Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-01-09
THE GOVERNORS MESSAGE.

Governor Cummins message. dellV-
cred to the assembly yesterday, indi-
Gates that the present Iowa assembly
is to be history making body. The
primary law to rame by plurality vote
all candidates Cor office, including
United States senator's, In railroad
legislation he would have laws to pro-
hibit issuing free'passes. amending the
long and short haul freight clause and
requiring the sale of mileage books at
a 2-cent rate transferable for use be-
tween members of the same family.
The message recommends compelling
old line insurance companies dong
business in this state to deposit the full
amount of legal reserve with the Iowa
state auditor, except in cases where
such deposit has been provided for by
the laws of the home state of the in-
surance company; regulations of the
amount Of insurance that may be is
sued and the requiring of uniform pol
icies Reformatory legislation con-
nected with the penitentiaries and re-
forma tories receives attention, the
most important recommendation being
for an indeterminate sentence to the
penitentiaries. A pure food law is
among the recommendations made;
stricter enforcement of the state liquor
laws, and amendment of the juvenile
court law.
Taken in it's entirety. or in its separ-
ate recommendations, the message is
clear cut and plain in voicing the leg
islative needs of Iowa as the governor
sees them. So many of the recon-
mendations are in the line of innovation
that they would be startling We're it not
for the popular demand behind them.
The statewide primary had become
an issue in Iowa before the message
was written, the evils of the free pass
and the demand for its abolition are
not new to the people Of the state and
protection of policy holders against the
possibility of fraud is a recommends
ton that will also meet hearty approval
in Iowa. The message sets forth the
issues which are to be settled in Iowa,
If not by the legislature, then by leg
islature elected for the purpose.
To politicians the proposed state
wide primary is of peculiar interest. If
passed, it means that control of NOM
nations will pass directly into the
hands of the voters; that the candi-
date receiving the most votes "; be-
come the nominee of his party. Pro-
fessional politicians and those with I'LL
terror objects to attain will be unit
in opposition, but it is likely that the
average voter will agree with the gov
ernor that primary law would prove
strong defense against the manipula-
ton of politics by corporations and that
the voters of any political party should
determine who it's candidates should be.
This, he assumes lis fundamental
truth, held as firmly by those who are
against the primary as by those who
are for it. Those who are against it,
however seem to believe that the vot-
ers can work out their desires as eff
fectually thru caucuses and conven-
lions as thru primary elections, and
and conventions the leader, the alert
and successful organizer, the man
ready with speeches and motions, the
INSCRIPTIONS manipulation, finds his |
completest opportunity for influence.
Some of the things done may be inno-
cent and some of the things done may |
be wrong and vicious; but, whether in
nocent or vicious, the ordinary voter
who gives no further attention to poll
tics than to become familiar with pub
lie questions and to vote when the time
comes, has no fair chance in the mys
teries of the caucus and convention.
If there was no other reason for a
primary election law it would be need
ed to equalize the capacities of men
for management and to make it more
difficult, at least, for the man who
proposes to bring in a township or
county to fulfill his promise
During his incumbency Governor
Cummins has contributed to the state
archives many notable state papers. He
has never written SO logically, fearless
ly, as in his latest message. 1t should
If that be possible, win him greater
confidence than he has enjoyed and
add more friends and supporters to the
army who broke the records of Iowa
pluralities at his last
Mr.. BRYAN TO THE FORE.
The enthusiastic action of the In
diana democracy at its meeting last
evening when it avowed fealty to Will
lam j. Bryan empha sizes Mr.. Bryan's
position as the greatest democrat and
the only acknowledged leader of the
veal 5aypOcra.v Instances ara moi