Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-02-27
LEGISLATIVE GOSSIP
NEWSY LETTER FROM JULIEN RICH
ARDS, OUR CORRESPONDENT.
Poll Made by Senator Perrin Seems to Show
There Is No Hope of Passing Liquor
Manufacturing Measures - Monumens
Trouble Still Far From Settled.

Manufacturing Measures Monuments
Trouble Still Far From Settled.
DIES MONIES, Feb. 25.-The house took
a vacation last Friday noon until this
morning, but the senate refused to adj
iourn and kept at work in spite of the
occurrence of the anniversary Of Wash
ington's birthday.
AS was predicted the Democratic bills
to permit the manufacture of intoxicat-
ing liquors in the state have been de-
feated in the house. They were re-
ported back from the committee on sup
preston of incompetence without rec
ommendation and allowed to come up
on the floor of the house for considera-
ton. All the Democrats except Mr..
Manahan, who was absent, voted for
the bill and the following Republicans
Bailey, Good, Grote, Klemme, Nc.
Arthur, Tibbitts and Speaker Byers.
The vote on the passage of the bill
was-Ayes, 81; nays, co. Absent or not
voting-l2.
The Democratic local option bill was
also defeated by u nays to % ayes,
Grote (Rep.) voting with the Democrats
for the bill.
Meantime the committees of both
houses on Suppression of intemperance
are working ON the Republican manu-
featuring bills and it is expected that
some measure will be reported to both
houses in a short time. In the house
committee a subcommittee has framed
bill that has been submitted to some
of the leading attorneys of the state for
an opinion as to its legality as an
amendment Of the mulct law, The bin
provides that in any county where G
petition Of consent for the sale of in
toxicating liquors has been or shall here
after be filed, the boards of supervisors
are empowered to allow the manufacture
and sale at wholesale of spirituous or
malt liquors. Sale shall not be in guam
titles Of less than three gallons and in
no case are the liquors to be drank upon
the premises. This bill does not legalize
the manufacture of liquors except that
it places the manufacture upon the same
basis as the sale of the stuff at retail is
now placed by the mulct law. The
friends of the measure say that it is
probable that some such bill can be
passed in the house, but they admit that
its fate in the senate is considerably
problematic. Senator Perrin, the chair
man of the committee of the senate upon
suppression has polled that body and
says he is certain that no manufacturing
bill can pass. He found % senators who
announced that they were opposed to
any such measure. To these he added
Senators Druett and Rowen, whom he
had not interviewed, but was certain
they could safely be counted as opposed
to manufacture. This made 20, which
will be enough to prevent the passage
of the bill. In addition to this list he
classed three senators-Carney, Byers
and Hospers-as doubtful, If Senator
PERKINS, figures are correct it indicates
that the senate is the uncertain quantity
in the matter of a manufacturing law.
Friends of such a measure claim, how
ever, that Senator Perrin's conclusions
are not correct.
Shance Oh RAISING.
1t is said that the amendment league
people will make strong attempt to
secure the passage of the resolution for
resubmission and that efforts in that
direction will be made in a few days. 1t
can safely be said, however, l think,
that the chances are still against the
passage of the resolution unless it should
happen that the manufacturing bills are
pressed too hard and bitter fight is
thereby engendered.
Warden Jones of the Fort Madison
penitentiary, is certainly deserving of
great credit for his efforts in behalf of
betterment of the sleeping arrangements
Of that prison. 1t was due to his efforts
that the committee of which Governor
Drake was chairman, went to Fort
Madison last week and inspected the
prison. Warden Jones asks that the
legislature appropriate $40, 900 for the
enlargement Of the cell house and other
improvements. He says that there are
81 cells, of which number Is are feet
6 inches wide and the balance are feet
and inches wide. One day last week
there were sol prisoners in the peniten-
tiary and to put them all in 81 cells
made it necessary to put two prisoners
each in l20 Of these small cells. Con-
sidered simply from a humanitarian
standpoint, it is disgrace to the state
to herd men together in such restricted
quarters. Besides this it is certainly
subversive of discipline to have two
prisoners occupy a single cell. They
have an opportunity to plan all sorts of
schemes and besides it may happen that
some youthful offender who is serving
his first sentence may become the cell
mate of hardened criminal and all re-
formatory influences would thus be set
at naught. There are prisoners in Fort
Madison whose ages range from Is to
60 years and many of them are hard
ened criminals who are serving a fifth
or sixth sentence, while others are
young in criminal career. Warden
Jones asks that the legislature make ap-
preparations for the purpose of raising
the roof of the cell house and adding
another tier of steel clad cells This