Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-03-22
Now Little Doubt But That
Larger Cities Will Be Per-
mitted to Try Plan
GOOD WORK FOR REFoRMAToRY
Senator Saunders Presented His Bill at
opportune Time - Permanent High
way Measure Presented - Soldiers
Roster Bill Gently Put Away-Lesis-
Iative Gossip.
Special to Times-R Republican.

| Special to Times-Republtcan.
Des Moines March 22.-There is now
no doubt that the bill for the Calves
ton plan of city government will be-
come a law; but those who are oppos-
| ing it declare that the fight is not
over nor will it be even when the voters
of Des Moines or some other city have
adopted it. When the system is put
into operation the courts will be re-
sorted to and a test be made of Its
constitutionality. The point will be
raised that many Of its provisions are
contrary to- the supreme laws Of the
state, not only because 1t undertakes
to combine legislative and executive
functions, but because OF the initiative
and referendum provision, which it is
claimed is entirely foreign to the in
tent of the laws. The claim will be put
forth that under the constitution the
right to pass laws cannot be delegated
to the people, or rather be taken from
representative bodies and be returned
to the people.
The bill, in the form it passed the
senate, is reasonably satisfactory to the
Des Moines people who have been
working for the bill. There was no
general discussion OF the bill, but on
various amendments there was discus
sion. The bill originally applied to all
first class and charter cities. Daven-
port did not want the bill and Senator
DeArmand tried to have it apply only
to cities over 10000. But Dubuque and
Sioux City wanted try at 1t, and the
limit was fixed at $4,000. A conces-
sion was made in a requirement that
20 per cent of the voters must sign q
petition for an election.
Incidental to the discussion, OF thu
and the municipal league bill the faes
was developed that before the close Of
the session a resolution will be urged
to provide a commission to make an,
investigation OF the laws relating to
municipal corporations in Iowa and to
recommend some general changes in
the law. "A good many Of the members
have reached the conclusion that neith-
er the commission system nor the
milder reforms of the Iowa plan will
be satisfactory, and they desire to lay
the foundation for something else. 4.
Il, The we'll known Waterloo situation
cames near colnplicating the commits.
sion hillsand Waterloo people were On
hand to watch IT. Under the bill, IL 1t
could be applied to Waterloo, all wards
would be wiped out, and that would
make excitement in the city on the Ce-
dar. But as the senate has left the
bill. Waterloo cannot take advantage
of it for a few years.
az.
Senator, Saunders secured consid-
GRAFTON Of his reformatory bill at an
suspicious time, Immediately follow
ing the passage of a number of other
good measures. He presented the mat
ter Of the need for establishing a re-
formatory, in an eloquent manner. The
senator from Pottawattamie believes
ard in this he has the support of the
board OF control, the prison wardens,
the state officers, and many Of the
judges of the state. that no more inn
portant legislation is before the legisla-
ture that the bill which contemplates
a radical reform in the prison and
punishment system of the state. A
board of parole 10 created and the in
determinate sentence is applied Those
who go to the reformatoryI will be
taught trades and will be educated and
in every possible way be encouraged
to good life. Senator Saunders
stated that fourteen states now have
the reformatory plan and no state llav-
ing tried it has ever abandoned it. In
many other states the indetermipate
sentence idea prevails. It has stood
the test Of experience.
work of getting thru bill to permit
the building of permanent highways
in the state. Under his bill, on petit
ton Of property owners, district will
be set apart thru which permanent
roadway is to be built by contract, the
board OF supervisors to have charge
OF all details, and payment to be made
from the county and township road
funds and one-third by the property
adjacent and within tfree-mile limit
1t is the plan to build good macadam-
lied roads by contract and to enable
counties to enter upon this work sys-
tematically as In some other states.
sss ~.
Governor Packard, Of Marshalltown,
who has done much of the work in
support of the Newberry seed and stock
food bill. expresses himself as well
with it. The measure pro-
ceeded originally from the department
of agriculture and the bill, as it passed
q senate, preserves very well the
ieral principle Of requiring publicity
70 mixed stuff of all kinds. 1t re-
;ns that all mixed stuff for feeding
i he labeled with the name of all
esGients and the quantity Of each.
viii cover the majority Of all the
e sold In the case of continental
medicinal stock foods 1t is required
81 that the name Of base or 'dilutant
given and the quantity. The me-
inal qualities are exempted. The
eiil also covers all seeds and it will
axe seedsmen very careful about
oI.ing seeds that carry weed seed.
The old soldiers roster bill. which
gone down to defeat before many
legislatures has been worsted in an
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- Insist upon its being