Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-01-09
First Bill in the Senate Pro
vided For Election of a
Supreme Justice
NO SURPRISES IN COMMITTEES
Few Changes Were Made and Those
Made Had Been NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
ciaI Committee on the Contest From
o'Brien County Selected-LeeisIa-
tive Gossip.
IBy Ora williams.l

[By Ora Williamsl
| Speciai to Times Republican.
l Des MoineS, Jan. 9.-Senator Shir
| ley Gillland introduced the first bin il
| the senate yesterday afternoon just be
fore the senate adjourned 1t was t.
provide for chief justice of the SUI.
preme court. The court met today ant
through the operation of the bienna
election law would have been withou
a ichief justice. Senator Gilliland'.
bill, provided for the court electing one
of their number as chief justice fol
this year and provided that beginning
in 1907 the senior judge of the two
whose terms expired next should be
| chief justice The bill was advanced
to it's third reading and Senator Gill
liland then moved that it be placed or
its passage There was some little hes
itation on the part of the senate t.
see the necessity of rushing the mat
ter through. Senator Courtrigh1
urged delay and moved that it be. re-
ferred to the committee on judiciary
Dowell and Garst also urged delay, add
wishing that all the matters to be at,
tended to under the biennial election
law should be taken up at the same
time and gone over carefully. DoWeE
announced that the court had met to-
day and elected one Of their number
chief justice, believing that the.- had
authority to do so. Gilliland stated
that he was acting only through cour-
tesy to the court and was willing to
let the matter go over.
The court yesterday elected Judge
McClain chief justice. Had the bien-
NAL election law not been passed Judge
McClain would have been chief pustice
this year under the old law. The terms
of McClain and Sherwin expire. Fol-
lowing them the terms of Ladd and
Weaver will be the next to expire.
There was no surprise in the an
nouncement of the house committees
A few changes We're made other than
those strictly required to fill vacancies.
Mr.. Teachout, of Polk, was made
chairman of the committee on NUM-
cipal corporations; Mr.. Hambeton, of
Mahaska, on mines and mining; Mr..
Greeley. of Story. on suppression of
intemperance; and Mr.. Crosse, of Page,
on public buildings and grounds. The
other shifts were to conform to these
changes. Mr.. Cummings was changed
from fish and game to agriculture.
The special committee of the house
on the O'Brien county muddle consists
of Messrs. Wright, of Webster; Hart,
Allamakee; Kendall Of Monroe; Clary,
Of Chickasaw; and Springer, of Bu-
chanan The committee met last eve
ming and heard the statements of the
attorneys for Mr.. Whtmer and MIR.
Youde. 1t is expected a result will be
reached very quickly, as it is desired
by all that the matter be settled before
the real work of the session is COM
menced. Speaker Clarke named a
committee of lawyers for the place.
THE question is a legal one" he said,
land there is no question of fact in
volved. At first 1 was disposed to feel
that Mr.. Whitmer had a strong case and
that his contention as to the inability
Of the legislature under the constitu-
ton to provide for limiting a term of
office was good; but on later investi-
cation and considering the spirit of the
constitution as indicated in several
clauses relating to the subject 1 am of
the opinion that the law is constitu-
tional Any other conclusion would
run to such absurdities that feel sure
it was the intent of the constitution
makers to provide that the legislature
might terminate the term of office of
member" This fairly expresses the
sentiment OF most of the members who
have considered the subject. Mr..
Youde will be seated-not on partisan
grounds, but because the law is in his
favor.
Capt. Greeley Of Story, invited the
members of the house committee on
agriculture to go to Ames today to visit
the winter term of the special school
of agriculture which is now it's last
week there. Probably some of the
members will go today or later in the
week. Prof. Curtiss sent word they
would be welcome. Capt. Greeley is
very proud of the college and he is de-
sirous that as many of the members
as possible see for themselves what is
being done for the farmers of the state
Governor Cummins was just an hour
and half In reading his message to
the joint assembly. His voice held out
we'll. He was listened to with atten-
ton more marked than ever before 1t
seemed as if there was not a dry par
agraph in his extended message. The |
bath of office was administered to the
governor and lieutenant governor by
Justice McClain, of the supreme court. |
business
The democrats held caucus but did |
lot organize formally. They have no |
caucus committees and will meet |
whenever any three members may de-
sire meeting. They reached the con- |
fusion that to put up candidates for |
he offices would be useless and would |
'epresent nothing SO far as may be I
lscertained they have no definite pro-
yram on any subject, but will drift
llong with the tide.
1t was reported some time ago that
Senator Hayward of Scott has bin 70
lbolish the offices of state printer and /
binder. He says this is an error as he
las no such bill and is not especially
Interested in the subject.
Rev. A F. Kepford of Ida county,
became reading clerk by the queerest