The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-01-12
Special to The Journal,

Special to The journal.
Des Noines, Jan. 1.-THE Iowa legislature in !
both houses Is split ON three important issues !
There is a division on the proposed insurance
investigation In the state, another division GA
the primary law and purely fractional division
between the Cummins and anti Cumnins poll
ticians on the revision Of the code to conform
all laws to the biennial amendments passed two
years ago.
The first division is one as to policy, 1t being
| a question in the mind of many legislators
whether Iowa insurance companies should be
given shaking up at this time. The second
and third divisions named~are purely factional.
The primary law, 1t is said, is to be fought by
| the railroad lobby, at the head of which is
! Joseph W. Blythe Of BURLINGTON the leader Of
| standpatters in the state.
| As to the last-named split, it has relation to
code will seal the fate of the state printer and
binder candidates.. Messrs. English Of Polk and
| Chassell of Plymouth, slated by the Cummins
faction for these positions respectively. will be
| down and out if the code Is SO revised that Ber-
| nard Murphy, the present printer, and Howard
Tedford, the present binder. will hold over
another year. Mr.. English has now moved from
Polk county, and cannot again be candi-
date for representative, so 1T is now never
with him. By extending the terms of the two
men now in office, the whole matter will 60
over to another legislature and there will be
state election before another legislature con-
venes.
''Whitewash Commission" Bill.
Senator Warren has introduced what is styled
the 'whitewash commission bill to take the
place of the proposed Molsberry insurance inves-
tigating committee. Senator Warren's commits
sion as proposed, would have no extraordinary
powers such that given the Armstrong COM
mittee in New York. The committee would be
practically at the mercy of the state auditor
so far obtaining information in insurance
matters is concerned The insurance lobby ia
vors the commission. Senator Molsberry says
the Warren bill Is effort to defeat an honest
and complete probing of insurance affairs.
A 1t is directly charged by administration forces
that j. W. Blythe Is in Des Moines to defeat the
/ statewide primary law. There are other prom
1nent railroad lobbyists and attorneys here. E.
for years, Is on the ground. Among old timers
Of the railroad lobby who be seen here are
4 W. P. Brady, tax commissioner Of the Rock
Island from Davenport; J. @. Davis, who sue.
ceeded the late N. NJ. Hubbard as general solicit.
] tor Of the Northwestern lines in Iowa. 8. T.
MeserVy OF Fort Dodge, q. c. Nettles. division
freight and passenger agent Of the Milwaukee
n N. NJ Hubbard, Jr., of Cedar Rapids Tom Bev.
A ington of Sioux City, Harry o. Weaver Of Wap
pelo former chairman of the republican state
4 central committee in the old machine days
u The Crossley primary bill will be reported out
next week and the fight made on the floor.
1 Temple Head Of House Committee.
\ The standpatters drew first blood in the battl,
4 to control the printer and binder section Of tn,
code revision. NJ. l.. Temple, stout anti Cum
minis man, was named at the head Of the hous,
committee on code revision. and Senator Court
right OF the senate committee. A majority O.
each committee is standpat. and 1t is conceded
that the report to the legislature will be for al
extension of the Murphy and Tedford terms
What the legislature will do with the report i
the problem, and the test Of strength between
4 the Cumnns faction and the standpatters will
come on the vote.