Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1906-12-13
interstate Senatorial Convention.

ment conference which met in Des
Moines on the 9Th and 9Th, upon invi-
tation of Governor Cummins, under
authority given by the legislature, in
augurated a movement to force con-
gress to call a constitutional conven-
ton.
A permanent organization was at
fected to take up the work Of securing
cooperation of the thirty-seven state
legislatures which meet this winter.
Senator Thomas A. Cheshire of Iowa
heads the executive committee.
II the congress shall, In the mean
time, submit the amendment provid-
ing for popular election of senators,
the movement for constitutional con-
vention will not be continued further.
The conference is committed only to
the amendment affecting election OF
United States senators.
Following is the resolution which
the conference adopted by unanimous
vote, defining its demand for consti-
tutional conventions:
Whereas, 1t is the judgment of
this convention that the legislative
branch Of the national government
should be placed more directly under
the control of the people of the sew
eral states, and
Whereas, There exists, and has
long existed, a strong popular demand
for the election Of United States SEN
ators by the direct vote of the people,
and said demand is, In the opinion or
this convention, well founded, and
Whereas, The constitution Of the
United States provides only two
specting the election of United States
senators may be changed, and
Whereas, The method ordinarily
adopted of congress on its own initia-
tive submitting to the several states
proposed amendment has heretofore
been ineffective, owing to the refusal
of the United States senate to SUBJ
NIT such proposed amendment to the
several states; and
Whereas, There Is no alternative
for accomplishing the desired reform
save by an appeal by at least two
thirds Of the states to congress asking
that a constitutional convention be
called. Be it therefore
Resolved, That while this conven.
ton would much prefer that congress
should submit to the several states
a proposed amendment to the consti-
tuition for the election of senators by
direct vote of the people, so that the
states might pass upon 1t as single
question, yet, inasmuch as the senate
persistently refuses to submit such
amendment, 1t therefore earnestly rec
ommends that the legislatures of the
several states do, in pursuance of ar
ticle V of the constitution of the
United States, make application to the
congress to call convention for the
purpose of proposing amendments to
the constitution of the United States.
Be 1t further
Resolved, That the president and
secretary of this convention be, and
the same are hereby, instructed to
transmit duly certified copies Of these
resolutions to the chairman of the ma
tional committee and of the several
state committees of the two leading
political parties, also to the govern
ors of the respective states, to each
member OF congress, and to the presi-
dent. That In transmitting the copies
to the governors of the states, the
president and secretary Of this con-
vention shall enclose letter, urging
each of them to lay these resolutions
before the legislature of his state"
The permanent organization was
formed under the name of 'the inter-
state senatorial convention" 1t adj
journed to meet at the call of the
president, Congressman Strobe of
Nebraska, at time to be fixed by
himself. An executive committee
composed of five members, to be APP
pointed by President Strobe was au-
thorized. 1t Is given direction of all
matters within the powers of the con-
vention and authority to make it's
own plans.
TWenty-three Murderers Ask Pardon.
Twenty-three life convicts have ap-
piled to the legislature for pardon.
The list is larger than ever before.
1t leaves but a few life convicts who
do not seek clemency. One unique
case is presented to the legislature.
Otto Often of Pocahontas county was
given a conditional pardon by the
governor, on recommendation of the
legislature, the Twenty-ninth general
assembly. The conditions were that
he should live in Jackson county,
should lead moral and upright life,
and that he should neither write TO
nor permit Mrs. John O'Schon to
communicate with him. He was not
permitted to visit her nor she to visit
him. He had been given life SEN
tence for the murder of her husband.
He now petitions the legislature for a
full pardon and the removal of these
conditions.
Charles Stegall of Davenport ap-
plies for a pardon, also. He escaped
the gallows in 1899, having been SEN
fenced to hang on Dec. A. The SEN
tence was committed by Governor
Shaw to life imprisonment In his
petition Stegall claims to have killed
"Bill" Miller in self defense. He
says that Miller owed him 65 cents,
and when he asked for 1t his creditor
assaulted him, and he stabbed in self
defense.
Laying Out Line to Carlisle.
A corps of engineers is now running
a new line from Des Moines to Car
Isle for the Inter-Urban Railway
company. This will establish a new
right of way for the Carlisle interur-
ban, which the interurban company
will construct this season. Materials
already have been ordered. The line
comes in close proximity to Fort Des
Moines. A. p, Chamberlain, right of