Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-07-02
Biennial Election Amendment
Likely to Play an Important
Role In Iowa Politics
ITS DEFEAT MEANS MORE STRIFE
Those Desiring Harmony in the Re-
publican Party in Iowa Will Support
the Proposition for Fewer Elections
Its Bearing on the Senatorial
Succession.
Special to Times Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines, July "A great deal OF
interest attaches at the present time to
the attitude of leading republican poll
ticians and republican newspapers to-
ward the biennial elections anendnent
campaign this year. Those who desire
peace and harmony in the state and
would avoid further political striie. and
especially would avoid anything that
would afford opportunity for revlval Oh
factionalism in the republican PARTY,
are lining up for the biennial elections
amendment. II it carries there VIII be
no political contest in the state next
wear. Those who want to see the fac
tional fight revived between the Old po-
litical machine and the present state
administration are lining up TO deIeas
the amendment and thus to preclpltale
a contest for governor and the legisla-
ture next year. The senatorial ques-
tion can only incidentally enter into
the question at all. III the plenn1ai
elections amendment passes, the pres
ent legislature will hold an extra ses-
sion in January, 1906, to legislate for
one year and make the appropriations,
but would not elect q senator If the
amendment is defeated, the legislature
elected next year would select Senator
Dolliver again or his successor. The
present legislature cannot select q SEN
ator unless In the case of death or
resignation of one Of the present SEN
ators. and both are in splendid health.
There are some indications that the
oreanization which was formed this
year to control the late state conven-
tion In Iowa, and which organization
liz somewhat discredited by the more
recent national convention at Chicago,
will be put In order for fight next
wear in case the biennial elections
amendment is defeated. and that de-
termined effort will be made to effect
compelte change in the state admins
tration. A good deal of nonsense has
been written about possible or proba-
bic candidates for governor, for each
faction, but it is safe to say that there
has been nothing done beyond the
merest informal talk of available men
for the place. There has also been re-
peated efforts made to show that 1t has
already been decided who will run for
congress in the Seventh district, but
this is sheer guesswork, and 1t is
known here that the leaders of factions
are quite willing to let matters drop
for the present and to turn their atten-
ton to the national campaign.
The lawyers Of Iowa will be interest
ed in knowledge Of the terms OF the
contract just entered into between the
state of Iowa and Chicago publishing
house with reference to publication of
the reports Of the state supreme court,
The contract was made on the basis Of
furnishing the reports to lawyers of the
state for the period of the contract.
eight years, at $11o a volume, the low
est price ever secured. Eight years ago.
when the contract was made with the
present publisher, 1t was provided that
he might after the eight years charge
81 volume. In previous contracts
there was no provision limiting the
price save during the life of the con-
tract, and as a result lawyers are now
paying from So to 81 q volume for the
earlier reports. But in the contract
just signed is a clause inserted at the
suggestion and insistence of Secretary
A. H. Davidson, of the state executive
council, by which the publishers bind
themselves to continue indefinitely fur
nishing the volumes of reports at the
contract price. In case they should fail
at any time to do SO they agree to turn
over the stereotype plates and copy
rights to the state. This assures con-
tinuance of the publication at $1.l5 a
volume for Iowa lawyers, and in future
years it will be big item for the law
yers who are virtually compelled to
buy the Iowa reports. In the past eight
wears the contract publisher has got
out thirty-one volumes of the reports,
and probably a larger number will be
published under the new contract The
contractors at first declined to sign the
contract with the continuing clause in
it. but finally did so when they found
they We're likely to lose the business
The present publisher claims that even
at $134 q volume he is a loser great
deal of friction has been experienced
between the supreme court reporter
and the publisher the past few years
over delays in getting out the reports
1t is believed that the system now in
vogue of having the copy all handled
by the executive council will obviate
further trouble in this line.
An effort is to be made to apply the
state law against trusts and com
bines to the commission houses of
Des Moines, which have monoNolized
the trade in potatoes recenti" and ny
artificially raising prices have made
an enormous profit. A contract Was
signed by these commission firms
binding them TO maintain UNIFORM
pfice and to meet each week and 1iN
the price by mutual agreement for the
week They each put up forfeit of
cash in the hands of a manager who is
authorized to enforce the agreement
and see to it that there Is no cutting
Of prices. The existence OF the trust