Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-28
PROD FOR THE LEGISLATURE
Lieutenant Governor Reminds Senate
it is Time to Get Busy.
SENATORS SEE FORCE OF REMARK
House FOlIows suit and as n Result
Committees Are Busy Grinding
Away on Bills and FOrmu-
lRtIng Reports.
CFrcm a staff Correspondent

- III n a
DIES MONIES, Jan. S.-(speclal) >
The Iowa legislature today jumped into
the harness and is hard at work. The
incentive was the crack Of the whip over
the senate this morning by Lieutenant
Governor Clark, when he mildly but
firmly reminded the senators that they
were resting too much on their laurels
and should get down to business. He
called attention to the fact that of the
seventy bills introduced forty-nine had
been printed and these we're referred TO
sixteen different committees. Notwith-
standing that. but one bill had been Ie-
ported from committee. He announced
that he hoped to have in the course of a
few days enough bfls to start a working
calendar.
He strongly innate that unless the
senators got to work they would find
themselves at the end of the session with
more work than they could efficiently
do. He said they should keep their bust
ness cleaned up to date. Immediately a
half dozen senator's announced commit
tee meetings for the afternoon. and the
real grind is on in earnest. The spirit
crossed the corridors to the house when
II was learned the senate was bitterly OPP
posing a house resolution to adjourn and
send visiting committees to the state in
stitutions. Representatives called nu-
merous committee meetings and this aft
ernooIi the capitol was a veritable bee
hive of industry.
A spirited debate was caused in the
senate on the house resolution to adjourn
and appoint junketing committees Sem
ator Bruce of Cass county made a motion
to amend by making these committees
auditing committees also. This amend
ment, after an hours discussion, was
lost. On the original motion the vote
was "a to "a. Tn ere being a tie, the res
olution was declared lost for want of a
majority. So there will be no institution
visiting committees and no vacation for
some time at least.
Encourage Farmer Lines.
Representative Bauman of Lin county
this morning offered a bill in the house
providing that farmers organizing CO.
operative telephone lines shall be exempt
from the Incorporation tax of $25 the
same as farmers cooperative creameries,
etc.
Change in Railroad Commission.
Henry Wallace was one of those who
a number of years ago led in the move
ment to make the railroad commission
elective instead of appointive, and he now
heartily commends that part of the bien-
NAL message to the general assembly
which recommends that there be a return
to the appointive system. He states that
the change was made at the time of the
adoption OF the present Iowa law in the
belief that II the railroad commissioners
were responsible to the people and had
to go back to them for reelection each
time, better men could be secured, but
that time has shown that this is not the
case. Mr.. Wallace states that II is signifi-
cant this change should be urged in both
the biennial message and the inaugural
address.
Brewer Meet.
Representatives of the Iowa Brewers
asr collation. held a meeting in Des Moines
tocay. They are planning an aggressive
fight to protect the saloons and breweries
during the session of the legislature.
Retail liquor men and the brewers are
expected TO stand together to prevent a
popular vote on the prohibition question
in Iowa. Representatives from all over
the state were in the city for the meeting.
j. II. Barclay Dead.
James T. Barclay died this morning at
his home. Mr.. Barclay was in the real es-
tate business. He was a large land owner,
having big interests in Nebraska. He was
we'll known in Des Moines, having lived
here for the last sixteen years.
Half Rates to state Fair.
Iowa people will get half rates to the
state fair this year. A letter received by
the local Commercial club this morning
from P, 8. Eustis OF the Burlington prac-
tically settles the matter.