Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-03-01

Des Moines, March 1.-(Special Cor
respoudence.)- The printing and
binding bill, one of the nightmares OF
the session, has at last been disposed
of in the house. Representative
Clarke, of Dallas county, presented
the bill early in the session, providing
for the abolition of the Offices of state
printer and binder, and for doing state
work under the contract sys-
tenn. The bill has occasion for elab-
crate investigation in and out of
committee, and it has been realized
from the beginning that the house
would divide closely on the final issue.
In the senate Lambert presented a
like bill. The house took the lead in
the investigation, and little has been
done by the senate, which preferred
to await the outcome in the house.
The matter was a special order for
yesterday. and occupied the entire day,
vote being reached late in the after
noon session Mr.. Clarke in strong
speech defended his bill; he undertook
to show that the present system is ex-
pensive beyond reason, that it does not
produce first class results, and that
there are such delays in getting work
done that it is in many cases almost
. worthless when it is finally turned
out. A set of figures was presented,
representing a comparison Of prices
named by commercial printing houses,
with the state rates, fixed by law and
paid the printer and binder. The
charge that he was representing the
interests of certain Des Moines news
papers in urging the bill, was vigor-
ously denied by Mr.. Clarke.
Representative Temple led the fight
for the printer and binder; consider
able number of members spoke, on
both sides of the question, and the bill
at last went to vote. 1t was defeat-
ed by vote of As yeas to 4S nays, as
follows:
Yeas-Anderson of Lyon, Baker, Bar
rett, Bennett, Blake, Blume, Boysen,
Campbell, Clarke. Conley, Cotterell,
Cruilshank, Davis, Dodds, Downing,
Eaton, Eiker, Hansmann, Hawk, Head,
Hilsinger, Hughes, Hurn, Jaeger,
Jones, Kendall, Kerr, Kirkwood,
Koontz, McAleer, McCurdy, McGinn,
Nicelaus, Overfeld, Patton, Sauer, Stall
cop, Stewart, Stratton, Theophilus,
Towner, Warren, Wilson of Adair, Will
son of Buena Vista.
Nays-Anderson of Warren, Ayers,
Barringer Bengston, Blakemore. Bu-
chanan, Byers, Carr, Clarke, Coburn,
Cold Cowles, Grouse, Dows, Dunham,
Edwards, Furry, Gibson, Graft, Harbert
Hasselquist, Hinllle, jerks, Keck, Kent,
Let's, Lyman, Miller of Cedar. Miller
of Fayet5e, Myers, Prentis Putnam,
Roome, Sartee, Sauer, Scott, Sham-
baugh, Sokol, Stuckslager, Sweet, Tenn
pie, Thuenen, Way, Wilson of Keokuk,
Wilson of Washington, Mr.. Speaker.
This decision of the house will take
the wind out of Senator Lamberts sails
and he will hardly be able to secure
any serious or extended consideration
of his bill in the senate. He expects
TO get a report from the committee,
present minority report if necessary,
and have the test made on the ques-
ton of adopting the minority report.
But it is not likely that the senate will
devote any considerable time to debat-
ing n measure which is now known to
be certain of defeat.
Insurance Troubles.
A bill has been introduced sat the
request of the Iowa insurance compa-
MES to extend for thirty days their
certificates of authority to do business.
Their old certification expired March
l, and the auditor could not issue new
ones till their taxes were paid. But
the companies didn't want to pay the
taxes because the law has been de-
clared unconstitutional. 1t was finally
agreed that a bill should be rushed
thru the legislature, allowing thirty-
days period of grace, while the legis-
lature is planning bill that will stand
the test of the courts. 1t is expected
that such a law will be passed by the
time the thirty days expires, and then
the certificates can be renewed in the
regular way.
This matter of collecting taxes un-
der law which has been held uncon-
stitutional is a serious one T'- West
ern Union Telegraph company has
paid $4,000 taxes, under protest. The
Iowa Union telephone company, own
ing a number of exchanges in the
state, paid $7,S33 taxes, also under
protest. Every foreign insurance COM
pany has paid under protest; and the
Iowa companies are simply not paving
at all. The express companies are al
SO paying under protest. If the legis.
lature passes new law which is sat
isfactory to the companies, they will