The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1910-02-03
LABOR WANTS TO
BE DISCUSSED
Changes Needed to Make the Labor
Laws More Efficient.
RICHARDS WILL ASK PAROLE
Bitter Conflict Between the State
Conservation Commission and Pri-
vate Corporations is Prom
ised Soon.
RICHARDS WILL ASK PAROLE
Bureau Iowa Evening Press,

Bureau Iowa Evening Press,
Des Moines, Feb. 2,
The inspectors under the jurisdic-
ton of State Labor Commissioner E.
w. Van Duyn and the members of
the executive committee OF the State
Federation of Labor will nod con-
ference at the state house one day
this week for the purpose OF discuss
ing labor legislation to be presented
at the next meeting of the legislature.
Among the measures already decided
on is a bank guaranty law similar to
that in Oklahoma, placing the truant
officer under the control of the state
labor commissioner and the licensing
Of stationary engineers, The inspec-
.ors attending the conference will out
line to the members of the executive
,omm.tsee their ideas of changes
which are needed to make the. laws
pertaining to labor more efficient.
They will make a sort of report of
conditions as they find them in the
factories. 1t was positively stated
this morning that politics will not en-
ter into the discussions. A mem1sr
of the executive committee said today
that the committee has taken no &C
tion in reference to any candidates,
lri that statements that union labor
! 8 for this or that candidate are not
based on the facts. While union la
Dor has taken no stand for or against
any candidate, they will do so before
ne primaries are over and also in the
election campaign. They are out to
secure better labor laws if they can
get them.
A last effort to get Bill Richards
OFT of prison will be made before the
state board of parole next week.
Judge Henderson and those who are
condition of Richards mother as final
weapon with which to play upon the
synpatnies of the board. He will al
so plead his reformation. He will
show the board that even though he
may have once been bad, he has SUI
fered change of heart, he has re-
pented and that the time ne has now
served is a sufficient punishment for
the crime which he is alleged to have
committed. He will also plead inno-
cence, claiming that he was unjustly
convicted. The members of the
board are at Fort Madison this week
investigating 50 cases, among them
chat of Richards. They will hear his
story and next week Judge Hender-
son will appear before the board and
make the arguments for his relief
from prison. There is no way at the
present time to tell what the probable
outcome of the case will be. Gov
arnor Carroll some weeks ago refused
to interfere in the case, turning it
back to the board OF parole for 'tleir
consideration. Ii this effort fails to
bring him the much sought for parole,
it is doubtful If ne will make any
further attempt to get out OF prison
until his sentence shall have expired.
- - -
A bitter conflict between the state
conservation commission and private
corporate, 10 promised g: the near
future unless SCnU means can be
found 20 prevent the corporations from
grabbing all the .stural water pow
er sites in Iowa. The commission is
making every effort to save the sites
for the state and will urge the next
legislature 70 restrict the manner in
which these sites may be obtained by
private corporations. AS the legisla-
ture does not meet for a year yet it
is feared that the corporations will
have gained control of these sites be-
fore action can be taken. A Chicago
concern is already negotiating for
control of the power site at Moscow,
on the Cedar river. This water pow
er can be harnessed and carried TO
Keithsburg, where it will produce a
$4,000 horse power. The concern in
question is planning to to do this very
thing. Members of the state commits
sion hold that the state might as well
get the benefit of that power, if only
some way can be found 10 prevent
the corporation from gaining control
Of 1t. There are dozens OF such pow
er sites in Iowa and within a very
short time they will be private prop
erty, monopoly will have absolute con-
troll. unless the people OF the state get
busy and protect their own interests.
IL was stated today at the state house
that the only way these sites can be
protected is by legislative action, un-
less the people refuse to sell them to
the trusts.