Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1907-01-16

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR GARST
one declaring that a law should be
adopted permitting nothing but alnua.
dividend pcliCics to be written in tic
state. This recommendation is signed
by Commissioners Kendall and Jones.
They form minority of the commit
tee. Commissioners Jamison, Bleak
ley and Clary have signed majority
report declaring that the deferred div
idend system has tendency to breed
evils in the business, but asserting
that Iowa companies should not be for
hidden the right to issue such policies,
as they are too weak to compete with
many eastern companies without such
right.
After Giant Firecracker.
Representative Ofill of Jasper
county is on deck this early with his
bill to forbid the sale of giant fire.
crackers in Iowa for Fourth of July
celebrations or for any other purpose.
Mr. Offill says he believes the bill will
become law during this session. He
says the demand for such law seems
to be universal the state over.
The wage earners' exemption bill
will be fought through both houses
this session, as it has been for years
past. The retail grocers' and mer-
chants associations have been striv-
ing for several years to have the laws
n the state changed so that only $40
of workingman's monthly wages
may be free from execution. There
has always been wide diversity of
opinion among the members on this
question, many of them declaring the
present law is good enough, and others
who say they are willing to support a
change, IL the exemption is increased
to $50 or $50 month.
After the Railroads.
1t has developed this early in the
session that an effort is to be made to
drive the railroads of Iowa out of pol
tiles. Possibly several bills with that
end in view will find their way to the
railroad committees of the two houses
before the legislature is many days
older. At least one such measure Is
now under way of preparation by
Judge S. F. Prouty of Des Moines.
The judge is not member of the leg
islative body, but he has the assur-
ance from friends in the assembly
that his bill will be taken care of. 1t
is to be a radical measure and will
make the distribution of corporation
funds during political campaign, or
for any political end whatever, the
crime of embezzlement, and the guilty
person will be subject to a peniten-
tiary sentence. Judge Prouty cam
paigned the state for Governor Cum
Minis last fall and was very emphatic
N his denunciation of railway and
corporate influences in state affairs.
He said in his speeches time and again
that all corporations should be driven
from active participation in political
affairs Of the state, and his proposed
bill is said to be in furtherance of his
determination to that end.
Another bill having the same re-
suits in view is likely to come from the
Democratic side of the legislature.
In the Democratic platform last year
plank was adopted which looked to
the solution OF the problem by the
creation of non-partisan commission
to have charge of the assessment of
railways. The Democratic plan will
have many friends in the legislature.
The city OF Des Moines will have an
active lobby before the two houses en-
deavoring TO convince the members
that they must pass some law giving
the city a more efficient method of
governoment.
Dolliver Is Watching.
Senator Jonathan p. Dolliver has ar
rived in Des Moines with the opening
OF the legislature, and will remain I'M
Til after the body votes on the question
OF electing his successor on Jan. 2S.
The date for the balloting is some
what Earring on the nerves of the
superstitious, but it will only mean
''skiddoo" for the senator back to
Washington for another term of six
years. The Democrats OF the assem-
bly, will give their votes to Claude r.
Porter OF Centerville, their late can
didate for governor. There will be no
opposition to Senator Dolliver. Yet
the senator is an advocate of the idea
OF always keeping one ear to the
ground, and he will remain here and
fraternize with the members until the
votes are counted in joint session Of