Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1907-02-13
STATEWIDE PRIMARY
ELECTION MEASURE UP FOR PAS.
SAGE THIS WEEK.

General Assembly May Adopt Bill In.
creasing Salaries of Members-Wom.
an Suffrage Bill NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..
ance Committee Kills Jamison Bill,
Des Moines, Feb 12.-It is be.
lieved before the present legislature
is another week older it will have the
primary election bill, prepared by a
subcommittee of the house and sen.
ate, up for passage, and with this
measure out of the way the great
work of the assembly will be disposed
of. The committee bill is made up
from points in both the Crossley and
the Peterson bills, the two extended
measures which were before it. 1t is
for a statewide primary, as promised
by the Republican party platform, and
for the nomination of all candidates
township officers, including United
States senators. The Democrats have
n bill somewhat similar in effect, pre-.
pared by a subcommittee of their
membership in the house and senate,
The great difference is that the Demo.
Gratis fight shy of the provision for a
declaration of party affiliation as a
qualification for voting at the primary.
They favor the Wisconsin method,
where the ballots are all printed on
different slips, attached by staples
and perforated so as to be easily sep.
arated The voter is given all of the
ballots when he enters the polling
place. He selects from the lot the
ticket he desires to vote, marks it
and returns with it to the judges the
unused ballots.
A substitute measure Is said to be
In preparation, to be introduced on
the floor of the assembly when the
committee bill is called up, which will
provide only for legalizing of eau.
cuses, but will permit declaration by
precincts and counties on candidates
for United States senator.
Raise of Salaries.
Taking heart from the late action of
congress and from the records of sur.
rounding states, it is possible the
present session of the general assem-
bl, will adopt a bill increasing the
salaries of the legislative members in
Iowa from $3.50 per session, the pres.
ent figure, to $1,000. 1t is said several
of the members have held meetings
to talk the matter over and there is
well defined report that some time
during the present week a bill for
the bill makes its appearance it will
be in the senate, and the chances are
that Senator Hughes of the Iowa-John-
son district will be it's author.
The argument for the measure is
the fact that scarcely one of the 15S
members of the legislature who come
to Des Moines to spend the winter of
legislative sessions does so without a
personal sacrifice to private business
and loss as far as finances are con-
cerned. The expenses which must be
necessarily borne by the legislator,
outside of his actual cost of living,
become heavier each session, and very
few il any of the members can now
return to their homes at the close of
the session with anything like roll
to deposit in local banks. Attention
is also called by those who are favor
ing the bill to the fact that Illinois
lawmakers are now receiving $1,000
for sessions work. and bill has
lately been introduced in that body
by Representative McKinlay 20 In
crease the pay to $4,000. A bill to in
crease the salary in Iowa was intro
duced in the lower house during the
closing days of the Thirty-first gen.
eral assembly, last winter. Its author
was Representative Wright of Fort
Dodge. Mr.. Wright had served but
one term and had made up his mind
not to be a candidate for reelection.
He had become convinced of the fact
that members of the legislature were
entitled to better pay for their SER
vices. and felt that as long as he
would not profit by the law, IL it
should be adopted, he could introduce
the bill with good grace. The meas.
ure met with anything but a hearty
reception by the house members, how
ever. there being but corporal's
guard In favor of II on final action.
1t did not get to the senate. This
year the measure will originate in the
senate, and the chances are that it
will pass that body.
Employees All Want Raise.
But the legislators are not alone in
wanting increases in salaries. There
are now before the assembly bills to
increase the pay OF the deputies and
employees Of nearly all the Offices in
the state house. Adjutant General
Thrift of the department of Iowa Ma
tional Guard has had bill presented
which increases his pay from $4,000 to
$4,000 year. Each of the three mine
inspectors are asking for a raise In
pay from $1,000 to $1,000. The secre-
tary to the governor wants his annual
stipend increased from $1,000 to ST.
900, and the same raise is asked for
the deputy state auditor, deputy state
treasurer and deputy secretary OF
state. Besides these the deputy dairy
commissioner and his assistant are