Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-02-06
SENATOR HARPER AND REPRE-.
SENTATIVE BUCHANAN HAVE
DRAFTS.
SENTIMENT FAVORs IL
Though It is Optional This Feature 10
Not AS Objectionable AS In Some
Other cases-Ames Trusteeship-
Private Banking Bill.
LBY LEON BROWN
Des Molnes Bureau of the Courier.

y
Des Moines Bureau of the Courier. =
Des Moincs, Feb. 5.
Senator Harper and Representative
Buchanan are in receipt of the copies
of the civil service bill endorsed at OF
tumwa and will introduce them the lat-
ter part of the week, in all probability.
They wish to interview members OF
the legislature who represent other
cities with populations under $4,000
before springing the measures on the
Legislature.
There has been feeling, generally
speaking, against optional bills. When
a proposition was made by Representa-
tive Stoltenberg of Scott county that
the road law be made optional, objec-
ton was raised in some quarters.
However, 1T is believed that this OBJ
lection will be overcome at least SO
far as the civil service bill is con-
cerned. The members who have had
chance to see it believe that it will
not be unfair to their constituents to
give them chance to adopt such
| measure, If one-fourth of them think II
ought to be considered. The optional
| feature is so carefully guarded that
there can be no valid opposition to the
| proposition.
| Des Moines already has civil SER
4 vice law. The last legislature put the
tlffire and police forces under a commits
/ sion of three members named by the
\ mayor. No other cities in the state
/! have such law. The rpassage Of the
/ Ottumwa measure will give them all
civil service provided two-thirds Of
the people vote for 1t after one-fourth
of the people have petitioned for sub
mission of the proposition
This, by the way is in effect the
4 enactment Of the referendum which
4 the populists are all the time talking
4 for. 3
Cummings District Troubles.
Representative Cummings says that
he will not be able to bring out his
bill recasting the judicial districts OF
the state for some time yet. He is
taking the views of lots of the mem
bers with reference to it. He is try.
ling to satisfy everybody. Thissseems
an impossible task. Every member
thinks that the scheme that is cooked.
up for the other fellow Is all right but
he usually finds insurmountable objec-
tions to the plan proposed for his own
district My, heavens, Cummings, is
the usual declaration after the whole
4 of +ha t,ronoc; ;tion bo. Loon ,,r,,, ,,,a,.s
"that makes nv district have a demo-.
cratic candidate in it.. We can't stand
for that. It's the finest scheme you
ever saw for those other districts and
I am heartily in favor of 1T. But we
must make little change here as to
mine"
Ames Trusteeships.
4 There is soma talk of sn -witc1inp
4 tho tr1steeships of the state arriculf1,.
raj college that the democrat an tha
board NAV be allotted To .the second
4 district instead of the eighth as at
4 present. It is not generally believed
4 that this will be done. The re,,ubli-
4 can steering or caucus committeesis
/ understood to be Thoroughly opposed
to the proposition OF changing.
There are as many republicans from
i the se,ond district in the house as
i there are from the eighth district .but
1 the eighth has the second slightly
4 bested when it comes to the senators.
However, 1t is believed that there will
be no change. Senator Allyn of Mount
1 Asi mas peell mere LOT uay OF Two
/ sisins s 9oile atlenllon ~ 10 ms caliaieacv
I ioi tiier piaee from the eishth.
Private Banking Bill.
Fearing that other and more drag.
! tic bills might be introduced in the
Legislature to regulate the business vt