Omaha daily bee., 1892-03-21
BIG PAY FOR LITTLE WORK
What the Twenty-fourth Iowa General
Assembly Has Cost,
FEW MEASURES OF INTEREST PASSED
Probabilities That the Session win Ad,
Journ within n short Time-Iow the
Catch Biii is Regarded-w What
the Clerks DO.

DEs MONIES, Ia, March 20.-.fSpecial to
: The Bee. From present indications the
Iwenty-fourth geaeral assembly will stand
ad)ourned In about two weeks from Tuesday.
resolution was passed, however to ad-
lourn on March %, but there was n string st-
tached to this resolution, and now there are
SO many DIS OF an important naturs tina the
honorable represo tatves Of tho peope who
have boon enjoying fat berth Ia Des Moines
this winter will have to get pay day movo
on themselves ana give the people showing
for their money.
III was expected that the state convention
OF the republican party, which was held in
this city last Thursday, would in n measure
AID In the extraction OF tho repu blican house
on tho present prohibitory dilemma. The
Catch bill, which has passed the senate,
VIII be taken up in the house as a special
oruer OF, tuesday morning The democrats will
all support this bill, but whether or not
enough republicans can be secured to voto
ior TINS measure to make 1t a law remains to
be seen.
-. 1t was thought that at tho state convention
the anti-prohibition republicans would take
some step toward eliminating this trouble
some question from state politics. Although
there was an anti-prohbltion majority among
Ihe delegates at this convention, they took no
decided action in regard to the course to be
pursued by their representatives IN the Iowa
legislature. 1t is understood, however. that
three and possibly four republicans, mem
per oers OF the house, will vote for the Catch
bill, having been so instructed by the counties
which they represent, but it takes five votes
from the republican side of the house to
cause this bill to become law. Now, while
great many members OF the house are op-
posed to the present orohibitory law, it is
very doubtful If they will have the courage
OF their convictions and vote for the passage
oil this very string ent license bill
Iowa at the Worlds Fair
A most important action Of the assembly
last week has been that in regard to
the worlds far appropriation. There has
been diversity of opinion in regard to the
amount necessary to give Iowa an exhibit at
the Worlds fair which will be entirely cred
table to her agricultural and other resources.
inc Iowa Columbian commission In tine first
place asks for an appropriation OF S330000
Included i'll their items of expense was one
Tor about SD, 900 for salaries and other ex-
penses OF the commission, also one of nearly
$1,000 Tor advertising and offering premi-
ums. This was considered piece of extray-
agance which the state could III afford ut the
present time. When the legislature began
work they appointed a special committee to 4
thoroughly investigate this subject and report
to the general assembly its Investigations
Tho committee figured it out that less
than S22O,O00 would place Iowa au
the head OF all other EXHIBITORS at the
Columbian exposition. Thon the matter
house committee was in favor of S1O0, 900 and
the senate favored sl5O0OO After a joint
conference they compromised on Sl25, 600,
which VIII be used to represent Iowa. By,
a careful expenditure of this sum and smalf
salary list, it Is believed this amount will 1
prove ample for the neecs of Iowa in this
national exposition.
Just at present the senate is making a
show OF economy Senator Bolter of Harri.
son county introduced resolution to dis.
charge about two-thirds of the committees
clerks OF the senate in order to cut down ex-
penscs Tor the remainder OF the session. This
movement would have attracted more a.ten-
tion had 1t been begun ut the time the senate
was organized, but now as tho session OF the
Legislature is nearly ended it looks as though
the senator from Harrison county was trying
to gain little cheap notoriety.
Wha. Committee Clerks DO.
A session of the legislature is quite an OK.
travagant luxury for the people of Iowa and
is sinecuro Tor a favored few For in
stance there arc oyer fifty employees of the
senate who draw 50 day for clerkships.
There Is clerk TO every senator and the
work OF oil these fifty clerks could easily be-
done by less than half that number of COM
petent clerks. One of these clerks said the
other day that during the whole session he
mad not done thing In his capacity as COM
mittee clerk. For this exhaustive work he
has drawn over 500 and before the session
closes his salary will reach at least $500 and
he will ll.have earned from business point OF
view practically nothing-but economy is q
minor consideration in session of the legis- 4
lature.
To sum the whole session up so far the peo-
pie have received for their money the pas.
sage OF several .egallziug acts, Australian
ballot system, soldiers monument bill, have
been given pyrotecbnical display of oratory
on license bills in the senate, been treated to
knockdown in the senate chamber and a
salacious scandal For this the state will
pay about 5000, 900. 1t is expected however.
that this week q sitting committee will bring
forward The more important bills, and that
the legislature will actually get down to
work and DO some legislation for the people.
Peculiar Atmospheric Phenomena.
Fort DoDGE, Ia, March 20.-[Speclal to
THE BEE. l-One of the most peculiar OF tho
many atmospheric phenomena recently OBJ.
served in Iowa is reported from Jefferson.
1t was IN the shape OF brilliant RAINBOW
seen just after sunrise. Tho partly coorcd
band was seen lust above the horizon with
the arc inverted. Local scientists are un.
able TO offer any explanation.
ASNODSCEMENTy.