Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-02-20
HIS MEASURE MAY PASS
- Thought to Have More Opportunity
to Become a Law Than Has Either
u the Bills Proposed Earlier. Those
by Hughes and Turner-squabbIe
over Agriculture Association.
ESPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE
Fes Moines Bureau Of the Courier.
Nae Moinae Eeh Al

wv D
Des Moines, Feb. 10
Senator Harper's suggestion as to a
mple and effective anti-pass bill
,eues to meet with approval among
Many Of the members Of the legislat-
are. The senator from Wapello heard
she discussion before the railroad COM
mittee and quietly has listened TO the
various sides of the anti-pass question.
discuss what should be done and has
kept his own counsel. But after go.
Ing carefully over the situation, study
Ing the Turner and Hughes bills, hear
Ing the extremists on both sides talk
and giving the subject his best
thought, he has proposed bill to pro.
htbit the giving to or receipt by five
classes OF persons, OF free transporta-
tion on railroads. These classes are:
Delegates to conventions; members Of
political committees; judges Of all dis
trict and supreme courts; state off,
GERS and members OF the general as
sembly. He provides for adequate PEN
atty and includes the Wisconsin pro-
vision, which does not exempt any per-
son from testifying but does protect
such persons from prosecution.
This measure 1t is believed, will be
the only one that will have chance
Of going through this legislature.
There is objection to both the Turner
and the Hughes bills This objection
is more insistent than 1t was thought
that 1t would be. The Harper ssugges-
tion seems to meet the situation.
More Avenues For Carnegie.
s u s.
The legislature has passed bill by
McClurkin Of Louisa county which is
Of considerable Importance to the
state, Municipalities now have the
right to accept such gifts as libraries
from Carnegie, but up to the time the
McClurkin bill passed township orgay>
izations had no right to accept ant
thing. The bill referred to provides
that civil townships are authorized
and empowered to receive by gift. de-
wise or bequest, money or property for
the purpose Of establishing and main
tanning libraries, township halls, cem-
eIeries or any other public purpose.
These shall be effectual only when ac-
cepted by resolution of the board Of
trustees. ALI such property when so
accepted shall be devoted to the use
ed by the donor 1t shall be adminis-
tered in accordance with the direc-
tions or conditions contained in the
will or instrument conveying the same.
II no conditions are named then the
property Is to be held and managed by
the trustees"
It is expected that the Gilliland bill
to reconsider the vote by which his
bill to change the method of electing
directors of the department of agricul-
ture SO as to put 1t in the hands Of the
districts instead of in the hands Of the
entire organization, will be called up
this afternoon or tomorrow Probably
1t will be tomorrow, for Senator Gilli-
land is too wise to take up the meas
ure with a small membership present.
He had twenty one votes when the bill
came to the test last week and knows
Of four others who are pledged to it.
So he figures that he will be able to
win.
At first blush there would not seem
to be q great deal in the measure. But
1t is being vigorously fought by the
department and its friends who see in
It the division Of the fair association
into factions which will detract from
the fair and cripple the efficiency of
the department. The men who chiefly
have been supporting the measure out
side of the legislature, are men who
have been displaced from the directory
of the department OF who have been
unable to get on.
Cause for the Bill.
Senator Gilliland had candidate for
director in the last meeting of the de
partment. G. M. Hall of Red Oak He
was candidate against Michael Nc
Donald Of Bayard. The law requires
the representatives of the different dis
tricts to reside in the districts but they
are elected by the whole department.
whose membership ranges from rs to
300. Mcdonald won ard Mr.. Hall was
"sore." Senator Gililand also acquired
the idea that the system of electfng
district directors by the whole organi-.
zation was bad and suggested ,aAot it
be changed to make district direclMs
elective by their own districts.
1t was argued against this by Sen
ator Brooks and others that 1t would
disfrnnchise ten-elevenths of the mem
bership Of the organization in the cleo
ton of all the directors