Omaha daily bee., 1908-12-21
WILLING TO Be REGULATED
Street and ~Interurban Railway Have
No Objection to Commission.
INSIST ON HIGH GRADE ONE
New York, Massachusetts and Wis
cOnsin Cited as Examples ~
Iowa Wants to TAX Up
with Proposition.
CFrom a STAFF correspondent


From a staff Correspondent)
DIES MONIES. Ia, Dec. 0.-(speciai.)-
That the street railway men of this state
will neither oppose nor recommend the es-
t%ablishment OF a public service commission,
IL the matter is considered here next month,
was announced by the Iowa Street and In
terurban association in this city Saturday.
Whatever the people OF Iowa decide as to
general supervision Of public utilities will
receive their hearty support, leaders of
this traction organization declared. To Sc
cure such high-grade men as the
appointive systems in New York, Massa-
chusetts and Wisconsin have made possible,
the street railway men say they are ready
to be taxed with the other public service
interests so that Iowa may pay its COM
missloners as we'll as any state in the
union,
ITO eliminate political pull and graft
from any public service commission which
Iowa may decide to establish is our only
interest" said l.. d. Mathes of Dubuque,
secretary and treasurer OF the Iowa Street
and Interurban Railway association today.
This is identical with the interest of the
people OF the state, we believe. We simply
want Iowans to look into the operation Of
the Hughes utility commissions and those
III mdSSACnuSCllS anu lSCOHSlH anu JuuH6
for themselves. We will heartily support
any measure for supervision along such
lines that the people of Iowa may decide
upon
Legislative Reference Omcial.
John E. Brindley, assistant in the eco
Monies department of the State college,
has been appointed legislative reference as
sistant in the State Historical department
by Curator Benjamin f. ~Shambaugh. The
new assistants work will be to prepare
references for the assistance Of the MEM
bers of the general assembly. Mr.. E. r.
Harlan, II is announced, will also remain
as assistant curator.
Plan New Grandstand.
The Iowa department Of agriculture has
secured plans for a new steel grandstand
at the state fair grounds. for which the
association proposes to ask the coming ses-
sion of the legislature to make an appropri-
alton. The stand will be 100 feet back from
the track, with a sward In front. 1t is to
be built Of steel and absolutely fireproof.
City Wants s~afecracker.
The chief of police in Des Moines wants
a professional safe-cracker. The safe in
the office of the chief, which has not been
locked for twenty years, accidentally had
the combination turned on it a few days
ago. The combination has long been lost.
Expert locksmiths have failed to open It
and there are valuable papers which the
chief desires. If there is a professional
safe-man who can open the safe without
using nitroglycerine he wants him.
Pictures for Red Book.
In the Iowa State Register" or RE
Book" this winter the secretary of state
purposes to publish the picture OF every
member of the Legislature, with the biog-
! raphies. This will put a damper on photo
graphic business. which for years has
flourished because of the desire of members
to have group pictures and exchange
photographs. Now they may have the pic
lures without expense in the register.
Omaha COmplimented.
Rev. Canon Bell, who came here recently
to become rector of st. Paul's Episcopal
church, in an interview today said: 'If Des
Moines had a Juvenile court like the one in
Omaha, in twenty-five years from now the
city would need no police court" He be-
lieves the efficiency of the Omaha court
will in that length of time do away with
the necessity of a police court there.
County Attorney Scored.
The decision of the supreme court in the
case of the attempt to Gust the prosecuting
attorney at Burlington may precipitate
another fight against the officer, although
he has been elected and will start a new
term of office the first of the year.
Burlington representatives were in Des
Moines Friday and hey are ready to carry
the fight against the man to the limit, as
well as a fight for laws allowing the re-
moval of county officials who do not dc
their duty.
II the supreme court decides that Judge
Smythe should be removed, residents OF
Burlington will try to force the removal
in spite Of the intervening election.