Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1873-01-23
Attorney General for legal opinion.
DEs MorNrs. Jan. l7th.

Work on the new COOc, anu seem 10 On
working together with singleness O
purpose that promises no waste o
time. M
In the Senate to-day S. F. No. l wa
taken up; a bill to revise, amend and
codify the statutes in relation to th'
sovereignty and Jurisdiction Of th'
State and legislative departments.
The bill was changed somewhat IL
relation to the pay Of members. In
stead Of receiving $3.50 per session Al
formerly, in now reads $3.50.
Under the consideration OF the same
bill, the Senate took up the section
stricken out by the House abolishinl
the publication Of the laws in newspa
pers. A protractcd and animated dis
cussion took place upon the subject
one party urging the present financial
condition of the State and the necessity
Of economy; tho other wishing tc
place them where they would DO &C.
cessible to the people regarding intel.
ligence as above money. Senator
Nc Mutt tried to have It amended SO
that instead two hundred thousand
copies Of the laws in pamphlet form
might be distributed throughout the
State. The amendment was lost and
the action of the House concurred in
by vote of 10 to Is.
In the House, II. F. No. 5 YVES taken
up, being an act to revise, amend and
codify the statutes in relation to elec.
tons of officers. But few changes
were made. Under the new adoption
constables are allowed to hold Office
two years.
The law in relation to the registry oi
voters received justly thorough air.
ing, and occupied the attention of the
House for considerable time. Mo-
tions were made to repeal 1t entirely,
Sharp speeches were made for aud
against the motion, but it was finally
disposed of by making the registry
law apply only to townships contain.
ing over 5000 inhabitants. Its great
expense was the only argument urged
against it of any moment which was
thought to exceed it's benefits. 1t was
concluded, however, that to large
towns it was indispensable.
The sections relating to the qualif1-
cations for office received very close
attention. The State Treasurer is now
required to give bonds in the sum Of
$500, 600 instead of 800 600 as former.
iy. The Register Of the State Land
Office gives bond in the sum of $1,000
Clerk Of the Supreme Court $4,000
and all temporary officials the same as
regular incumbcnts. In addition te
this, no officer can be qualified in re.
election until he has produced and &C.
counted for all moneys, bonds. paner.
and trusts rcpnsed in him.
There seems to be a grea; DISPOSE
ton on the part Of our law-makers te
set as strict a watch as possible upon
the public interests and make any Of
ficer, no matter how trivial his trust
discharge his duties to the fullest ex.
tent.
House File No. Z was also taken up
being bill for all act to revise, amend
and codify the statutes in relation te
roads, ferries and bridges, and was
passed without essential changes ex
cept to prohibit the location of public
highways through any orchard O
more than two years standing, nor Sc
contiguous to any building as to caus,
tho removal thereof
Tomorrow there will he a meeting
of the Rankin Investigating Commit.
tee and the public may soon expect Il
be in possession of the truth, the Who'll,
truth, and naught else. H..
The citizens of the District Of Co
lumbia propose making grand prepar
ations for the Inauguration Of Presi
dent Grant. Among other things it il
proposed to erect ball room 120x4Ol
feet, capable of holding 6000 persons
with cook room, vestibule, ETC., in ad
dition. II is estimated that it viii
cost $4,000, and the only question i
where shall the money come from
Some of the citizens propose an extr1
session of the legislature to appro
pirate that amount, but public senti
ment there seems ayerse to such
move. Better give the money to pub
lie works or even to the poor. NJ
display that can be made will add any
thing to the grandeur sf the triumph
of Republican principles. or a1vanc
Gen. Grant one iota more in the es
teem Of the American people. Sim
plicity is one Of the greatest merits Q
u
all Republican institutions, and "
are satisfied that the President woul,
be much better pleased if less ostenta
tious display was made.
The New York Tribune, since III
Cincinnati fiasco, has been mum on tn
subject of Protection. Desiring now
doubtless, to get into the good grace
Of Pig Iron men in Pennsylvania, in
late issue it gets off the following:
"The wisdom of the Protective poll
cy Of the last decade is successful
vindicatcd by the facts elictci at tn
recent meeting of the National Asscci
alton of Iron Manufacturers. Not on
ly has the iron industry made grea
strides in the last ten years, ii continu
es to cxpaud, and promises within
moderate period, to supply all the iro
the country will require.
LII Horace Greeley had attempted t
write on the above subject, this pars
graph would have swelled into NOR
lengthy proportions, and it would hay
been elaborately shown that The 1b-
bune had hecn the instrumcnt in seem