Omaha daily bee., 1890-03-10
BOOMERANG TO DEMOCRATS.
The Changers Take Their Love for
Larrabee Too Seriously.
FLOOD OF ANTI-MoNoPoLY BILLS
Corporation Cdppers Dnzed at the
Turn of Affairs-A Bill to Amend
the Law Relating to the COL
lection of Notes.
The Iowa Legislature.


DEs MONIES, Ia, March 81 Special to
TnE BEE. THE democratic members OF. the
legislature are heartily wishing they had
never countenanced or given encouragement
to the Larrabee boom for United States SEN
ator. The grangers in the back townships
honestly thought the democrats were in ear
nest IN their attempt to elect Larraoee and
defeat Allison, and In drawing up their petit
tions they were especially emphatic in
pedging themselves TO hold each member
personally responsible for his vote on this
question and in the declaration that they
never would support any member who failed
to carry out their wishes in respect TO the
senatorship.
The petitions were primarily intended to
disorganize the republicans and induce some
of the radicals to bolt the caucus, but they
have proved a veritable boomerang and re-
acted upon the democrats in manner that
makes them very weary.
The democratic senatorial caucus was
anything but serene and lovely, several
members, owing to their peculiar situa-
tion," publicly declining to take part.
The railroad element led by Senator Boil
ter, the well known corporation lawyer OF
Harrison, were in favor of cemplimenting
S. l., Bestow of Charlton, the defeated can
didate for lieutenant governor, with the
empty honor of nomination, while the con-
servatives favored Judge Whiting of
Monona and the radicals advocated the nom
ination of Larrabee. The result gave Bes-
tow a. Whiting5 and Larrabee T. The Lar
rabee supporters were: Senators Mattoon
OF F'ayette, Larrabee's home county; Wolfe
of Clinton and Bayless OF Clayton, and Rep-
resentatives Russell of Adams, Gates OF
Floyd, Gracser OF Ida and Estes OF FIRE.
mont.
The rural democrats in Adams, Floyd and
Ida had worked themselves up to such q
pitch of enthusiasm fo- Larrabee that their
representatives were literally forced to bolt
their caucus nominee and record their votes
for Larrabee In the conven tion much to the
disgust of the old line bourbons, who con.
tended that these petitions were only in-
tended to affect the votes OF the republican
members.
The lower house has been literally swept
off Its feet by the number and character of
, antimonopoly bills introduced in that body.
The corporation copDers seem to be com
pletely dazed at the turn of affairs and have
apparently lost their grip on legislation
Possibly they are relying on having safe
and conservative occupant OF The governors
chair who will put veto on all bills OF this
character. On the railroad question bills
have been introduced empowering the board
of commissioners to make JOINT rates on con-
Meeting lines; to reduce passenger fare to =
cents per mile; to make all mileage books
good until used; TO prohibit railways from
charging the cost of uniforms punches and
supplies to their employees; TO abolish the
car steve; to prevent the blacklisting of
employees. ana to prohibit voting aid to rail-
roads.
Insurance matters are also being looked
after by the vigilant legislators. Bills are
pending-nlne in number-to enact valued
policy law, also to abolish boards OF compact
and all agreements relating either TO basis
of valuation or rates among agents.
Insurance companies are also included by
implication in q sweeping trust bill iGvro-
duced in the senate by Hanchett and Hursh,
which embraces the main features of the Mis-
souri, law against trusts" ana provides for
the revocation of the charters of all corpora
tions which enter ipto any combination IN
restraint of trade"
The system of taxation Is also getting
vigorous shaking up.
TAYLOR of Davis has introduced in the SEN
ate u bill providing that railroad property
shall hereafter be assessed by local assessors
inslead of by the state board and bulls are
pending to tax "money and money credits"
he same as other property, to tax mortgages
as real estate and to list for purposes of tax
alton the "capltal stock" Of banks.
The school book question is not being neg
lected by any means. More than a dozen
bills are on the files providing for state uni
formity OF text books TO be published by the
lowest bidder. A powerful lobby is being
organized 10 defeat this movement. Their
efforts are being concentrated in the senate
as the lower house Is entirely beyond their
control.
Among the other bills of an anti-monopoly
character demanded by the farmers alliance
and which are now pending, is bill repeal
ing the "iunocent purchaser clause" in the
law relating to notes. so that promissory
notes obtained by fraud can not be collected
by third parties The grangers in the house
take kindly to this bill but The lawyers in
the senate profess to fear it will upset all
commercial transactions" and the fate Of
the measure is uncertain.