Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-02-22
Judge Kline, of the board of control,

spoke at length IN favor OF the con-
tract system. Senator Titus opposed
the system, and George S. Tracy, OF
burlington, was presented to talk for
the Burlington Trades and Labor As
sembly. He said his own town was, so
far as he knew, the only one in the
state in which the labor organiza tions
were opposed to this bill. He said they
We're convinced, after examination of
the measure, that it would be far more
harm than the continuance of the con-
Wet labor system, and presented an
elaborate argument in favor of this
view. After he had got well into his
argument Representative Jaeger inter
rupted and asked:
"Alr. Tracy, are you a member of
any of the Burlington labor organiza-
tions?"
Mr.. Tracy admitted that he was
not; he simply represented them.
Are you also the attorney for The
pearl button manufacturers, who re-
Gently secured Il contract for labor at
the Fort Madison penitentiary?" in
CURED Mr.. Jaeger.
Il suppose that if they had any law
business, | would be" admitted sir
Tracy. Il looked over their contract
for them at the time it was made
This development rather spoiled the
force of Mr.. Iracy's argument, for
that particular pearl button contract
was the very one that started the PCS
ent agitation against extension of the
system of contracting the convict
labor
Old System recommended.
The senate committee on elections
reported fayorably on the Penrose bill
to return TO the old system. of marking
the ballot. by putting cross at the
top and then marking for candidates
favored on the other ticket. When il
comes on the floor, there will be tigt:
to substitute the Townsend measure,
abolishing the circle at the top of the
ticket. The democrats and some re-
publicans favor this bill, but it viii.
probably be defeated.
Des Moines, Feb. 90 Special Core
spondence. Attorney General Remley
has made his report to the senate on
the building and loan and insurance
business of the state, as requested by
the upper body of the legislature more
than week ago. His presentation of
the evils in the present laws governing
these associations are as sweeping as
has been expected, and the remedies
he proposes will amount to practical
repeal OF the present laws il they are
put into effect. He does not point Iii
rectly at any one building or loan or
insurance organization in the stace,
but according to his statements, there
are many now doing business in Iowa
in an illegal manner, and with the in
tention of swindling the poorer class
es OF people every day. From his crifi-
cisms of the building and loan bust
ness, the attorney general eNempts
many domestic local associations,
where expenses have been kept down
to the minimum and good results have
been produced. The fault is found
with the larger concerns where stock
is purchased in large amounts by CAPT
talists who desire to- obtain eNorbitant
interest rates on their investments AM
are thus crushing the very men .ie
law was intended to benefit and pro-
tecs.
Several New Laws.
Yesterday the house passed two i'm
portant measures. One is the bill by
Theophilis to create BARRIERS exam
ming board, upon which there has
been large number of petitions .ur-
ing the session as on any other one
measure. The vote on the bill was 10
to 8. The house also passed the bill
granting one-tenth of mill building
tax fol, the state college of agriculture
at Ames. The same measure has passed
the senate.