Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-02-20
Business Not Proceeding Rap
idly in the Legislature.
PRINTING AND BINDING.
1t Will Occupy tile Attention of the
House This Week-The Cheshire
Bills Still in Hands of the
Senate Committee.

LES MONIES, FEB. l9.-(Special Cor
respondence. .)-Within the past few
days experienced legislators have eN>
pressed themselves as being of the
opinion that the business of the legis-
lature is being very slowly handled az
the present session. In the house 274
bills, and in the senate 252 bills, have
been introduced, a total of over 500
measures, and yet only sixteen bills
and five joint resolutions have passed
both houses. With the beginning of
the seventh week of the session moth
ing OF sterling Importance has been
accomplished. Nearly all the bills
providing for needed legislation are
yet to come before the house. The
senate has postponed indefinitely four
teen bills, and the house Twenty-Five.
Committee chairmen and legislative
officials say the cause of the apparent
delay is the fact that great deal of
committee work is being done, and
that when the measures once come out
OF the committees they will be in such
shape as to be quickly disposed of.
1T is thought the normal school
| question, SO far as the establishment
| OF more schools is concerned, is finally
| settled; but there are several bills pro-
viding for normal facilities outside the
state school, or proposed schools,which
| will take considerable time and atten-
ton in both houses. The state print-
ing and binding question will be taken
| up in the house this week The Clark
bill, providing for the abolishment OF
the offices is a special order for Tues
| day morning, and has been reported,
| for passage \ lively contest is eN-,
| pected on this measure. The special
committee appointed to investigate the
work, prices, and Offices OF state print
er and binder, has noteyet reported,i
5and il is expected motion will bs,
made to defer action on the Clark bill
until after its report is received. The
committee is preparing new scale OF
| prices. Expert, independent printers
have been called in, and asked to pus
price on each piece of printing and
| binding; price tnat would enable
\ them to pay union scale wages for
| their labor and allow them fair pro-
| fit. The committee will report the
| differences between these prices and
| the state scale, and it is expected will
recommend the adoption of the new
scale and the election of the officers.
The Cheshire bills providing for the
assessment and taxation of telegraph,
| telephone and express companies are
| still in the hands of the senate judi
ciary committee. They have been res
ferred to subcommittee, and are eN-
pected to be reported on this week.
These bills will probably bring forth
| as much discussion and consume as
much time as any other measure to be
considered by the legislature They
have not been offered in the house, SO
that that body will not get IA chance
at them until the senate has taken ac-
ton. 1t is expected the discussion on
| these measures will be as strong and
| consume as much time in the house
| as in the senate, so that it will prob
ably be near the end of the session be-
fore anything along these lines will be
accomplished. All bills calling for APP
preparations are in the hands of the
appropriations committees of the two
houses. just at present these bodies,
with the assistance of the board OF
control. are engaged in the formation
of one, big. committee bill. which will
! provide for all appropriations. which,
in the opinion of the committee,
should be made. 1T is expected this
| work will not be completed for a week
| or ten days. The Garst bill in the
| senate. providing for the support of
state institutions by general state
tax is still in committee, as is his bill
which provides for state care OF coun-
| ty and all other insane. These meas
| ures will bring forth a hot contest
when they are reported. In the house
one of the important considerations
which is expected to come up this
week is the anti-pass bill, offered by
Representative Hughes, of Iowa coun-
/ ty. Mr.. Hughes is said to be organic
ing for a fight for his bill. The cons
mittee will report the bill with an
amendment, making ii provide against
i issuing passes to political delegates.
original bill. 1T is the opinion OF a
large number of representatives that
il Mr.. Hughes stirs up enough sent.-
ment about the state concerning the
! bill as it will be reported. he can Sc
cure the passage of the original meas
aure, which provides against delegates
to political conventions, state officials,
supreme and district judges, and
/ members of the legislature. The good
roads movement is strongly upheld in
/ the senate committee on roads and
/ highways, and bitterly opposed in the
similar committee in the house. 1t
now begins to look as tho nothing
would be accomplished along this line
at the present session. The question
of building and loan and savings and
loan legislation is Yet TO be considered,
altho several bills on this subject have
been offered in both houses.
/ The disposal OF convict labor the
/ compulsory education bill, she bill pro-
viding for the creation OF department
4 OF l;tbor in this state and large nuns
Der of other measures of more or less
i importance are still to be considered.
] EyerYthing considered the twentieth