The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1902-04-03
YETOES /" MERGER Z BILL
GOVERNOR cuMMINs RETURNS
THE BILL TO THE SENATE.


THE BILL TO THE SENATE.
the Governor Says the Act 10 Class
Legislation and Unconstitutional.
Des Moines. March 2s.-Governoi
Lummins yesterday announced HID
veto of the Molsberry bill, better
known as the merger measure" The
bill removed the limit of Indebtedness
per mile that may be contracted BY
railways running through Iowa.
1t has been persistently claimed by
those opposing the bill that 1t was in,
troduced and pushed through by the
Burlington railways lobbyists for the
purpose of enabling that corporation
to take over the Northern Securities
company's stock in case the latter los
es it's case in the federal courts.
A hush fell upon the senate when,
shortly after ten, the message from
the governor was announced. 1t was
felt at once that 1t was veto upon
the much discussed Molsberry bill,
On motion of Porter the message was
read and proved to be the return OF
t.le bill without the governors approx
al.
The message pointed out that tho
bill was Unconstitutional in that it ere.
ated class legislction opposing the
principle that all laws should De gen.
eral and of uniform application but
"A it were not contrary to the consti-
tuition, he could. not give 1t his ap.
prevail anyway.
corporate power to issue stock and
ino,yr {n6olefo1rnca noad0 restraint
rather than greater freedom. Not a
state had been found that conferred
upon railways the unlimited power to
incur indebtedness, and to take of
sucn limitation in this state was to
confer license which had no paral.
lei.
The measure is unconstitutional for
the reason that 1t favored one class of
corporations, namely railways, over
other corporations and that 1t discrim.
mates in favor Of the railways operat-
ing lines both without and within
state limits by removing the limita-
ton of Indebtedness as to them while
leaving the old law in force as against
lines wholly within the state. The
real application would not be to en-.
able the two or three roads to i'm
prove their property but to overcome
real or imaginary difficulties In the
purchase of stock by certain roads,
which he specified as the Burlington.
and other lines associated with 1t in
the Northern Securities company.
Henry Rockfeld. Of Chelsea, was
struck by Northwestern train at
Marshalltown, and instantly killed.
The national house was called to
order by Speaker Henderson few
days ago with a gavel made from,
Philippine Island wood presented by
Captain Amos Brandt, Of Des Moines.
Joseph Harm, well-to-do farmer.
hanged himself in his barn at Bloom.
field Fighting a prairie fire had I'M
settled his mind. He leaves young
wife and three children.
A man named Seton was found
dead in a grove near school house
several miles east of Blockton. It is
supposed to have been case OF sui
eide, with alleged domestic infelicity
the supposed cause.
The Home for the Friendless at
Council Bluffs, otherwise known as the
Christian Home, has been made the
beneficiary Of $4,000 beQueathed by
gentleman who refuses to disclose
his identity. 1t is known that he is a
former Iowan, and that he now lives
in an eastern city. the Christian
Home was founded twenty-five years
ago. There are about 800 children be
ing cared for at the institution.
Because she was respondent over
continued i'll health Miss Kate Law.
renee, a popular Grinnell High school
graduate and formerly a nurse in the
Cook county hospital at Chicago, is
dying at Grinnell, from bullet wound
inflicted by her own hand. The des.
perate young girl secured rifle that
was in the house, and taking it to her
bed, she placed the muzzle over her
heart and in some way, probably with
her foot, discharged the weapon. A
great hole was torn in her body but
the heart was missed. She has lin.
gered for several hours, but the doc.
tors say she cannot live. Her i'll
health began at Chicago while in the
hospital. It was there she attracted
attention by saving the life of the
head nurse from the attack of luna.
tic. The family is prominent and diff
ferent members have been connected
with Iowa college. Miss Lawrence
is 10 years old, beautiful and accom-.
plished.
Workmen at Muscatine have been
engaged for the past few weeks grad.
ing lot recently sold to Mr.. Koehler
and formerly occupied and Owned for
many years as the homestead of Mrs.
G. Kegel, a widow, and her daugh-
ter. While working with a pick or
spade, one laborer exhumed tin can,
broken with rust, and out rolled mum.
erous gold and silver coins. Four men
rolled over one another in promiscu-
GUS scramble for wealth, securing
various sums, the one who first stirred
up the nest securing $130, and the
others sums of $45 down to 10 cents.
The latter unfortunate said he did not
enter into the spirit of the contest for
the prizes, thinking they were metal
beer checks. The coins embraced
gold pieces Of twenty and ten and five
dollars denominations, the balance be.
ing silver dimes aggregating 5000.