Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-12-02
CHANGE IN LAW
To ALTER THINGS
Greater Vote Is Needed to
Pass Bond Issues Than
Heretofore Required
OTTUMWA TO FACE
A NEW CONDITION
Special Election for Water
works Improvement Will
Call for More Votes

II the voters Of Ottumwa decide to
nave the city bond itself for the sIOO.
ooo needed for the waterwarks i'm.
proVement that Is proposed, It will be-
necessary that there be enough efec.
tors favor the bond issue to equal a
majority of the votes cast at the last
preceding municipal election. This ia
made necessary by an amendment
passed last winter in the legislature.
Inc acton taken at the last general
assembly IN amending and rewriting
tne law governing special elections
"here pond issues are to be decided
may make difficult the passage of the
proposed bond Issue for the building
or oams and equipping the waterworks
10 enable 1t to furnish electric power
to light the streets.
/ This view is taken by Solicitor r.
L.. Duke who had a copy of the amend
ed law this morning and was preparing
10 60 into the matter thoroughly with
view to finding out just what the
law intends shall be done by the yot.
ers In passing upon bond issue at
special election.
Such measures when put before the
voter at special election have a dif.
ferent condition to meet to what was
In vogue prior to the action Of the
thirty-fifth general assembly Mr. Duke
had but little to say about the matter
as 1t affects the proposed special cleo
ton for the voting upon bonds to i'm
prove the waterworks. preferring to
go more fully into the matter before
making any statement.
Senator John r. Webber who took
rt IN tho poc or ~ -
when 1t came before the senate during
the past session of the general assem-
bly,, had a pretty clear recollection Of
the measure as 1t came up in the SEN
ate. Representative e. r. Mitchell was
member of the committee on cities
and towns before which body the
measure came for action in the house.
Both agree that the law when brought
up for amendment had stormy time
In the two houses, and both hold the
same Interpretation Of the act as
changed which is given as follows:
eff majority, of all the electors
voting In such election, provided said
affirmative vote be as large as ma
jority Of the votes cast at the last pre-
ceding municipal election vote in
favor Of the issuance of such bond, the
council Of such city or. town shall is
sue the same as provided by section
726 Of the code and make provision
for the payment Of the bonds and the
interest thereon as provided by title
of the code.' ..
Changes Old Law.
The law changed by the above
amendment is found in chapter SO of
the acts of the thirty-third general as
h1,, in hot tor n
cities as 10000 and over, and less than
II 900 population. The larger city in
voting upon a bond issue at special
election required but majority of the
vote cast in such an election to carry
the measure. In the smaller city or
town under 10000 population 1t was
necessary that two-thirds of those vot-
ing in such election favor the bond
issue in order that it carry.
The change was brought about ac-
ccrding to Mr. Mitchell by the repre-
sentatives from the smaller commun-
tiles where the people thought they
ere not treated on a par with those
in the bigger places. The result of the
work in changing the bill, made it
more drastic than ever and hit both
large and small places alife.
Had Stormy Time.
Senator Webber stated that the
measure when it was first proposed to
amend it in the senate was defeated,
receiving only twenty-five votes which
was not constitutional majority. A
motion to reconsider came up later
and the original bill was laid by and
another written by the committee on
cities and towns. This changed bill
passed the senate by vote of 81 to
H. In the house the vote was 66 to
with 81 absent or not voting. Its pas
sage in both houses was fraught with
fight and stormy time was had before
it finally passed
There is one feature of the proposed
election that may not be generally
known, said Senator Webber. This is
that the women may vote. They are
entitled to vote on such propositions
as this and with strong organization
may be brought out in sufficient force
to raise the number of votes cast
above the average special election. The
fact that special elections are general
ly light in votes, makes the passage
of a bond issue difficult matter in
Iowa.