Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-02-27
TEMPLE STANDS ALONE
All Other House Committee
Members Oppose Longer
Terms For County Officers
OTHER CHANGES IN THE CODE
Report Made in Form of Various Bills
Making Changes Deemed Necessary
General State Offices, With Excep-
ton of Railroad Commissioner, Are
Left NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Term.
OTHER CHANGES IN THE CODE
Special to Times-Republlcan.

|
Des Moines, Feb. 27.-The report of
| the house committee to readjust the
| laws with reference to the biennial
amendment changes made a report in
| the form of a handful of bills making
| the changes in the code deemed neces-
sary. On one question there was d
division of opinion and two bills We're
| filed. one representing the views of the
majority and the other corresponding
to what the minority would favor. This
| is in relation to county officers. The
committee majority recommended a
bill leaving all county officers with two
year terms as at present. The minor
ity bill gives four-year terms to
clerks of courts, county auditors and
recorders of deeds. 1t is understood
that the committee minority consists
of Chairman Temple alone, all the 9TH
er members opposing any longer terms
for county officers than at present. In
regard to state officers the bill offered
| by the committee leaves all the general
commissioner, which is fixed at six
| year term, one to be elected every two
years. Township trustees are also
given siX-year terms. In regard to
judges of the supreme court the terms
remain as at present, six years each,
but two are elected at each general
election. In order to fix the matter of
chief justiceship it is provided that
each shall serve year as chief JUS
tice, and if these is any question as
to which of the two members whose
terms are about to expire shall serve
| as chief justice, first it shall be de-
cided by casting lots. The committee
reported also a bill changing the fiscal
| biennial period so as to correspond
| to the present time which expires be-
| tween the legislative enactment and
beginning of the fiscal period. The fis
cal period for which legislature APP
propriates and in which taxes are col
lected begins the first of July, not the
July following the close of a legislative
session, but a year later. This rela
tionship is continued. The bill also
makes an important provision to the
effect that at the close of each and ev-
cry fiscal period the board of control
and other boards shall cover back into
the state treasury all uneXpended ball
ances of every kind.
| The house passed a bill in relation, to
publication of the township road work
reports of general interest to the pub
| lic The bill reduces the expense of
| publication of these reports. 1t cuts
| out some Of the surplusage and the
merely formal matters, but leaves it
still requirement that these reports
be printed There has been some eff
fort made to put stop to the publ
cation of these township road matters
on the ground of needless expense, but
from many quarters of the state have
come petitions stating that by the pub
LEGATION of these reports much good is
done. Publicity is the thing and it is
to be maintained.
Representative Ritter of Burlington,
has before the house a bill to require
that in state institutions and all places
where persons are detained or confined
there shall be secured to all inmates
such spiritual advice and ministration
| from any recognized clergyman of the
church or denomination which such
person so committed may profess to
adhere to or prefer" and such per-
sons are to be allowed at suitable and
reasonable time to receive the visits
of clergymen belonging to the denom-
| ination or church so preferred 1t
would greatly multiply the work of
chaplains at state institutions.
P. D. o'Leary, Of Council Bluffs,
has succeeded w. c. Ramsey of Bel
mond, as assistant clerk of the house.
Ramsey went home to become post
master O'Leary is connected with the
| Nonpareil at Council Bluffs.
| The Lewis resolution in regard to
convention to promote election Of Unit
| ed States senators by the people went
to the house committee on constitu-
tional amendments. This committee
| is not a cemetery and the resolution
will be reported out