Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1897-02-04
DIES MONIES LETTER.
JULIEN RICHARDS WRITES CON-
CORNING LEGISLATIVE MATTERS.

Fare.
Dies MONIES, Feb. 2.--(Special. 1.-The
legislature, has been transacting bust
ness at fairly satisfactory rate during
the past week and both houses are busy
passing bills for the codiiication of such
parts of the code as are not subject to
much discussion. The revenue, rail
road, assurances and other topics which
will demand much attention are being
considered by the committees in both
houses and it is hoped that when they
are prepared to report there will be
practical unanimity III the committees,
at least, upon these subjects.
1t has always been Il Legislative Gus
tom in the passage of q bill that when
it reached its third reading every word
of the bill should be read III open session
before a vote is taken upon 1t. In pass
ing some Of the code bills which are not
changed IN 2rT essential particular
from the present law it has been pro-
posed that the third reading be simply
by title as are the first and second read
ings of every bill. 1t is urged that if
the usual custom is followed and the
entire code is read before passage it will
require 80 hOurs of solid reading with
out any interruption to do this part OF
the work alone. This would consume
80 days assuming that three hours each
day were devoted to reading the code.
This does not make any provisions for
roll calls or reports Of committees or the
time necessarily consumed by the adop-
ton of the amendments suggested by
the committees. Neither is any time
allowed for any discussion on these bills.
1t is probable that some of the bills will
take several days to perfect after they
have been reported on by the commit
tees and brought before the assembly
for discussion.
Revenue Bill.
In the case of the revenue bill, for in
stance, it is probable that nearly every
member will have some amendment or
suggestion to offer in regard to it, and if
it does rot require a full weeks discus
sion to get this measure adopted it will
be an agreeable surprise to those who
have watched the tenor Of oiI-hand de-
bate in corridors and hotels upon this
vital question. For these reasons some
Of the members are of the opinion that
if time is taken to read the whole code
from the clerks desk the session will be
prolonged into the summer, and, as one
of them stated yesterday. "thOse OF the
members who have engagements to de-
liver Fourth Of July orations had best
cancel them at once"
The steering committee has been re-
uuested to look up the law in the case
and report whether or not it would be
constitutional to pass such of the laws
as are not under controversy or are eX-
actly similar to those in the present
code, after they have been reported for
passage by the committees, without
reading them in full from the clerk S
desk. This committee viii make its re-
port today. Representative Temple, who
is member Of the committee, informs
me that he has given the matter careful
consideration and is OF the opinion that
there is no danger that the supreme
court would upset any of the laws should
the Legislature fail to give them third
full reading. He says the legislature is
the only judge of the question as to
whether all the formalities have been
complied with, and if the journal shows
that the bills have been read a third
time there is no power to ''gO behind
the returns" His plan is to have the
clerk read the title of the bill and the
the announcement made by the speaker,
"This constitutes the third reading of
the bill" Then have the roll called
upon its adoption. Mr., Temple is a
lawyer of reputation and it is reported
that other lawyers Oh the committee
agree with him in his opinion. If this
plan is adopted it will be possible for
the session to complete its work and adj
journ probably about the middle OF
March.
Waterman and Mccarthy Wrangle.
The "scrap" between Senator Water
man and State Auditor Mccarthy over
! the question of the figures that were
given by the auditors office before the
adjournment Of the last. session and
upon which the appropriations are based,
has about subsidized. Both parties had
their Say" about the question. The
pugilistic senator made a long statement
to the joint committee and it was in
dorsed by them and its publication asked
in the local papers. Then Mr.. McCar-
thy prepared a statement for the press
which gave the situation from his stand,
point. The members, however, realize
they are here for the purpose of codify.
ing the laws as expeditiously as possible
and they do not seem disposed to devote
much valuable time to the discussion OF
the matter. And SO it is probable that
no more will be heard Of it. There was
some talk for time Of the advisability
OF rsnodeling the Laws governing the
state printers and binders offices. Some
OF the more radical wanted to go to the
extreme Of abolishing these positions
and having the work done by contract
hereafter. For several days the matter
was the subject of much comment in the
corridors, but it seems that those of the
members who have given it careful con
, SideratiOn have abOut reached the con.