Omaha daily bee., 1909-05-07
Iowa
MPHERSON Is nut LIKED
Iowa Lawyers Freely Criticise Meth.
DDS Of Jurist in Court.
NOT LIKELY TO BE MPEAcHED
Judgment aud Temperhmental Biss
Considered Unfortuuate but Not
Good BASIS for Extreme
P~rOccedInE.
From a staff correspondentl

DIS MONIES. NAV 6-tspecisl)-The
movement started by Congressman Murphy
OF Missouri in introducing a resolution in
congress to Investigate the official career
Of Judge Smith Mcpherson is arousins
much comment throughout Iowa, especially
among members Of the bar. The general
Impression is that 1t will come to nought,
for nothing would remove Judge Mcpherson
but an impeachment In congress. and this,
they say. Is doubtful, though there Is gem
ersl criticism OF Judge Mcpherson for his
methods Of court procedure and his alleged
corporation tendencies.
Lawyers quite generally criticize the
judge for his autocratic methods, his harsh
ness to them, his diversion from the usual
lines of evidence and practically instructing
the Jury in some cases what kind of a
verdict they shall return. However, this 10
nothing upon which impeachment proceed
ings might be sustained,
There is much criticism Of the Judge in
Des Moines because he took from the state
courts the quo Q%uarranto proceedings
against the Des Moines city railway, which
involves determining whether the railway
company has a perpetual franchise. 1t Is
literally predicted he will be reversed in
his opinion in this matter in the highest
NiA1hIldtH dhuAt nnCI ~ dlbO dEBulnGu
charge. when Il was first questioned, OF
the Blanchard anti-compsct law, passed by
the Iowa legislature. providing that It
should be illegal for insurance companies
to combine to fix rates. He held this law
was unconstitutional The supreme court
OF the United States reversed him in this
and since the operation of the law fire
rates in Des Moines' have fallen off fully
half what they were during the permissible
compact" days. So in. many instances his
holdings have given the impression that he
leans strongly with the capitalized corpora
TORS. He is literally criticized for this.
but a man cannot be impeached on his
judgment and 1t is not believed this would
be a prevailing question in impeachment
proceedings.
While Judge Mcpherson Is not popular
as a Judge and is generally criticised by
lawyers for his methods, II IL quite
universally expressed among his critics
that the effort in congress 10 bring about
impeachment proceedings will not de-
velop.
Fruit Crop to he small.
The monthly fruit crop report by Wes-
ley Greene, secretary of the state ETortl-
cultural society. discloses the fruit crop
will be small this year-much smaller
than was predicted a month ago. The
peach crop Is estimated at but 8 per cent
of normal Present estimates on other
fruits are: Apples, 81; pears, SO; Amer
lean plums, SO; domestic plums, 70; JLpa-
nese plums. 70; cherries, So; grapes, So:
red raspberriess SIS; b~lackberries. 81: cur
rants, SO; gooseberries. 81: strswber-
ries, 70. t'. w
Flaming Vacations.
Inasmuch, as the last Legislature passed
a law giving employees of the state in
situations vacations at fun pay. the state
Board of Control is now busy preparing
a schedule OF vacations for the hundreds
OF employees In the institutions. Il will
probably be necessary to. begin serving
out the respltes from work the latter part
of this month.
BOnd Issue illegal,
Corporation Counsel Bailey today in
formed the member of the council under
the Des Moines commission plan OF gov
eminent that their bond issue for the
1 erection OF a market house is illegal and
that they had best proceed TO buy the
site ard erect the buildings from the gem
eral and grading funds.
citizenship Tor Tama IndiBnn.
Government inspectors, after investigating
conditions on the Tama Indian reserva-
ton in Tama county. will report to the
government to grant the Indians full rights
OF citizenship on the grounds that the wards
Of the government are full land owners and
consequently too troublesome County off
Gals could handl them more effectively
and stamp out drunkenness, inspectors say
Iowa News Notes,
CRESTON-The wedding of Mr.. Frank
Braunberger of this city and Miss Gather
Inc Lowery OF Council Bluffs, vas solem-
nized at the home OF the brides parents
last night. Relatives from here attended
the wedding.
CRESTON-A resolution adopted by the
city council last night, In regard to the ex-