Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-03-10

Few Exemptions Are Made by the
Bill.
ESPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE
Des Moines Bureau of the Courier,
Des Moines, March 9.
The so-cslled Hughes anti-pass bill,
which prohibits the giving of passes
and franks by railroad, street car,
telegraph and telephone companies to
public officers, candidates for Office or
delegates to political conventions, was
passed unanimously by the senate to-
day The three classes of men men
toned are the only ones affected by
the measure and from these are ex-
empted the state railroad commission
ers, whose work makes it necessary
that they shall travel nearly all the
time in the discharge of their duties to
the state.
An effort was made to exempt rail
road employees and newspaper men
from the provisions of the measure, but
this was defeated and now even en-
ployes of railroads and newspaper men,
If they happen to be candidates for Of
fee, public officers or delegates to poll
tical conventions, must pay their rail-
road fares. This, of course, in case
the house passes the bill, which is re-
garded as very probable.
Debate Gets Personal.
The debate on the anti-pass bill got
somewhat personal, to the regret of
most Of the senators. And 1t was not
intended to be personal, either, but the
atmosphere Of the capital just now fs
of character to make pretty nearly
everybody touchy and extremely sen
sitive.
Senators Saunders, Jamison, Gilli-
land, Dowell, Turner and Garst had it
pretty warm during some of the de-
bate yesterday and things had not
cooled off this morning any when the
time came for renewing consideration
of the bill.
In its original form the anti-pass bill
as it was reported to the senate from
the railroad committee provided as
follows:
Section a. This act shall not apply
to bona ide employees of steam railway
or interurban railway companies when
travelling on the lines Of the railways
with which they are employed, or
from using what is commonly known
as exchange transportation; nor shall
it apply to the members of the rail-
road commission, ,or its secretary when
travelling on official duties. Nor shall
this act prohibit any owner or en-
ployes of newspaper from using
transportation issued in payment for
advertising published in such newspa-
pers.
Senator Gilliland moved to strike
out this section. The first settion Of
the bill prohibited the use by and is
suance of passes to public officers,
candidates for Office and delegates to
conventions, so that section four ex-
empted the persons there described
from the operation of the bill
Turner's Amendment,
Senator Turner moved to insert in
the section after the words exchange
transportation the words: except
when such employees are candidates
for or incumbents of county, district
and state offices or delegates to polit-
lcal conventions
Senator Gilliland accepted this
amendment. but afterward regretted
that he had. Finally the bill passed
as above stated.
Surprise on Greene Bill
The passage of the Greene exemp.
tion bill was a surprise to every one.
It got through the house with but one
vote to spare, fifty-one being required
under the constitution and it received
but fifty-two.
1t highly elates the grocers, whose
retail association for Iowa was respon-
sible for the agitation and campaign
which resulted in this action by the
legislature.
Speculation is indulged as to how
the bill will come out in the senate.
It's success in the house was such a
surprise that there is apparent hope
for it in the senate.
The bill repeals the long established
rule in Iowa that the wages of the
head of family cannot be garnished
by creditors. The bill provides that
all above $40 month may be SO at
tached for the payment of those bills
contracted for necessities, such as
groceries, etc.
The measure also contains a provi-
sion for limiting the extent of the
homestead of persons which is exempt
from execution for debt, to one worth
$4,000 and forty acres of land This
wes put on originally to make the
measure more popular among the
members of the legislature
Hard Work en- Measure.
The work on this measure never