Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-04-01
Why Cow ernor Vetoed the Alleged
Merger" Bill.
DOUBTS ITS CONSTl1uIIoNALl1Y
Public Policy Not Served by it-Prin.
cipaI Point is That it Would Tend to
Foster Tn lsts-controversy Will Be
Fierce.
Des Moines. March %. 1902.


The subject of first Importance in
the legislat Ire yesterday was, of
course, the nj essage received from the
governor, con veying to the houses
knowledge Of his veto of the Moles-
berry bill, which has been enormously
known as the merger bill" 1t will
be remembers d by those who have fol-
lowed these letters that this measure
contemplated the removal of the limit
OF bonded ind ebtedness from the rail
roads of the tate or organized under
its laws The present statutory limit
is $4,000 per mile, but this had been
generally igno red, and the supreme
court of the sta tie has held that purchas-
ers of bonds j ssued in excess of this
limit must be protected and the secur-
tiles held to b e valid 1t was the in
tention of the senator from Muscatine
to give statl ltory basis to this COM
mon practice, nd the bill was, he says,
drawn with an eye single to that pur-
pose. Perhaps no measure brought up
in the twenty4 ninth general assembly
has been so fl, Freely attacked, and it's
opponents have. read into it many 9TH
er schemes. ~,
Doubt constitutionality.
Governor CHmmins refuses to sign
the bill and thus allow it to become law
on the ground that he doubts its con-
stitutionality. The arguments advanc-
ed by the chief executive on this point
are strong, and are deserving of
thought by the members of botn
houses. He ALSO is opposed to it. or
rather doubts tile ACCESSIBILITY of it on
the ground of public policy
The principal point made by the gov
ernor is that such a law would tend to
create and fost er trusts. He believes
that there are but few roads in the
state which would receive legitimate
benefit from the new law, but that it
might have an evil influence and eff
feet in giving 10 the Burlington reor-
ganization powers to the detriment of
the people. Sentiment last night SEEM
ed to be tnat the Molesberry bill is
lhopelessly shelved, despite the efforts
which will be made to revive it.
The document transmitted to the
senate is lengthy and will be carefully
considered both by those who favor
and those opposed to it's passage. Con-
trowersy will perhaps rage with great
est vigor upon the question of consti-
tuti,onality One hears all manner of
expr essions in the groups found dis.
cussi ng the bill and the veto. 1t pass.
ed both houses by very strong ma
jority, there being only nine against it
in the lower body. One hears already
of an effort to pass it,over the veto.
This will, of course, require two-thirds
vote ;and may be difficult to secure.
Some ,of those who voted for it before
will naturally hesitate before taking
this act ion, and will at least demand a
clear explanation and most careful
analysis. l found a few who are an.
xious that it shall be passed in the
senate, 80 that the house can unload
some of its pent-up politics. One rep
resentative who will not allow his
name to be quoted says: "If this comes
up again I'm the house it will make the
prettiest fight of the entire session;
in fact it will be a fight to a finish-a
battle royal of the politicians.
The senate will take up the matter
tomorrow, .and if it is passed and sent
over to us for action you can look for
developm ent of a whole lot of poll.
tics which have been kept under all
through the session"
Close is Near.
In the hous ;e yesterday Temple intro
duced two resolutions which indicate
that the clos;e of the session is not far
Off. One of these provides that after
the passage thereof the house will re-
fuse to receive any new bills. The
need of this is apparent. The further
Introduction of new bills simply bur
dens the com mittees, all of which are
now seeking to close up their work,
and they can have no hope of passage.
The other resolution calls Cor the an. |
pointment of a Sitting committee of