Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-02-26
There Will Be No Sessions
Latter Part of Week in
Legislature
1T MEANS RATHER DULL TIME
So Far as Known Now There Will Be
Little Of Importance Done Except in
Committees Fore Part of the Week
Some Bills Now Pendins-Lesisla-
tive News.
by Ora Williams.l
tive News.

[By Ora Williams.l
Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines, Feb. 26.-The fact
that very many of the Legislators
went home for over Sunday, and that
there will be no sessions the
last three days of the week
makes it reasonably certain there
will he little doing at any time
this week Unless there are more than
two-thirds of the members of the
house present bills will not be called
bills that can be passed without Ques-
ton. The legalizing acts are nearly
all out of the way. There are a few
small appropriations to be considered.
objected earnestly to the proposed va
cation of the coming week. They want
to get through with the session and re-
turn to their homes as soon as pos
sible. Some of them are saying they
will insist on adjournment by March
20, and others think it will not be
necessary to run beyond the first of
the next month But with the senate
so deliberate and so much taken UP
with politics the end is not in sight.
A very important measure is to
come up in the house tomorrow on
special order-that of a bill to extend
the limit of municipal Indebtedness.
The bill provides that where city or
town desires to purchase or pay for
waterworks the present limit OF lndebt-
edness shall not be considered, but it
may contract further Indebtedness. In
effect this changes the whole matter
of the limit. The bill seemed innocent
enough as it came from the commit
tee, and it came near to going through
without discussion, but some of the
lawyers began to point out what 1t
would do and soon the members saw
ii was too important to be passed over
lightly, and it was set for a special or
der.
The Greene bin to change the wage
exemption Is on the calendar. Thus
far he has refused to call it up. This
is bill desired by merchants In the
state as protection. The bill has all
ready caused some sharp comment.
Greene was head of the committee OF
the Retail Grocers' association, which
signed up an agreement with a conf
mittee of the Iowa Retail Gro
GERS Trades and Labor assembly,
which. among other things, pro-
yided that the merchants should not
again try to secure repeal OF the ex-
emption laws as relating to wages
and should not introduce any bill on
the subject unless to repeal all exemp-
ton laws. Now the workingmen are
accusing Greene Of breaking faith. He
is a merchant, closely identified with
the state association, and has been
travelling In their interests throughout
the state organizing the merchants.
A. E. Dawson, railroad commissioner.
expects to appear before the pardons
committee about March IL to make
plea on behalf of Busse, the Bremen
county fiend who killed his wife in
horrible manner. The pardons commit
tee will not take up the matter before
that time A determined effort is to
be made to secure pardon for George
Weems of this city, who is serving a
life sentence for the murder of Conduc-
tor Ridpath.
The Des Moines city primary cleo
ton is to be held tomorrow. 1t will
be of intense local interest, but there
can be no bearing on state politics.
The present mayor, George Mattern,
was nominated two years ago by
combination OF the Hull forces with
the business element of the city. His
selection was largely due to the dis
gust everyone felt over the previous
administration. The better elements
of the city supported him; but he has
been distinctly disappointing to them
because he has neither had courage
nor wisdom in management OF affairs
But Alderman Van Dyke, his only OPP
ponent for the nomination, is not re-
garded a any better The civic league,
which was organized some months ago
ostensibly to purify the city, is now
HELPLESS and without influence. 1t fell
into the hands Of few who generally
have axes Of their own to grind, then
it took UP with the visionary scheme
of having the legislature make the city
good by formal act, and finally when
the primary came the league was with
out any program and utterly without
standing.
The bill to take the circle of the
official ballots in Iowa is sure to be-
come a law. For long time it was
advocated solely as democratic
measure. Now 1t is recognized by all
that the circle is useless and that it's
sole purpose is to make it easier for
lazy persons to "vote 1t straight"
without inquiring into the personnel Of
the ticket. Now Independent voting has
become more and more popular In
Iowa. and it is now hardly fashionable
for one to boast that he always voted
the ticket without scratch and voted
the same ticket that his father voted
all his lifetime.
PETIT JURORS DRAWN.