Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1906-01-17

forms in force. The resolution went
J ever under the rules of the senate
but it is expected it will be called VI
at an early date. Senator Molsberry
declares he will make fight for open
action on the resolution, but there is
much opposition to anything in the
way of unseemly haste IN this matter
and the probabilities are that the
/ resolution viii be referred to the In.
surance committee, Of which Senator
Whipple Of Vinton is chairman.
Warren's Sill Not SO Drastic.
The second dig at the lie insur-
ance companies came from Senator J.
l.. Warren Of Marion county, and was
in the shape of q bill OF milder form,
which creates a commission OF two
senators and three representative to
investigate the companies. The com
missioners are to draw salaries at the
rate OF $40 per day each while in ses-
sion and are to have absolute power
to go to the bottom OF things in any
inquiry they may start, including a
revision OF the present laws.
While conservative members OF
both houses of the legislature look at
these movements somewhat askance.
they realize that something must be
done. The problem will likely re-
quire good share of the attention of
the lawmakers during the session, but
the expectation is that the final acts
of the body will be more along the
lines of the recommendations made
by State Auditor Carroll, all of which
are conservative, rather than in any
display of fireworks. The auditor
wants the deferred dividend cut out
OF all life contracts and, with Gov
ernor Cummins, wants the contracts
which may be written by any company
on the lives of Iowa citizens limited
to a small number of what may be
termed standard policies.
Primary Bill Introduced.
The primary election bill made its
appearance, as predicted, early in the
session of the legislature. 1t was the
Crossley bill, and its provisions were
those outlined in these letters of re-
cent date. The measure is one which
has many friends, especially among
the warm supporters of Governor Cum
Minis, but it has also developed thus
early that it will have numerous foes.
and the final vote on the question is
much in doubt The arguments
against the bill are multiplying and
there is already lining UP of the
forces for and against inc measure.
If the measure is finally adopted, 1t
will be in a much changed and mod
flied form from the original bill. 1t
has been developed that while the
state law at present as TO primary
elections only covers the case of Des
Moines and Polk county, there are
thirty counties of the state in which
either the Republican or Democratic
organizations have adopted primary
laws for their local government. Most
OF the members from these counties
say the voters are well satisfied with
the local regulations and 90 not care
to have the state assume authority
over the matter. The opponents of
the Crossley bill, or Of any measure
looking to state wide primary, say
that it is Objectionable on the ground
OF expense and that under such a
law a poor man will stand no show of
securing nomination for any office,
because he will be unable to make
the necessary pre-primary canvass of
the county or district. The rural
communities also bring in their OBJ
jections to the bill in the claim that it
will result in one or two towns in each
county combining and controlling
every nomination. shutting out the