Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1906-03-21
on complaint, are to be made by the
CITY mr. cOinfv attOrn2vS

Ing mdue 10 nave Tic uouoc iCSCuo
from its position and accept the
changes made by the senate.
The tenure of Office legislation is
sure of enactment in some form. The
house has already adopted bill which
fixes the terms of all county officers
at two years, and all state sficers the
same, with the exception of railroad
commissioners, who are TO be elected
for three years each. An effort was
made in the house to make the term
for county officials four years, but it
failed. The senate committee is now
considering the matter and has held
several meetings, but without fully
determining on what action will be
recommended. The committee will
meet again tomorrow. The trouble so
far has been on determining choice
between the two year and four year
term idea. 1t is more than likely,
however, that the committee will come
to look at the matter the way the
two years will be sufficiently long
enough term for any county officer.
Reapportionment Measures.
Reapportionment bills for congress.
sional, senatorial, judicial and legis.
lative districts must be adopted. AL.
ready bills creating new congressional
districts and new legislative appor-
tionment have been presented. The
former was outlined in this letter last
week. The representative district
bill increases the number OF members
of the lower house to 107, this being
an addition of seven to the present
membership. Under this bill each
county will have its own representa-
tive and the counties of Woodbury.
Pottawattamie, Linn, Scott, Des
Moines, Dubuque, Clinton and Polk
will have two members each. The
committees are still working on the
eappOrtionment for senatorial and
judicial districts. 1t is not thought
there will be any important changes
either in the congressional or sen
atorial districts and the judicial dis
tricts will only be changed in such a
manner as to afford needed relief to
some sections.
Favor Insurance Investigation.
A report is to be made, probably
within the present week, by the com.
mittee on insurance in the senate,
which will favor a thorough investiga-
ton of the life insurance companies
doipu huc;poce In Ioua aca tbo x,.atn
DDS Of conducting the affairs of the
various companies. Chairman Whip
pie of the committee is authority for
the statement that the report when
made will be in the nature of a BILL
which will provide for the creation OF
a committee OF five members, three
from the house and two from the sem
ate. The committee will be clothed
with full authority to 90 to whatever
length it may deem necessary and
wise in determining the conditions Of
the companies and their methods of
doing business. Its report, besides
embodying its findings In all cases. Is
to contain recommendations regard
ing the changes thought to be needed
to make the Iowa laws governing life
Insurance more in keeping with the
present conditions and more perfect in
their operation. The bill will be a
compromise between the measure in.
troduced early in the session of the
legislature by Senator Warren of Ma
rion county and the drastic resolution
presented by Senator Molsberry of
Louisa. II will bear the name OF the
Marion senator, but will be supported
by Senator Molsberry and other friends
OF reform along the lines suggested.
Anti-Sunday Baseball Bill.
or the measures listed above as
practically sure Of becoming laws. the
one concerning which there is the
most doubt Is that known as the anti
Sunday baseball bill. This bill rs it
was reported from the senate com
mittee Saturday afternoon forbids the
giving of any theatrical performances
or concert in Iowa on the Sabbath
day and also forbids the playing OF
the game OF baseball In the state on
the Sabbath day and on Memorial day.
when such performances are given or
the game is played for gain or profit.
The bill Is now on it's second tour
through the senate. having in a some
what modified form passed that body
two weeks ago. It's adoption raised
such a storm. however. for Senator
Dowell of Des Moines, chairman of
the judiciary committee in the senate.
from the lovers of league baseball
that he secured the return of the
measure from the house and had II
sent back To his committee II was
openly announced that this was done
in an effort to smother the bill. but
the friends of Sunday observance In
Iowa proved too strong for the smoth-
ering committee and II was reported
back, as stated. The original bill did
not mention baseball specifically. The
reintroduced measure does. II is ex-
pected the bill will pass the senate
again with good majority and those
who are opposing 1t now base their
hopes on the house. where opposition
has all along been more outspoken
than in the senate. There has been
a perfect food of letters and petitions
to the legislators for several weeks
relating to this nronosed ydw