Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-01-09
Way Cleared for Action.

WIFI lIlc llOlulIlS Cl tliC IS6lSItitNS
caucuses today the way was cleared
for, the opening of the legislature on
Monday. and there can be no doubt of
its prompt organization. There has
been some danger of a condition which
would delay the organization, but all
persons interested have been trying
earnestly to obviate this. In the mat
ter of the organization of the legfsla-
ture the fact is that factional lines
have not been apparent to any great
degree. 1t is probable that some per-
sons would like to bring factional mat
ters into the organization, but the dis
position Of the great majority of the
republicans of both houses has been
to steer clear of any factional line-up
Oh the organization. For instaAce. the
speakefship fight, while the candidates
have all been men who could easily be
classified as to their factional standing,
net one of them has strictly factional
following for the speakership. So also
in the senate factional lines were
broken in the contest as between New
man and Neal for secretary. With
regard to minor offices, these generally
go by personal preferences rather than
otherwise.
. 1T is recalled that following the fierce
agitation of the sessions of 1904 and
1906 the session of 1907 was remark
ably free from factional disturbances.
The senate had been the storm center
in the two previous legislatures, but
at the last session the senate was as
peaceable and harmonious as one could
we'll imagine. This was due, in a large
measure, to the fact that the commit
tees were made up so that strong men
of both factions were given recognition.
and yet the fact was not lost sight of
that the so-called progressives were in
full control of the senate. 1t is ex-
pected that the organization in both
houses this year will be equally happy.
A Business Session.
The concensus of opinion among the
early arrivals at the lobbies has been
that this coming session is likely to be
one of strict attention to business. The
program, if there is such a thing, in
cludes consideration Of matters that
are largely non-political in their ma
ture, such as schools, highways, insur-
ance, agriculture, corporations, assess
ments and better enforcement Of the
|
There is not on the program, so far
as known, one single thing that neces-
sarily will provoke either partisan or
factional disturbance.
There can be no question burt that
the largest single item upon the legis-
lative program is that which relates
to the school laws Of the state, and
consequently there is very much inter-
est shown in the personnel of the
school committees Of the two houses;
persons interested are going to see to
it that both committees are composed
of strong men. The report Of the
school law revision commission means
that a great deal of work will fall to
these committees. This revision will
probably occupy as much of the time
of the legislature as any other one
thing. In the opinion Of the best men
in the legislature it is one of the most
important things that could possibly
come up.
Highway Question Up.
Another matter of very great i'm
portance in the estimation of most Of
the members is that Of getting ready
for the building of permanent high
ways in the state, and there can be
no doubt that some very important
legislation may be looked for along
this line. From nearly every part of
the state comes demand that some
thing be done. Legislators do not
appear to have decided upon any def
mite thing, but agree that the time is
at hand for taking radical step. Some
of the legislators who are on the
ground and have had time to compare
notes, express very great qualification
over the fact, as shown by the report
of State Auditor Carroll. that the state
of Iowa is in remarkably fine financial
condition and that this legislature will
have at its disposal larger sum of
money than that of any legislature
that has ever met, and the necessity
for trimming appropriations to the
minimum will not be SO great as in the