Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-09-29
LEGISLATION
That Is What Organized Labor
Wishes to Obtain in
Some Form
DEs MONIES PRINTING COMBINE
Local Trust Eixea Prices and State
oEs MONIES PRINTING COMBINE
Local Trust Fixes Prices and State
Has to Let Printing Contracts to
Outside Firms to Escape Extortion-
BirdsaIl Reports at Headquarters.

Outside Firms to Escape Extortion-
BirdsaIl Reports at Headquarters.
Special to Times-Republican
Des Moines, Sept. 29.-Some quiet
work has already been commenced in
the state of Iowa looking toward re-
forms in the manner Of placing legis-
lation on the statute books. The work
done thus far has been by and thru la
Dor organizations. They claim that 1t
was thru their efforts that the secret
ballot system was introduced and es-
tablished in practically every state OF
the union. Now the American Federa-
ton of Labor Is engaged in fostering
sentiment favorable to the adoption Oh
some form of direct legislation to take
the place of the exclusive legislation oy
representation. The referendum is es-
necially favored, and also some form OF
the direct initiative of the people thru
netitions or otherwise. The demand Tor
this direct legislation is one of the car
dinal blanks of the political program OF
the American federation. Not untll
lately has the federation been strong
enough to do anything in Iowa, out II Is
understood that representatives OF the
federation are insisting on pledges from
candidates for Office that they Will Ia
yor direct legislation. The state con-
- \ pyrvN
yention of the federation held last SUM
mer in Cedar Rapids by unanimous
vote adopted resolution which was
introduced byJ. S. Nagle of Sioux City
as follows:
"Whereas organized labor Is practi-
callya a unit in support of majority rule
thru the referendum and the Initiative.
and believing that the time has come TO
put this great reform in operation. and
.Whereas, the most important step is
the questioning of candidates for con-
gress and the Legislature on their posi-
ton on this important matter, therefore
be it
"Resolved, that the delegates OF the
tenth annual convention of the Iowa
State Federation of Labor, in session at
Cedar Rapids, hereby declare for the
sefarendum and the initiative, and the
N.innetlsa system for putting 1t in op-
Grafton, and pledge themselves, and
urge their unions, to question candi-
dates for congress and the state legisla-
ture If they favor esuch reform, and
would suggest to members of organized
labor the advisability of supporting for
office in the gift Of the people only those
who will pledge themselves If elected
~ 10 hrin n
This year for the first time the repre-
sentatives of the American Federation
are taking some steps toward securing
the pledges indicated, with view to
pushing this proposed reform to the
front strictly as a non-partisan meas
ure in the same manner as the reform
in ballot laws was pushed forward.
Next year in the legislative elections
the work will be taken up with great
zeal and an effort be made to secure a
Legislature that will be favorable to di-
rect legislation.
There is in existence in Des Moines
an ironclad printing combine which fix
es prices Of printing and binding and
similar work in practically all the Of
fees Of the city. The state Of Iowa has
come up against this printing combine
on several occasions, and in cOnse-
quence has been compelled to pay fan
cy prices for some work. But the state
officials have at last learned the tricks
of the combine and have been success
fully evading extortion for some months
in the letting of contracts for business.
A great deal of the state work is being
done in other cities and towns of the
state and very little of 1t here save that
which by law goes to the state printer.
A few weeks ago the city printers were
asked to bid on certain job and their
bids were all about s25 each. The con-
tract was let to a firm in another city
of the state for SIS. But members of
the combine were notified that unless
they choose to bid reasonable prices
they would not be asked to make offers.
They asked for time to consider the
matter and then returned information
that one OF their number alone would
make bids. This firm Immediately bet
gan bidding down to near the prices
which can be obtained outside of the
combine. 1t was evident the combine
had given permission for one firm to
make low bids so as to try to keep the
business in Des Moines. AS yet Moth
ing has ever been done to checkmate
the combine, but state officials declare
they will not allow the state to be bled
by extortionate prices.
The democrats of Clayton county
have set a new mark in local politics by
pledging their county officers not to re-
main forever in office if they get a
chance. Their county convention
passed the following resolution:
BE it resolved by the democrats OF
Clayton county, in convention assem-
bled that it is the sense of this conven-
ton that hereafter no office will be Civ
en- to any democrat for more than three
successive terms, and the candidates
named for the several offices by this
convention are hereby put on record as
pledged to this resolutions"
1t is expected that Judge Birdsall Will
arrive in Des Moines this evening for
a conference with the republican state
committe in regard to Third district
politics. The judge has not been very
active in politics for several years,
but has been keeping right up with the
procession all the time, and as he Is
said to be an excellent speaker there is
no doubt that he will be ready to do his
share toward success in the Third dis
trict. Thus far the republican state
committee has not heard of single