Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-02-07
Joint Committee
Unanimous on Bill
Important Features of Primary
Election Measure Decided on
-New Railroad Bills
Presented
Des s.,,s nes Bureau of

Dee nes Bureau of
ls,aaslA sAsS7 Zines, Feb. 8.
.os yeoA -..n1ttee engaged in pre-
pasS .ne primary election bill is
holding sessions daily and will con-
tinue in session every day until the
bill is perfected. The committee has
been found to be unanimous on every
important point discussed.
1t was decided that the date for the
primary will be in June, that plural
ity shall nominate and that the law
will not apply to. municipal elections
except in large cities.
Conventions will also be provided
for.
Secretary Given Clerk.
The senate added one more clerk to
its payroll today, authorizing Secretary
Newman to employ stenographer to
act as clerk He has asked that the
rule be enforced which REQUIRES clerks
not otherwise engaged, to be under his
direction so that he could have assist
ance when needed
Senators who have clerks who would
be subject to this call. made objection
anda resolution authorizing him to
have clerk all for himself was pass
ed by vote of 25 to 20.
Railroad Legislation.
The house and senate passed num-
ber of minor bills.
In the house White introduced a re-
ciprocal demurrage bill providing that
railroads shall pay So a day for the
time in falling to deliver cars or to
transport them at rate of eighty
miles a day.
Clarke introduced a bill to compel
railroad commissions to make rates as
low in Iowa as in any adjoining state.
May Redistrict.
A redistricting bill has been pre-
pared and the details concerning 1t so
far rs they have been agreed upon,
have leaked out. The bill contemplates
changes in every congressional district
of the state. 1t is a measure which If
passed would completely reorganize
the political map of the state and
cause number of congressman to seek
employment at other trades. The fea-
lures of the bill so far as can be learn
ed contemplate these changes:
Cedar county, from the fifth to the
second district
Jackson county, from the second to
the fifth.
Grundy, from the fifth to the third.
Boone, from the tenth to the seventh.
Wright, from the third to the tenth.
Davis. from the sixth to the first.
Appanoose, from the eighth to the
sixth.
Marion, from the seventh to the
sixth.
Mills, from the ninth to the eighth.
Crawford, from the tenth to the
ninth
Monona, from the eleventh to the
ninth.
Montgomery, from the ninth to the
eighth.
The fourth district is the only one
unchanged. The plan would cause dis
turbance to Congressman Cousins,
Dawson, Birdsall and Conner. and
probably would meet with the opposi-
tion of Smith and the republicans of
the first district.
It is stated the bill will be intro
duced very soon.
Grain Dealers Worried.
Iowa grain dealers who are asso.
ciated together in the work of trying
to maintain grain prices have become
deeply agitated over the movement
which has been started by and through
the Still1nan bill for a more drastic
law that will forbid combinations in
restraint Of trade. 1t is stated that all
the evidence which was secured by the
| interstate commerce commission at its
recent sitting in this city bearing on
the question of the methods employed
in practically effecting uniformity of
rates among dealers who are closely
associated, will be laid before the leg.
islature. Representative Stillman has
| received a great many letters, which
| is alleged to have been inspired by
the Iowa grain dealers protesting
against this bill and indicating that ii
will be hard fought. He has discov.
cred also that since the passage of a
similar bill in Nebraska there has been
an end to grain trusls and that some
associations hitherto engaged in bust
ness have quit.
1t is recalled in connection with the
bill that the interstate commerce com
mission secured evidence here in Des
Moines indicating that there was some
connection between the Iowa Grain
Dealers association and the so-called
Cereal club, which club had been hold
/ ing weekly meetings. where prices
were fixed, and that cards We're sent
out to grain dealers giving a fixed price
for grain, and that these cards govern
ed 1t was in testimony that persons
who sent out these cards believed they
were sent out in the interest of tle
association. and there was testimony
indicating that persons had been soil
cited to become members Of the asso
citation on the ground that they woult
ehget the benefit of receiving regularly
i these price cards
1t is declared that difference ot
only a cent a bushel in the price Of
grain would amount to surprisingly
large sums at the end of the year The