Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-01-28
S0L0NSPlANT0
AVERT DELAY IN
LEGISLATION
Question of How to Avoid
Congestion at Session
End Discussed; Firemen
Misuse Referendum.
[BY ORA WILLIAMS.]

Des Moines, Jan. 27-How to get bet
ter results in legislation and TO avoid
! the Congestion in the closing weeks o.
the general assembly is a problem over
which the rules committees OF the two
houses are much concerned now.
Senator Perkins at the head OF the
senate committee favors plan for
limiting the time Of introduction OF
hills, It Is proposed that after a
certain date-say March mo 1nd1-
vidual member may introduce bill.
THAT would compel all members to get
their bills in right away and give the
committees time to act. :,
With a bill limit rule in force IL
would be possible to get new matter
before the legislature only by action
of a committee. In case OF such legls-
lation as might seem absolutely nee
essary. or that might be made neces'
sary by something gone before, the
committees would act.
Another rule is contemplated which
would apply to future sessions, put
not now. to the effect tha+ members
would be permitted to transmit to
some proper state officer in advance OF
the meeting of the legislature the bllls
they intend to introduce, and tney
would be printed and on the desks OF
the members when the session opened.
This would give the committees some
thing to work on right at the start
Another rule intended to prevent
the congestion at the close Is one to
make it proper to recall from COM
mittee by majority vote any bill sent
to a committee. OF course this can be
done now, but in the absence of rule
it is regarded as discourtesy. while
with a rule it would become the COM
mon and proper thing The custom OF
burying bills in committees would
therefore come to an end.
All this Is for the purpose of plan
ming to hasten and to make more per-
feet the legislation desired. Every old
member appreciates the innpossibility
OF intelligent legislation in the last
week of the session when the work Is
piled up on the desks Of members and
bills are rushed through without the
possibility of careful consideration. II
ANYTHING can be done to prevent this,
SO the members are saying, it will be a
step in the right direction and be a
sign that the legislature really intends
to be progressive.
Referendum Misplaced.
Des Moines people have got into a
muddle over an effort made to force
to a referendum under the commission
form Of government proposal to or
der the department of public safety
to put the fire department on the
double platoon" system or two COM
plete fire departments. 1t has been
found. that the petition as signed was
imperfect.
"This whole incident is a fine illus
tration of how well meaning persons
sometimes do the things that give the
reactionary his chance to boast that
the people are not capable of manag-
ing their own affairs" said H. w.
Byers, municipal counsel. 1T is in
just such ways that the people some
times abuse the powers given them
and discredit the whole plan Of en-
largement of their authority.
'Now l am in full sympathy with
these flremen. They ought to be treat
ed Just as generously as is possible
under all the circumstances. They
deserve well Of the city.
"But II the matter had been pu up
to me in the first place should have