Omaha daily bee., 1908-11-03
EXTRA SESSION GOOD THING
Iowa Legislative Candidates Relieved
of Senatorial Burden.
WARDS OFF BIG STATE FIGHT
Republican Majority In Next ,LeEIs-
Iature Certain To he
ledge Regarded Bind
ing On Members.
WARDS OFF BIG STATE FIGHT
From a staff correspondent

From a Staff Correspondent.)
DIES MONIES, Nov. 2.-(Special)-What
promised to be an element of danger for
the republicans OF Iowa two months age
has turned out to be their salvation in this
election. This was the special session OF
the legislature held for the purpose of
amending the primary law. At the time
Governor Cummins called the special ses-
sion there was very much criticism be-
cause of a feeling that the people would
not endorse the expenditure of the money
for the session and that they would take
out their resentment on the republicans.
But by reason OF this special session the
primary law was amended so as to relieve
from the candidates for the legislature the
burden of responsibility in regard 20 the
next senator, leaving them a free hand to
seek election without having the senatorial
matter cause them embarrassment 1t is
claimed that all the candidates for the leg
islature have agreed to abide by the result
of the primary in the state. Hence It Is
that instead of having 1875 or more lc VI
fights with the senatorship involved thera
are none.
The situation has caused the democrats
to be, in fact. entirely hopeless Of carrying
the Legislature. At the outset they hoped
to stand united and have the republicans
fighting each other on the senatorship,
In such contingency they expected to Sc
cure the legislature and elect Claude
Porter to the senate. When the legislature
provided a way for referring II back to the
republicans of the state II was settled that
there would be a republican legislature.
Republican Majority Large.
OF the 1853 member of the Iowa legisla-
ture now the democrats have forty-seven.
Good Judges estimate that they will have
| between fifty and sixty in the next leg
| ~islature. They cannot hope to have much
more than one-third of the entire mem
bership. While there were a number OF
districts carried by republicans that were
close there were also a number Of dis
tricts carried by democrats which cannot
again be secured by them. The republican
majority Is sure to be, as In the past, in
the hands Of the progressive VIM of the
party. since they are strong in the north
ern part of the state where the large re-
publican majorities lie.
Primary eds Are Valid.
Some interest was aroused here in a court
decision in North Dakota in which 1t was
held that the provision OF the primary law
in that state for a pledge on the part Of
I the legislative candidate to abide by the
results was invalid and unconstitutional.
The court took the ground that there could
kbe no legally binding pledge upon a legisla-
ter, but each one must be left to his own
Judgment. But in Iowa the pledges are
voluntary and are regarded only as morally
binding and do not pretend to have any
legal force. OF course any member could
refuse to abide by his pledge, but it is not
expected that anyone will do SO.
senatOrshIp May He Close.
1t is admitted by most of the shrewd poll
/ ticians that the contest on the senatorship
in Iowa may be close. The friends of Gov
ernor Cummins and ex-Congressman Lacey
both have maintained committees at work
for the campaign. More literature has been
sent out by these committees than In any
other way. The Cummins people are rely
ing, apparently, on the men who have here
tofore in many campaigns given him sup
port, and they believe that the progressives
are actually in a majority in the state. The
Lacey committee has appealed to the old
soldiers and has also made covert attacks
upon Cummins by questioning his repub-
licanism. But. on the whole, the campaign
has been carried on with due regard to
the interests OF the party. Both sides are
claiming victory. 1t is known that a great
many OF those who voted for Allison In
June are now fora Cummins, and, on the
other hand, it is probable that some of
those who voted for Cummins in June will
not vote at all.
s~uffraEists Plan Campaign.
II has been made evident since the state
meeting Of the Equal Suffrage Gssoclatoh'
that there is to be a determined effort TO
have the legislature the coming winter
adopt an amendment to the constitution to
hermit women to vote, 1t has been the
plan a long time In Iowa for at least one
house to pass the measure each session ana
let it fail in the other. Sometimes 1t has
been passed up to one legislature by
another. only to meet a fatal end, At the
last session no effort was made to secure
adoption of the amendment. 1t is now in
tended by the women who want to vote that
the suffrage question shall be pressed
, upon the legislature very hard and that 1t
shall be followed by such demonstrations
as will indicate that the women are I'm
deep earnest. They firmly believe that II
it is ever submitted to Iowa voters 1t will
be adopted.
The activity of the temperance people Is
causing some alarm in political circles. The
greatest trouble seems to be that the or
ganizations of brewers and others inter-
ested in maintaining reasonable observance
of the Iowa laws have not been able 10
control the liberal element in some of the
cities Of the state. There has been friction
of a serious nature over the enforcement
of the laws. Now the temperance people
are preparing to secure submission again
Of the prohibitory amendment and they