Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-04-08
CURIOSITY HAS
BEEN AROUSED
BY RESOLUTION
Measure of Robinson Re-
garding Saloons at Uni
,versity Hidden By Print
! ing Committee.
IBY ORA iWIrLLIA,Ms,.l Y III! !.

Des Moines. April THE Robinson
resolution regarding the saloon ques'
ton in its relation to the state univer'
sityis being kept carefully hidden away
It was referred to the printing commit
tee. though it has no more to do with
the problems of printing than 1t has
with buying coal; and it is presumed
that the committee having 1t concealed
will keep it hid away for some time. IN
the meantime curiosity Is increasing as
to exact contents Of the resolution. II
it had been disposed of In the senate
late Friday evening without any debate
it probably would have attracted smali
attention. The fact that 1t stirred up
a storm has left the impression that
it was important.
The resolution provided that the
governor should appoint a committee
of three to make thorough 1nvest1ga-
ton into the conditions at Iowa City
in the matter of the relations OF the
state university and the saloon Issue
there and to report to the next ieglsla.
ture. It recited that as a matter OF
fact the existence Of the saloons IN the
city where the university Is located IS
preventing the growth of the unlver-
sity, and also referred to the fact that
members of the legislature from that
county and district seemingly are un-
der instructions to sacrifice everything
to save the saloons OF the city.
Mr.. Robinson offered the resolution
on his own motion and without CONSUL
tation with another member of the leg
islature or any state officer. In fact
he >wrote it himself during the day
while the debate was going on over the
five mile limit bill.
"My thought" he said, "was to bring
to the attention Of the people OF Iowa
City and all who are interested that
the time is coming when they must
choose between their saloons and the
university. The idea Of state uni.
versity in prohibition state located
In a saloon city is wholly inconsistent
The plain facts should be faced, for
they must be faced sometime ard be
settled"
Z, Unless the committee consents to
hermit the senate to vote down the
resolution or act on it, the senate will
probably demand recall OF the same
before adjournment. So far as the
public knows there was nothing IN the
resolution beyond statements of fact
and suggestions for the future.
# Would XIII Saloons.
J. B. Hammond yesterday placed on
the desks of the members Of the legis-
lature printed plea for the passage
of the "five year dry period" bill, which
has already been indefinitely postpon-
ed and is out Of consideration by the
legislature. The bill has as Its chief
feature that the advocates Of saloon
consent shall prove up everything and
get their case all through the courts
before any consent petitions shall be
effective. The legislature postponed
the bill on the theory that this was
equivalent to preventing the possibility
of any saloon consents In the state, as
the matters might be kept In the courts
almost indefinitely and the saloons
would be closed up everywhere the
people desire them.
Members Of the senate have pointed
out that the "t1ve mile limit bill never
would have stood a ghost OF q show
of passage in any form but for the fact
that the democrats were divided and
and that a considerable number Of
them stood ready at all times to pass
the bill in almost any form