Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-02-13
SENATE COMMITTEE IS NOT uN-
DERsTooD TO FAVOR THE
TURNER BILL
RANKIN BILL BEATEN

lntemperance Shows Little Disposi-
ton to Change the Present MuIct
laW-Work on MoIsherry Insurance
Bill Will Begin Soon.
y ESPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE
o. $ Mones Bureau of the Courier,
Des Moines, February 12.
Advocates of anti-pass legislation
are elated that the railroads elected to
appear by one of their shrewdest at
torneys to make an argument against
legislation in abolishment of the sys-
tenn. They say that it con-
hrms the view taken by John
Hughes Of Iowa county, the SEN
asor who has been working for this
reform for six years, that no anti-pass
bill will go through the legislature ever
II the railroads can help 1t. Sen
ator Hughes, from the, beginning,
has said that he would have to be
shown before he would believe that
the proposed law would be successful.
How the Committee Stands.
Enough members of the committee
disclosed their attitude in the matter
at the meeting at which the railroads
made objection through the Iowa-Min-
nesota and Dakota attorney for the
Rock Island to show that the bill ito
wipe out of existence the pass sys-
tenn can hope to get not more than
three or four or five votes at the out
side. However, the advocates of the
measure are going to make a fight for
it on the floor of the senate.
Senators Smith of Mitchell, Hopkins,
Hartshorn, Courtright, Harper, Winnie,
Molsberry, Jamison, Saunders, Hassel-
quist, Mlerick, Gale, Jackson, Bleakly,
Smith of Des Moines and Stirton are
the members of the senate committee
on railroads before which this subject
Is pending. Smith Of Mitchell is the
chairman.
outlook Isl Dark.
The attitude taken by m members of
the committee on the occasion of the
hearing indicates that it is fair to as
sumo that the plan to abolish the
whole pass system will be opposed by
Jamison. Molsberry, Hartshorn, Saun-
ders, Ellerick, Gale, jackson and
Bleakly eight Of the sixteen, to start
with. Hasselquist is understood to be
lined up with these eight The position
of Courtright and Harper is not known,
nor Of the two democrats Smith of
Mitchell, Whine and Hopkins are un-
derstood to favor the Turner bill to
wipe out passes.
No Change In MucIt Law.
The tendency in the legislature not
to change the mulct law vas
well illustrated the past week when
the house committee on suppression
of intemperance killed seven bills out
right and at one sitting The legisla-
tpre has very little use for the meas
ures proposed in amendment of the
liquor law, and in the twelve years
since the mulct law was put on the
books, it has been amended by very
few enactments.
The senate debated Senator Smith IS
bill to make mulct petitions of con.
sent renewed every three years and
sent 1T back to the committee on mo.
lion of Senator Jones of Mahaska al
most without objection which means
that it will be delayed week or two
on the calendar. The recon mitment
indicated desire net to change the
law as it stands The bill applied to
cities less than 5000 and to rural com.
munities only.
Rankin Bill Beaten.
The signs, therefore, point to the de
y feat of the Rankin state constabulary
bill. The senate committee was
asked by him to introduce this as a
committee bill and unanimously re.
fused to do it. Both it and the won.
en- suffrage resolution were offered by
Senator Gale of Cerro Gordo county.
No Ames Junket.
The refusal of the senate to accept
the invitation of the people of Ames
) to attend the celebration there Febru.
airy 15 and visit the agricultural col
lege has disappointed the Ames folks
and half the senate. The house Of
representatives will go up in body
and of course many of the senators
will join, though the record shows a
refusal to go Senator Lewis is said tc
have been responsible for defeating
the acceptance Of the invitation. The
legislature sent committee of five te
visit the college and he was one OF
the committee. He did not see the
use of spending the funds of the state
to send the committee up and the
sending the whole assembly.
The Iowa City people have been ex
pecting to invite the Legislature dowr
there later in the session. Shrewdly
they planned on holding back on thei1
invitation till the ether institutions
i had completed all their excursions and
were through Then they proposed to
{ give the assembly good time at Iowa
City What now will be done is moi
known.
Work On the Molsherry Insurance.
proposition will begin tomorrow
Chairman Whipple of the insurance
(Continued on Page s..