Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1907-02-27

,a.d not the least attention to the
Office, except to draw his commission
for work done, had never invested a
dollar in the business, but had drawn
from the contract an average of $4,000
q year. Mr.. Davidson said he believed
the present system to be wrong and
felt satisfied the state could secure
Just as good work as at present under
a contract system and save the tax.
payers thousands of dollars annually.
President Hall of the Iowa Printing
company also appeared before the
committee and declared that con.
tract system would save the state
$4,000 a year. Mr. Hall has had the
contract under State Printer Murphy
and his contract with Mr.. Murphy was
to pay him $4,000 if the work amount.
ed to $4,000 total in year, and 10
per cent of the gross receipts from the
state above that amount. He said
Mr.. Murphy had never maintained an
Office in Des Moines, not even a desk
in the Iowa Printing company's office.
and that he had been paid while state
printer an average of $4,000 a year as
his commission under the contract.
An objection has been raised to the
Lambert bill by the labor unions and
other opponents of the measure be-
cause it provided that the state ex.
ecutive council might award printing
to the state institutions, at several of
which plants are now maintained.
They claimed this meant convict labor.
Mr.. Lambert insisted it did not. but
withdrew the provision from the bill,
and if it becomes law the only print
ing which can be done in state insti
tutions is that for the board of con.
troll now being done in that way.
Limiting Noisy Patriotism.
An almost crackerless and noiseless
Fourth of July is threatened the pa
triotic young manhood in Iowa by the
passage by the house of the Offil anti
firecracker bill. The bill is now in the
hands of the senate committee on
military affairs, and the opposition to
it is making a noise like a dynamite
cane, trying to prevent its being re-
ported to the senate for passage. It
went through the house with vote of
"a in Its favor and IA against it. The
bill prohibits the sale or use of fire.
crackers in Iowa if they exceed five
inches in length or three-quarters of
an inch in circumference. 1t also pro-
hibits the use of dynamite crackers of
any kind and of the toy pistol or other
toy firearms. Senator Warren. chair
man of the committee having the bill,
says it will be recommended out for
passage.
Two Cent Fare Assured.
Despite the fact that the railroads
played for delay and used the ablest
arguments of their best attorneys be-
fore the senate committee on railroads,
the house two cent fare railroad bill
and before tomorrow night it will have
passed the senate, and will go back to
the house for slight change, which
will be made. Then the bill will go
to Governor Cummins for signature.
| Il he cHdHSe Hdue III the Dill ID! lue
senate committee provides that in no
| case will the roads be compelled to
accept a fare less than 10 cents. This
was put in for the benefit of the inter-
urban lines OF the state, which are
affected by the measure. The law as
| ii will go into effect next July will
classify the roads. Glass A roads can
not charge more than 2 cents a mile;
class B roads cannot charge more
than 2l5 cents mile, and class C
roads 3 cents. Ii means, though, that
competition will bring all of the
lines practically into the class d.
vision and that cents will be the
| universal rate in Iowa after early in
July.
But Few Laws Adopted.
So far, though the session is prac-
tically six weeks old, less than a
I n III l..