Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-01-14
EFFORTS TO CHANGE LAWS As
TO STATE WORK MAY DELAY
APPOINTMENTS.
MANY PLANS SUGGESTED
BUT NONE is POPULAR
Few Of Proposed Changes in Methods
Would Not Bring Economy-Des
Moines Lawyers Jealous Of General
Eyers-Sammis to Again Push Pub
lie Utilities Measure.
c,al to Tfnes-Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines, Jan. 14.-The opening of
the fight to change the method of hav-
ing the state printing and binding done
would indicate that the selection of the
state printer and binder would be de-
layed until near the end of the session.
There is. of course. no probability OF
any change, not because the present
method is regarded as ideal but because
nobody has been able 10 suggest any
better or more sa,isfa Glory plan. The
selection of Il superintendent OF print
ing and binding would not be a mater
additional salary and probably one or
TWO extra clerks. Those members OF
the legislature who have talked most
&C changing the methods have been I'M
able to state definitely what they would
DO and apparently have not worked out
the details II another system.
There are six candidates for state
printer. fairIv we'll scattered about over
the state They are Samuel Greene,
Charlton: Robert Henderson. Council
Bluffs; G.. A. Tucker Webster City: F.
a. Stacy Adair: F. e. Lucas, Madrid.
and Lars BIadine, Webster City. The
ca nd dates for state binder are Joe r.
Long Osceola, and John Jamison,
Casey
The selection of printer and binder is
largely a matter of personal preference
on the part Of members Of the lesisla-
ture 1t has always been customary to
i not
Cidate in caucus or by other fair means.
and 10 stlnl by him in opposition TO
the caucus nominee of the democrats.
1t is not certain how this will be done
this session
There is very little danger of the
friend ly contest Tor these two positions
getting mixed up with the senatorial
game.
+, The personal enorn.es Of ex-Atto-na-
General Byers made great haste to read
him entirely out of the senatorial race
as soon as it was known he had been
offered the position of corporation
counsel for Des Mones. His selection
aroused the indignation OF many mem
bers Of the bar here. who are jealous
of others Of their profession. and they
set out to b.little the city council by
attacking Byers. Mayor Hanna, how
ever has beer a lifelong friend Of Byers
and the criticisms of the local bar had
no effect. The fact is that the corpora
ton counsel offer and acceptance has
rot made any change whatever in the
attitude Of Byers toward the senator
ship, and If it has had any effect with
legislators, it has been to strengthen
him.
]
A public utilities bill is being pre-
pared by Senator Sammis, or rather he
is engaged i'll rewriting the bill Of last
session which caused so much discus
sion. One feature of the bill sure to
cause much comment is that it pro-
vides for an appointive commits
sion, taking the matter out Of the
hands of the people. In the form sug-
gested it would, however. require the
present governor to appoint two dem
ocrats. But there is sure to be q
sharp debate over the proposal that
commission having such important
duties as this one be placed at the dis
posal of the governor. thus adding to
the power of the governor and increas-
| ing the danger of corporation influence
being used in the governorshp fights.
| There are still persons who remember
the herd fight that was necessary to
have the railroad commission made
elective instead of appointive That
there will be created some sort of a
commission to look into the public
utilities of the state seems certain;
and the main fight is to be over the
! character of the board and the man
ner of its selection.
! Speaker Stillman is without an Of
fee as yet. The board of education fl
nance committee is occupying the
speakers rooms, tho the rooms are by
law set apart for the sole use of the
speaker. and committee meetings are
held there only by courtesy Of the
speaker Nobody seems to have been
able to suggest where the finance COM
mittee can be located temporarily while
! the legislature is in session.
! Members Of the legislature get no
pay, except their mileage. until thirty
days after the opening of the session.
when they are entitled to half their
compensation, or S275. All the board
ing house keepers understand this.
The state auditor looked the matter up
! to see IL it would not be possible to
withhold the pay entirely until they
have elected a senator, but they are
not open to this kind Of coercion.
| State Superintendent Deyoe has this
week taken a house in Des Moines and
commenced to live here. He will make
no change in the office force until in
the spring when Superintendent Jo-
Iseph of Delaware county will come