Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1902-03-19

property.
The two houses have also considered
other important railroad legislation re-
Gently. The senate has passed the
Molsberry bill removing the statutory
limitation on the indebtedness of rail-
road corporations. A motion to recon-
slider was filed and later tabled. There
was some opposition to this measure
on the ground it was designed to en-
able the Burlington system, in case of
the defeat of the Northern Securities
company in the courts, to issue bonds
to take up the stocks of the Great
Northern and Northern Pacific COM
panies and thus make Iowa the center
Of the great Hill railroad merger. The
majority Of the senators regarded the
bill as harmless. The measure is now
pending in the house. The house has
defeated the Hogue bill to require rail
road companies to provide cars for
shippers and has also indefinitely post
poned the Carter 2-cent fare bill. The
Donahue bill requiring railway COM
panies to give free transportation to
state and judicial officers and mem
bers of the legislature will follow the
same route.
woman Suffrage Meets DeIeaus
The equal suffrage joint resolution,
proposing to submit an amendment to
the constitution striking out the word
male has gone down to defeat in the
house by vote of Sc to 3S. 1t is dis
posed of for this session. The suf-
fragists say the result is merely the
postponement of the success that they
predict will ultimately come. They
will continue the work of organiZa-
ton throughout the state and will
bring the question up again before the
thirtieth general assembly. The cir
cumstanes of the defeat of the bill
were surprising to the suffrag ists.
Many Of the supporters of the measure
had gathered in the expectation of
hearing a great debate. The commit
tee on constitutional amendments had
recommended the joint resolution for
indefinite postponement and Chair
man Sweet Of this committee simply
moved the adoption of the report of
the committee. Almost before it was
realized what was being done the re-
port of the committee had been adopt
ed, the result of the roll.call announced
| and the joint resolution was thing OF
the past.
| Hughes Of Iowa has introduced In
the house a joint resolution petition
| ing congress to call convention to
amend the federal constitution so as
to provide for election of senators by
direct vote. This resolution is pend.
| ing in the committee on constitutional
amendments. The Harper joint res.
olution proposing biennial elections
| m IL,
this week as special order, and it is
believed will pass. 1t was to have
been considered last Friday, but 9th
er work interfered.
Senator Bruce Is Seated.
After long and vexatious contest
and in the face of most determined
Democratic opposition, Senator James
e. Bruce of the .Cass-Shelby district
has been seated and Senator J. Nj. EN-
inert has retired to his home in Allan
! tic. The contest has been on ever
since the session opened. The seat
ing Of Senator Bduce leaves the Dem
ocratic minority with but ten members
in the senate. The new senator's first
official act, after taking the oath, was
to have the minutes Of the upper house
show that had he been entitled to a
vote when the election of United
| States senators was held in January
he would have voted for William B.
Allison and Jonathan p. Dolliver. Sen.
ator Bruce is the Ninth district mem.
Der Of the Republican state central
committee.
The senate appropriations commit.
tee has adopted resolution favorine
$4,000 for the st. Louis exposition
The house appropriations committee
has reported for passage the omnibus
bill carrying with it all the extraordi-
nary appropriations needed for the in
stitutions under the board Of control
The total named in the bill is 1871, BIT
So The committee made but few re.
by the board of control. OF the total
sum carried in the omnibus bill, $144,-
600 is for the purchase of additional
land for the institutions at Davenport
Glenwood. Mt. Pleasant, Independ-
ence and Clarinda.
Prospects as to Levy.
The fact the board Of control omni
bus bill is in fair way to go through
and that number of the extraordI-
| nary appropriations asked are pretty
certain to be allowed almost insures
an increase in the levy. Chairman
Hughes of the house appropriations
committee and Chairman Temple of
the house ways and means committee
recently expressed the belief the levy
would go to 3 mills, not including the
half mill that will be required for the
educational institutions If the build.
| ing fund levies go through. Among
| appropriations recommended recently
by the house appropriations committee
is one of $150,OO0 for the Vicksbure
monuments, but $4,000 to be avail
able in the next biennial period. The
committees of both senate and house
have recommended the appropriation
of $4,000 for a stock pavilion on tho
state fair grounds in Des Moines, The
most important appropriation bill thar
has yet become a law is the one ap.
propriating S13S000 for Cherokee hos
pital This appropriation is not in
Guided in the board of control omni
bus bill as recommended by the house
appropriations committee.
| The project for the establishment o!
an industrial reformatory for wcmer
at Knoxville in the abandoned build
ings of the Industrial school for thS
blind has been killed by the house
committee on industrial schools.
May Solve Tax Ferret Problem.
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