Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-02-06

lly was not intended to provide what
its wording has conveyed to several
justices of the peace. The original
present section provides that it Shall
be a misdemeanor fol anyone to use
petroleum products for lighting pur-
poses except under certain conditions.
One OF the ways in which it may be
used is by use of Welsbach burner.
1t has been discovered that this gives
the Welsbach people a monopoly, and
also that there are other burners, ope-
rated upon the same principle, which
embody all the conditions of the Wells
bach. The Emmert bill amends the
existing law by adding provision for
any burner constructed on the princi-
pie of Welsbach. In two or three
cities men have been arrested for Vi
olation of the petroleum law, and fined
for using other than Welsbach burn
ers.
The committee on schools in the
senate this morning reported favora-
bly, on the Cheshire bill providing that
school districts of more than 5000
population may be divided into as
many precincts as the board of school
directors may desire. At present the
law provides that the number of pre-
cincts shall be limited to five.
The. senate committee on ways and
means reported favorably on the Jun
Nln railroad bill this morning. This
bill provides that the railroads runs
ming into or across Iowa shall furnish
to the executive council exact infor-
nation as to the Whereabouts of it's
sleeping and dining cars. The compa-
MES must tell upon what divisions of
the road the ears are run, and how
often, the distance, and number of
cars. At present the companies report
the number of sleepers and diners but
are not required to tell where they
operate. The purpose of the bill is to
enable the executive council to tell
just where the property of the compa-
ny lies, so that it may apportion the
assessments correctly. The ways and
means committee also reported favor
ably the bill providing for continual
ton of the state university for build
ing tax of one-tenth of mill. The
bill provides that the tax be continued
for another five years.
The house committee on insurance
this morning reported favorably the
Dows bill, providing for the repeal of
the section of the code which states
that insurance companies shall pay a
one mill tax to the state. Mr.. Bows
introduced this bill to do away with
/ the double taxation, placed upon the
companies by supreme court decisions
to the effect that insurance companies
must pay taxes to the counties in
which they are incorporated.
| The Porter Bill.
The senate and house committees
on mines and mining held joint SEES
sion yesterday afternoon to listen to
| the arguments for and against the
| Porter bill, now in the hands of the
senate committee. The bill provides
| that coal miners shall be paid accord
ing Ito the amount of coal taken out,
the coal to be weighed before screen
| ing. The meeting occupied the better
part of two hours. On behalf of the
operators there were present about a
dozen representatives of the largest
coal mining interests of the state. The
| arguments in favor of the miner were
| put forth by p. L. Joyce, of Des
Moines, an officer of the United Mine
| Workers and member of the legisla-
tive committee of the Des Moines
Trades and Labor Assembly. The op-
orators have raised rather a fine point
regarding the Porter bill. They say
such a law as the bill provides would
be unconstitutional. 1t is claimed by
them that it would interfere with the
private right of the operator to con
tract with the miner for a certain
amount of work to be done at a GER
tain price. They claim the right to
draw such a contract, and hold that
any legislation that would prevent il
would be unconstitutional. The miners
make the claim that they take out
slack and nut coal for the operator and
receive no pay for it, while the opera.
tor sells it at all the way from &C
cents to $3.50 per ton. The commit.
tees have been given rather hard
question to deal with, and at present
have noD decided what can be done
that be both just to the miner and fair
to the operator. Senator Titus, Of
Muscatine, and Representative Kendall
of Monroe are chairmen of the com.
mlttees. o. P. Newman.
To Elect Board of Control.
Des Moines, Feb. ESPECIAL LIN
the house today Sweet of Bremen of.
fered a bill making the board of con.
troll elective. Sweet is a graduate OF
Cornell, Governor Shaw's and Colonel
Rood's school. Friends of the board Of
control system oppose the election sys
tenn, claiming it brings too much poll.
/ tics into the. board.
Putnam of Council Bluffs introduced
a bill allowing cities to fix street cal
rates of fare.
In the senate a bill to continue the
State university tax was passed.
Cownie Will Resign.
Des Moines, Feb. SIT is stated by
those in position best to know tina,
Hon. John Cownie will resign his po
sition as crop reporter for the agri
cultural department. at Washington
and that Mr.. Cownie has himself giver
his friends to understand that he will
take such action. his action is un
doubleday in conformity with popular
opinion and in obedience to the
spirit of the law creating the board Of
control.
i AFrightful Blunder
1 Will often cause horrible burn, Gu
or bruise. Buchlen's Arnica Salve tn,
best in the world, will kill the pail
Il apd prompt1y heal if Cures old soras