Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-02-10
Both Houses Have Taken Ac-
ton Regarding Appropri-
alton for Capitol Repairs
MEASURE FOR GENT FARE
0eIano in the House and stirton in the
Senate Introduce Measures Looking
to Reduction Of Railroad Fares =
Committee at Work on Merriam Mat
ter-other News.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines, Feb. 10.-The house to-
day passed: The bill, which had al
| ready passed the senate making avail
able all the rest of the $250.O0O appro-
priation for completion of the state
capitol so that the work OF completing
the capitol will continue withou, in
terruption.
The house also passed the bill plac-
ing all bass fish under protection, the
same as black bass; also bid to
permit ali counties where the floating
debt on brddge. funds is i'm excess OF
$1,000, TO rsise the tax levy from to
mills.
A bill for 2-cent fares on railroads
was introduced by Representative De-
lano and Senator Stirton. 1t is sweep
ing In nature and provides for 2-cent
fares with i-cerrt fares for children.
and forbtds all passes and discrimina-
tfons and panty rates. etc.
Dcran introduced a bill to require
employment of adults only in railroad
Offices. having to do with direction
and management OF trains.
A bill was introduced to require that
members of the pharmacy commission
shall be graduates OF a pharmacy
school and also that they shall be total
abstainers.
The committee on retrenchment and
reform Is at work on the Merriam
matter Nothing has transpired OF
consequence In regard to the disclos-
ures. AS planned by the reference OF
the resolution TO this committee a for
NAL notice was sent Merriam of the
pendency of proceedings. 1t was no.
expected there would be any reply. Mr..
Merriam ignored the mater entirely
when the disclosures were made. Hr
believed he had kept we'll within the
Jaw and showed q reason for this be-
lief. The attorney general rendered a
decision to the executive council to the
effect that the state could not be q
party to the recovery of money paid
for examinations and that the auditor
had legal authority to make the ex-
aminations. Governor Cummins went
before the committee yesterday to pre-
sent personally his views in regard To
the case. He made strong and earnest
recommendations In his message, clos
ing with the suggestion that II nothing
else be done at least there be reim-
bursement Of the fees illegally wrung
from the insurance companies. Menu
bers of the committee on retrenchment
and reform have not as yet got to the
point OF considering this proposal. The
three lawyers of the committee-Tem-
nle. Dowell and Kendall-are looking
up the law of the case. The least that
can be done is to have formal report
to the legislature exposing the whole
matter and the passage of a bill that
will make such hold-up schemes Inn
possible in the future.
The judiciary committee OF the SEN
ate has recommended for passage the
TWO constitutional amendments, one
relating to increasing the number of
members OF the house and the other to
biennial elections. There was no op-
position to either measure. Both will
pass the senate and go to the people.
%
1t Is understood that the plan OF
Rankin with regard to his state mar
shall bill will be to work in the house
alone and try to get 1t thru there be-
fore making any approaches to the
senate. II the house kills the measure.
then he will not give the senate any
bother about 1t.
The eight-hour bill introduced in the
senate by Col. Crawford is the ma
,.!crpal eight -lhlour blN applied TO hhs
state affairs. It makes eight hours
days. labor in all employment for
the state or for cities. counties and
municipal corporations and with con-
tractors who are engaged on public
work.
The hearing before the railroad com-
,nittee of the house on the Delano bill
TO place the regulation of stock trains
under strict control and to forbid tll
determinations, brought out a large
number of spectators. There were many
outsiders interested in the measure.
and representatives OF the farmers
and stockmen and railroads all APP
peared. There was discussion of the
measure by representatives of the Bur-
iington. milwaukee,. Rock Island.
Northwestern and other railroads. The
discussion took the form of statements
from men engaged in practical rail-
roading, who pointed out the difficult
ties that would arise in the application
If such law to the railroads and its
uselessness when applied. The friends
Of the bill are yet to be heard: bat
he impression is that the bill will
never get to the floor of the house.
Those who spoke against the bill yes
ertlay were Judge j. c. Cook. attor-
ley for the Milwaukee,: James c. Da-
lis. attorney for the Northwestern; W.
p. Hobbs assistant general freight
agent of the Rock Island: W. A. Gard
aer general manager of the North
western; and w. b. Hambin and w. d.
Eaton. of the Burlington freight AMI
egal departments.
The pasldors commi ttees of he llouse
and senate win ihayr.l their first pubic