Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-03-11

the state board of education. 1t is al
most certain that if this bill becomes
a law the private normal colleges and
the UNCONVENTIONAL schools having ncr-
NAL work will all take it up and soon
there be force ready fer the teach.
ing.
The Primary Rotation.
Senator Peterson expects to get
through this week his bill to provide
for rotation of the names on the pr
mary ballot so that the alphabetical
advantage Hill be lessened In its
present form the bill on the senate
calendar Is quite different from that
which was introduced. Peterson pro-
poses a rotation by counties, as 20
state candidates, beginning with the
county having the largest party vote
which would get the "a" candidates,
then the county having; the next larg
est would get the "B" candidates and
so on down the list This would d.
vide the names fairly we'll. AS 10
county Offices he would have the coun-
ty auditor make UP his estimate of the
total ballots needed, then divide into
parts as many times as there are can
didates for any one office and have
the ballots printed with this rotation,
the township candidates to be on a
separate ballot 1t is figured out that
this scheme of rotation would be prac-
tically without additional cost to the
people and it would accomplish the
purpose which all agree should be
accomplished. The Lee bills in thu
house are similar, but perhaps not
worked out quite so WELL
The first of the law enforcement
bills intended to strengthen the hands
of state and local officials and secutc
the more uniform enforcement of AL
the laws of the state, got through the
house finally on Monday afternoon.
This is the Cosson bill relating to the
duties of sheriffs. The bill is intended
to give some definite and specific dl-
ties to sheriff aside from serving pa
pers, and it's effect will be to make
the Office of sheriff supplement to a
great degree that of the county attor-
ney in the ferreting out of crime and
the punishment Of offenders No II
fort was made in the house to prevent
passage of the bill. The attorney bill
also found the house.
A bill passed by the house makes it
possible to punish for assault with in
tent to do great bodily injury by send
ing the offender to prison for year.
The law at present provides only a
jail sentence.
A second hearing to be given on
Friday on the bill to require the label
ing of package foodstuffs with the ac-
tual net weight, 1t is understood that
the creameries are to be represented
in protest against the contemplated
legislation. The bill has aroused 4
storm of protests and while members
do not question that the bill was franz
ed with the intent of doing good an!
proving a protection, yet they insist
that in it's operation it is going to be
hampering to business.
The bill 10 remove a part Of the eX-
emption of wages of laboring men is
likely to have as hard shedding in the
legislature this year as at any time in
the past. When the bill was reached
in regular order in the house on Mon
day it was Immediately set upon and
denounced with a good deal of vigor
and earnestness and its weakness was
pointed out. The strongest argument
against it was that it was
making an exception in the
case of one lass of persons while
leaving the total exemption on all 9TH
ers On motion to refer to the judi
ciary committee the vote was AZ to A.
A bill by Clarkson would put pri-
vate colleges in class by themselves
by providing that they shall not for
bid colored persons from attending
school There are a great many col
ored votes in Clarkson's district
The house cheerfully voted for an
additional factory inspector and in
creased expense in the handling of the
labor Office under the new administra-
ton, despite that some members of
the house have indicated that every
thing on the basement floor of the
state capitol ought to be abolished.
Legislative Notes.
The senate committee on cities and
towns had final hearing yesterday
on the bill by Senator Dowell, intro
duced at the instance of the Des
Mones commission, to great addition
al powers to the commission. Mr..
MacVicar appeared and advocated the
bill. The Cedar Rapids bill to add to
the commission plan certain moderate
powers necessary for the conduct of
the business is more favored.
The alacrity with which the sena-
tors do not take up the Jameson joint
resolution for woman suffrage
amendment is very touching. Presi-
dent Clarke called for someone to
take it up on Monday and asked that
the chairman Of the committee start
something, but not a man moved. The
resolution Is on the calendar near the
tor and must be disposed Of Con
gresham Jameson is here but he has
no vote. President Clarke has asked
several of the senators to champion
the measure and get it disposed of,
but they are all lodging.
About Mr.. Cosson.
Some of the older senators are be-
ginning to feel little jealous of the
success and aggressiveness of Senator
George Cosson, of Audubon, who with
the passage through the senate Satur-
day Of the creamery competition bill,
has five bills to his credit. These in
clude the bill to provide way for
securing the removal of officials who
refuse to enforce the laws, bill bet
ter defining the duties and RESPONSE
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