Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-01-16

OTTUMWA COUR
above referred to and by comparison
| should be able to Judge as to which is
| the better and more satisfa ctorys /
| have looked with some care as to the
results under each Of the plans and
am thoroughly convinced that the
| present method does not afford suffi-
Gent ease with which a vote a straight
party ticket, and by reason of this fact
g loss of votes occurs to all candi-
dates below the head of the ticket,
! This was not true under either of the
former methods. or If true the loss
I was Very much less.
| In short, / believe the method of
! voting should be such that it can be
accomplished with ease rather than
with effort and that every voter should
| decide for himself as to whether he
desires TO vote straight or mixed
| ticket, and once having decided the
question he should be enabled to carry
out his wishes i'll the easiest and most
| expedious manner. X now of no way
to provide hir. such means better than
to restore the circle to the ballot,
Counties Pay Expenses.
| There is another amendment which
| Gil. in passing upon claims, in my
| Judgment, demonstrates beyond ques-
ton should be adopted that is, the
elimination of that provision which
| requires the state to pay one-half OF
the expense of holding the primary
election. Each county should meet the
expense of it's own primary the same
! as it does the expense of the general
| election
I am impressed with the idea, also,
! that perhaps June is not the best
month in the year for holding the
primary. It is a month in which the
farmers of necessity must be engaged
in their farm work. No later date
would obviate this difficulty unless it
! be some time after harvest and that
! in my opinion, would bring the pri-
mary too near the date of the general
election. ] am inclined to believe that
| March would be more satisfactory
| time. In your review of this very inn
! nortant measure, you will doubtless
fild many other features of it which
should receive your careful considera-
ton.
Domestic Commerce.
In discussing questions of national
interest we are liable to forget those
| things closer to ourselves and with
which we as individuals should deal.
| The question of domestic transporta-
| ton is of great Importance to our
state. ] refer now more especially to
| railway trans ortation. 1t is not only
a question as to the cost of transpor-
| tation, either PASSENGER or freight, but
! more particularly a question as to dis
examinations against our state and in
favor of other states, or against cities
! of our own state as compared with
other cities I want to commend the
action of the commercial clubs. not
| only of our capital city, but of other
cities Of the state, in their efforts to
learn the facts as to such discrimina-
tions and to remove any existing dis
| advantages to our people. I trust that
| you. as members of the General As
sembly. will interest yourselves in
these matters and if you find addition
al legislation needed to protect our in
terests along the lines above suggest
ed, such legislation should be prompt
| ly enacted.
Tariff Revision.
The governor takes the stand that
tariff revision Is necessary by con-
gress, but warns the law makers that
they should be careful in doing SO not
to injure our industries.
| He approves of the establishment of
a merchant marine. lie says the flu
ture prosperity of the nation is involv-
| ed in this matter. He does not. how
ever. say he favors a ship subsidy.
The governor urges. because of its
great Importance, the creation of u
state revenue commission to take up
the question of taxation under every
condition and reporting back to the
legislature, Because the reports of
former commissions have not been
adopted by the Legislature and made
into laws IS no reason in his opinion
whv another effort to gather facts
should not be made. The commission
should. in his opinion. examine the
laws and conditions in other states as
well as in Iowa.
He says there is need for change in
the school laws and that he approves
of many of the fea lures of the bill now
up for consideration. but says he has
not given the matter enough serious
thought to advocate the passage OF
any bill i'll particular. He thinks it is
one of the most important measures
before the legislation.
Regulation Of Corporations.
That great and substantial progress
has bcen made in the direction of COR
poration regulation, I believe all will
agree, but there is much yet to be
done. There is, however. in all reform
as il all periods of unusual prosperity,
great danger of reaction. What shall
we have accomplished if after all the
effort that has been put forth, both by
the state and the nation. to bring
about reforms along the lines suggest
ed, With all the attendant agitation
and interference with business conCi-
tions necessarily resulting therefrom,
We are to slackeu our energy or lessen
our efforts to secure better regulation
and control Of corporate interests?
| desire to submit for your consider
alton the inquiry as to whether it
would not be wise and desirable in
amending any section of the law that
tn. section be rewritten as it would
appear when amended. BY this means
there is. in reality, a codfication of the
laws brought down to date or last
amendment. There can then be no
question as TO what constitutes the
law and the legislation will have q
full understanding as to the effect of
any proposed changes. This method
amending laws is i'll vogue in many
states and in my Judgment is very
much more satisfactory than our pres
ent method
The governor says that be thinks
the fec system whenever it is found