Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-04-08

lol IOWduS, IOT NEW YOTk6TS, LOT
Washingtonians, for Virginians, and
for all. 1t is typical Roosevelt advice.
THE AMENDMENT is VALID.
The announcement yesterday of the
supreme courts decision affirming that
of Judge Evans at Nevada and declar
ing that the biennial election bill is
valid and constitutional, though 1t will
not please many Of the people of the
state, is in accordance with the will
of the majority of the people who
voted upon the proposition last fall
and four years ago and should there
fore be the law of all.
The biennial election amendment,
since five years ago, has been sub
ject of general discussion in Iowa. In
the spring Of 1900 it was passed upon
by the general assembly in session at
Des Moines and was by that body sub
mitted to the people of the state for
a vote. In the fall it was voted upon
and good majority was given for its
adoption as part of the constitution
of Iowa. When 1t was discovered that
a clerical error rendered it invalid the
friends Of the biennial election idea
were not daunted but went ahead with
a second amendment, which was
passed by the general assembly last
spring after having been introduced
by Senator S. H. Harper of Ottumwa.
1t was submitted to the people at the
general election last fall and the ma
jority of votes cast upon it favored it's
adoption. Again it was thought to be
settled and the people had certainly
had an opportunity to express their
opinions in the fullest manner. But q
contest was commenced soon after
election to prove that the measure as
adopted the second time was not valid.
Various flaws, or alleged flaws were
found in the amendment and 1T was
finally brought to the attention Of the
courts by case filed at Nevada Judge
Evans, after hearing the arguments,
decided that the amendment was valid
and should be part of the constitu-
ton of Iowa.
The appeal to the supreme court fol-
lowed quickly and the case was hur-
ried through that tribunal as quickly
as possible The announcement of the
decision yesterday closes the incident
and decides the question for all time.
l
the right or wrong of the amendment
and those who were against it must
now join with those who favored it, in
making the best Of its effects. The
Courier was not in favor Of the amend
ment because it honestly believed it's
Objectionable points far outweighed it's
good ones. But this was for the peo-
pie to decide and when the votes
were counted and it was found that
! the majority had voted in favor of the
/. adoption of the amendment, this pa
per, though it did not change its opin-
ion of the measure, considered that
the time for fighting it had passed and
joined with the friends Of biennial
elections in an effort to stop the fight
that was still being made upon the
amendment. The Courier believes
that the majority OF the. people want
biennial elections In Iowa and that
they should have them because they
have expressed their desire by ballot.
If any one failed to vote, and there
were several who cast no ballot either
way on the amendment, it was the
fault of those thus surrendering their
right to register their objections to the
measure
The effect of the amendment will be
| to end the terms of Office for all the
officials Of state and county, or nearly
all, at the same time, instead of allow
ing them to change alternately as has
been the custom. In Wapello county,
the terms of Senator S. H. Harper,
Representative F. NJ Epperson, Sher-
iff J. H. Cremer, Treasurer R. P. Dana,
Superintendent of Schools Emma Nye,
Supervisor T. J. Reinier, Surveyor C.
R. Allen and Coroner F. w. Mills, will
extend through the present year and
until January 1907, their successors to
be elected in November 1906, instead
of November of this year as would
have been the case had the amend
ment been declared invalid. The same
will be true of several state officials
who were elected in November, 1908.
They are, Governor A. B. Cummins.
Lieutenant Governor John Herriott,
Supreme Judge Charles A. Bishop,
slate Superintendent John F. Riggs,
Railroad Commissioner D. J. Palmer,
and several senators and representa-
| tiyes.