dis.
cussion was a bill presented BY tho
gentleman from Polk, Mr.. Kasson
relative to reduction of the weekly
allowance Of postage to each member
from $500 to. $1.50. He defended
the bill by saying that a portion of
this postage had been allowed for the
purpose Of sending off papers, and
inasmuch as the newspaper system
was discontinued, he thought the
postage that had been allowed for
mailing them, ought TO be discon.
tinued also.
On Mr.. Kasson taking his seat
several members arose at once to re-
ply, but a. all could not speak at
once, the floor was given to Mr..
O,Donnell, Of Dubuque.
Ingood Athenian styh he struck
out in opposition, and in the course
of his remarks made several insinua.
tions in sarcastic manner to the
gentleman who presented the bill al
luding to him as great economist
and defender Of retrenchment. After
him came Greene, Of Scott county,
who followed in the same strain quo
ting largely from speech delivered
by MIR. Kasson at the last session on
the question Of the Capital appropri.
otion. After easing himself by fif.
teen minute speech, he took his seat
when Mr.. Kasson again arose, and
asked tho gentleman what he had
quoted from. "Your speech of two
years ago. was the reply" "Ah, I
thought SO, because it is the only
good thing you have delivered on the
floor during the session"
Then followed Mr.. Caldwell who
spoke in defense Of the bill, and hoped
that gentleman would act consistent.
~, and inasmuch as they had COM
menced the good work Of retrench-
ment they would carry it on and let
the people see by their actions that
they meant to retrench the public
expenditure whenever and wherever
it could be done consistently.
Next came John P. Irish who
spoke against the bill, directing his
remarks chiefly to Mr.. Kasson, and
endeavored to be as sarcastic a. pos
sible.
This oonsae of John p. will sssm
somewhat strange wlisn it is con-
sidered that there is . bill on file
presented by him not only to reduce
the allowance of postage, but render
ing it unlawful for any member to
receive mileage, postage. o. station
cry.
Again Mr.. Kasson arose, and said
talk was all "blow," and beneath his
notice, land asked that the bill be en-
crossed and put upon it's third read
ing.
By this time it was half past
twalua- and raAding the question the
House adjourned.
In the Senate the fret hour vas
spent in discussing the bill for legal
izing certain acts of the Chicago,
Clinton 4 Dubuque X. r., and to f.
cllitate the construction of the same,
which was passed by . vote Of As in
the affirmative and in the negative.
The hour having arrived for the
taking up per special order of substi-
tute for Senate File No. l, in relation
to the repeal of the law authorizing
cities, towns, &C., to vote q tax in aid
OF railroads, this became the question
for consideration.
Several amendments were offered
and voted down till finally the Sena-
tor from Winneshiek presented an
amendment which was accepted, and
thus amended, the bill passed by
vote of 80 ayes to IL nays.
SECTION l. Be it enacted bv the
General Assembly Of the State of
Io,od, That chapter l02 of the Acts
Of the 18th General Assembly an
act to enable townships, towns and
cities to aid in the construction of
railroads, and chapter 48 of the Acts
of tho 18th General Assembly being
also an act to enable townships.
towns and cities to aid in the con.
struction of railroads, be, and the
same are hereby repealed provided
that this act shall not render invalid
and void any taxes that have been
voted under such act nor the power
of the State in regard to the manage.
ment OF railroads and the regulation
Of charges for the transportation of
freight and passengers as provided
in section 4, chapter 1O2, of the Acts
of the 18th General Assembly:
SECTION 3. This act shall take |
effect on and after the 4th of July.
1872.
1t will be seen that this bill is
nearly the same as the one passed
by the House but which will be
adopted is yot to be seen. Certain it
is, however, that the five per cent
tax law has "gone where the wood
bine twineth." Caro-.
SUBsolL PLows.-It does seem a
little strange that tho value of this
implement is so little known among
our farmers. In Britain it has come
into almost universal use, greatly to
the advantage of the crops. On
strong soils OF a olayey nature it is