Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-02-08
NO FREE RIDES.
Anti-Pass Bill introduced in
Iowa House Yesterday.
OPPOSE THE EIKER BILL
Representatives of Labor Organiza-
lions Are In Des Moines Fighting
Its Passage-Bonaparte Dam
Case May be Settled.

Aohs are IN DeS MOlneS FlSntlnG
Its Passage-Bonaparte Dam
Case May be Settled.
Des Moines, Feb. Especial Core
spondence.) Representative Hughes of
Iowa county. yesterday afternoon, dur
ing a session of the lower house,
which lasted less than an hour, intro
duced bill that has caused almost as
much comment as anything that has
been presented before the present gen
eral assembly. 1t is an anti-pass bill
OF the deepest dye, and provides serious
punishment for railroads which give
transportation, and also for persons
who receive it. Mr.. Hughes himself
admits that he has no hope of the
measure passing, but is willing to die
with the bill if necessary, if by SO do
ing he may blazen a way by which
Legislators of later period may enact
a realization of his cherished hopes.
The bill strictly prohibits railroads,
corporations and combines, whose bust
ness is the transportation of passen-
gers and merchandise, from giving
passes, franks, etc. It makes viola
ton of this law a misdemeanor, pun
ishable bv fine of not less than 500
nor more than one thousand.
But the punishment for him
who accepts the transportation
is as great as for him who gives it.
The bill is in the main copy of the
Wisconsin law on prohibition of pass
giving, and Mr.. Hughes says that in
Wisconsin the measure has proved a
great success. The Hughes bill espec-
tally provides that passes shall not be
given to or accepted by state officers,
members of legislatures, and dele
gates to state conventions. Immediate
ly upon presentation yesterday the bill
was referred to the house Judiciary
committee, and those who are closest
to the members of this committee, and
know best the anti-pass feeling in the
house, say the committee will prob
ably report it for indefinite postpone
ment, or else leave it to the last Of the
session and then rush it or substi-
tute thru, missing in every important
detail the objects intended to be prom
inently brought out by the author.
OF the 300 bills that have been in
troduced into the legislature during
the past three weeks, none are receiv-
ing more attention just at present than
the Eilker bill, which provides that the
salary or wages Of employees who have
families shall be exempt from garnish-
ment to the extent OF So per week. All
earnings over So per week shall not be
exempt from liability for debt. The
Eiker bill has been quite freely COM
mented upon by the state press, and
as a consequence the capitol and ho-
tells are now flooded with represents
tives Of the labor organizations, who
are trying to prevent the passage of the
measure. Petitions from all parts Of
the state are being received daily from
the labor people, and several are pre-
sented in both houses every morning.
Yesterday large delegation from the
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers
arrived from Clinton. They have spent
a great deal of time with senator's and
representatives in the past thirty hours
trying to convince them of the wrong
the laboring man will suffer il the bill
becomes law.
In the house this morning the in
vestigating committee appointed to
look into the evidence regarding the
contested seat of the member from
Plymouth county, announced that C.
J. Cottrel, the democrat, was duly and
properly elected, and is therefore en-
titled to seat in the house.
Altho there has always been more
or less agitation every legisla-
tive winter regarding the pos
sibility of settling the Bona
parte dam case; and altho this is be-
ing talked about as usual on this oc-
casion, it now really looks as tho
something would be done. Every move
ment looking towards condemnation
proceedings heretofore has met the
manifest disapproval of Meeks Bros,
who own the dam. It is now under
stood, however, that they will not be
ayerse to such an arrangement, and
that they would accept any appraise
ment put upon the property by spe-
Meeks Bros, for violation of the state
law in not building fishway thru the
dam, was decided in their favor last
fall il the lower court. Several promi-
nent river men and fishers are at the
OdCh u LILO AiONShACho " SOAlRCl Gllt
Meeks to put in the fishway. The case
has been appealed, and the decision is
expected from the supreme court this
spring. Considering the new attitude
of the property it is quite probable that
condemnation proceedings will be in
augurated by the legislature.
Representative Wilson of Washing
ton has introduced a bill in the house
which embodies several important
amendments to the military code, and
which are intended to prescribe GER
tain amount of rule and regulation for
state troops during national strife. It
provides that ''when requisition shall
be made by the president of the Unit
ed States for troops from the state,
the adjutant general shall also act as
quartermaster general, and shall re-
ceive salary from the state the COM
pensation Of the grade of colonel of
fha o,.yo,, l,1,,;prr tho lima xba +,oora