Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-02-01
representative Green Believes
the House Members Favor
the Bill
TAKING POLL OF THE HOUSE
Has Been Quietly Asccrtainins the
Sentiment Among the Members and
Feels Encouraged Over tho Outlook
Crosby Thinks 1t Will Pass in
the Senate.
IBy Ora williams.l
ial to INn1es- Republican.

| Special to Times Republican.
| Des Moines, Feb. 1.-Representativ
| Greene of Madison, who is in charge
of the primary elections bill in the
house. has been quietly taking u poll
of the house ws to the position of MEM
bers on the bill. 1t is not completed,
but he reports that it is very salts
factory, that members are already
pretty well lined up on the issue and
that he is highly encouraged by the
discoveries he has made. Senator
Crossley on the other side of the
house has taken new courage for his
pet measure since the vote Of Tues
he has, been classed as standpatter,
but he takes no stock In the politics
which would mix issues, and accept
ing as at least possible the numerous
rumors floating about he believes that
the chances for the primary bill have
improved. Indeed he has limited that
since the vote on the OBrien county
contest two members of the house
have assured him that they have
changed THEM position and are going
to be for the bill as a rebuke to those
who are alleged to have engineered
deal for its defeat. AS for the demo-
Gratis they are saying nothing, hut 1t
is known that some of them are chat
ing under the situation as 1t has been
forced upon them, and they are likely
to vote for the bill
This situation has developed on
analysis of the vote on the contest,
that the progressive republicans who
have rallied around the standard of
the governor number just half Of the
membership of the house, while the
standpatters can join with the demo-
Gratis and have the other half. But of
course factional lines will not be
drawn entirely on the primary bill.
A great many members have been
studying the vote on the contest case
with special reference to the primary.
theory. They are reluctant to talk
about the matter but they see the sit
uation. On the whole the friends of
the primary bill are now glad the
alignment has been made The issue
is a live one here and it cannot be
avoided. A great many petitions are
coming in for the primary bill and
members are receiving much mail on
the subject.
The Wilson bill for primary law,
just introduced, was drawn by County
Treasurer Whittemore of Fayette
county, and it is said to have some
most excellent features.
The committees on agriculture, hav-
ing in hand the Cummings Newberry
bill to provide for Furnishing persons
engaged in deception in the sale of
foodstuffs and to punish for mis-
branding or adulteration of food pro-
ducts, met today in joint session to
consider this important bill. 1t is re-
garded by very many as one Of the
most important measures before the
general assembly. 1t is framed along
the line of the bill which has been so
carefully prepared for the action Of
congress. 1t covers the ground COM
pletely. If it becomes law it will
effect a revolution in the matter of
handling goods intended for consump-
ton. That there will be an effort
made to defeat this bill by the most
persistent lobbying and the most per-
suasive arguments is now certain. The
wholesale grocers of other states, some
of the jobbers of Iowa, and through
them many Of the retail grocers, are
lined up against the measure. They do
not want any pure food legislation
Two years ago Sprague, Warner &
Co., Of Chicago. sent an attorney, a
Mr.. Miller, here from Chicago to work
against the bill. He is here to appear
before the committee and pick flaws
in the bill again. The method of at
tack is largely by picking flaws
in the bill and suggesting changes
that would destroy it's value. On the
other hand the agricultural interests
of the state and the club women and |
many influential individuals are for
the measure. Capt. ]. G. Hutchinson
Of Ottumwa, former state senator
and citizen Of much influence is
here to appear before the COMMITTEES
in behalf of the bill.
81 am for this BILL" he said, "but /
desire a few slight changes to i'm
prove it. For instance, I do not de-
sire the time for its going into force !
to be too short, for there are on the
shelves of Iowa dealers many thou
sands of dollars worth of goods that
would be affected. Time must be Civ
en- to get these out of the way; and |
this is something that ought not to be
difficult. The principle is right The
people have little idea of the amount
of adulterated stuff that is being con-
suinei. and the people are helpless
TIE reta;i dealer is in many cases in