Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-02-11
IS ALMOST
UNANIMOUS
ONLY THREE SENATORS AGAINST
THE BIENNIAL ELECTION
MEASURE.
STRICT RAILROAD BILL
Senator Hughes Throws Bomb Into
Railroad Camp With Measure In
troduced Today - Civil Service Bill
Is Lengthy.
[BY LEON BROWN
Des Moines Bureau of the Courier.
Daa Mnines Eeh 10

=
Des Moines, Feb. 10.
Only three members of the Iowa
senate are opposed to the biennial
election measure proposed by Senator
Harper of Otrumwa, If the poll made
by Mr.. Harper this morning is a cor
rect indication. Senator Harper an
nounced after making the canvass that
he will> call up the biennial election
bill tomorrow. The three men who
have declared themselves against the
bill are Senators Wilson of Clinton,
Newberry Of CLAYTON AID Spaulding
of Floyd.
The railroad lobby which is here
fighting the many railroad bills pre-
sented in the legislature was astound-
ed today by the scope of new meas
ure proposed by Senator Delano of
Case county. This new bill prohibits
railroads giving passes to all public
officers and prohibits the officers from
accepting them, fixing a fine of from
$500 to $1,000 for violation of the pro-
visions. The same bill was intro
duced in the senate by Stirton on re-
quest 1t provides also that railroads
carry all persons over IL years of age
for two cents per mile and all between
2 and 12 years old for one cent a mile.
A two cent per mile bill was feared
for this term but it was not thought it
would be so pronounced nor so far
reaching.
The insurance men are being heard
with regard to the valued policy bill
this afternoon. James G. Davis pre-
sented an argument against this bill
and in behalf of the insurance lobby.
Senator Stirton today introduced a
bill providing that twenty per cent of
| the mulct tax collected in each county
be used for library purposes.
| Senator Saunders introduced bill
prohibiting the insurance companies
from receiving risks in excess of ten
per cent of their capital stock except
as to guarantee companies.
Representative McAllister introduc-
ed measure making road taxes paya-
bic in labor instead of money.
On account of their length there is
danger that the Ottumwa civil serv.
ice bill, the drainage bill and the pri
mary election bill will not receive half
/ the consideration at the hands of the
| legislature that would be accorded
them if they were shorter. The sen
ate and house committees on cities
and towns and municipal corporations
. ~; Jxy ,rbint, hn
civil service bill will be considered in
short time will try to cut it down.
4 The Primary Election Bill.
d The subcommittee on elections OF
i the mouse elections committee is com,
posed of Cummings of Marshall coun.
ty, Head of Greene county, and Cleary
t of Chickasaw county. They are under
stood to favor primary election law
but they oppose any proposition look.
1 ing to the enactment of a measure
which will be compulsory and
statewide enactment. They will be
! willing to report to the general com.
mittee next week in favor of bill
compel counties in which there are cit.
les Of more than 5000 inhabitants to
hold primaries according to the law tc
be enacted. They do not believe in
forcing the law on other counties.
This would make the law applicable
Ito Wapello, Cass, Boone, Des Moines
IBlackhawk, Linn, Clinton, Pottawatta
ME, Creston, Scott, Polk, Dubuque
Webster, Lee. Johnson, Marshall, Ger
ro Gordo, Muscatine, Mahaska and
Woodbury. counties
AS to other counties the law would
be optional.
Insurance Bills.
The insurance committee of the
: house will hold a hearing today on the
: insurance bills. These comprise the
i state auditors measures for the crea