Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-03-22

ing because Legislation Is not more
hastily done, others have discovered
that in some cases, perhaps, little
more leisure and time would have
been better For instance, the bill
| which called forth more or less Of COM
ment about a lobby, which amends
the law as to who may make examina-
ton Of stations and jacks under the
horse registration law, has become a
law In form which is said to call
for repeal and the re-enactment Of
parts of the old law The bill repeats
some parts of the old law which 1t was
not intended should be repealed, and
it's amending hits at the wrong sec
ton of the code, so that not only does
it not accomplish what was intended,
but it does damage where none was
| intended. It had publication clause
added in order to suit the licensed
veterinarians. and as 1t has been pub
lished it Is now law. The only way to
effect a remedy of it's defects, so 1t Is
said is to pass another bill repeating
it in part and also re.enacting those
parts of the code which it has unin-
tentionally repealed.
| Yesterday bill was introduced to
amend a bill previously passed. This
is the headlight bill. The bill Is all
! right, but an amendment is now sug-
gested which would make the pro-
visions of the bill less burdensome on
the railroads. The amendment Is to ex-
cept railroad lines under twenty miles
| in length operated wholly within the
state. The amending bill is fathered
| by McColl, who put the original bill
| through.
| Sullivan has fathered a bill in the
senate to provide a way by which any
| city of the first class or commission
city may sever parts of its territory
| which contains unplatted land. It pro-
! vides for vote by the people and sub
sequent adoption Of an ordinance to
! accomplish this result.
Senator Farr is author of bill to
appropriate $1,000 to pay the ex-
| penses Of two delegates to be ap-
! pointed by the governor to accompany
| the delegation chaperoned by the
! Southern Commercial congress to
societies. 1t is recited in the bill that
| congress has approved the project OF
sending this commission to Europe.
Bryan Was Reserved.
In the opinion of many the Bryan
| little more reserved than has been his
wont. He did not make it quite so
much an argument and plea as he
has in other years. He spoke as the
calm philosopher surveying the situa-
ton and drawing conclusions. But his
talk was along almost identical lines
with talk he delivered before the
Iowa assembly either four or six years
IT, h. 41I IN
trend of the times toward more popu-
lar government and discussed the
movement of getting back to the peo-
pie. Then, as now, he spoke OF the ad-
vance toward electing senators by the
people and of the initiative and refer
endum. But on this occasion it was
pertinent for him to say that he did
not know what is being done in Iowa,
nor care, as to those movements
toward democracy, for they are NOV
ing on and are inevitable.
'T have converted myself into a
jolitical weather bureau" he said,
naively, land have made it my bust
ness to study the winds, and believe |
am better able now than formerly to
make safe predictions. Some years ago |
1 lost caste as predicter. Have not |
had 50 much trouble that way In re-
cent years. The wind has been blow
ing long enough now in one direction
until we feel sure it Is permanent, a
sort of trade wind. The trend of the
world is in the direction of more
popular government; throughout the
world everywhere and always the
tendency Is toward giving the people
larger control Of their affairs. Every
legislator who recognizes this and
places himself in harmony with that
tendency will succeed" III.
This was the spirit and the keynote
of his Internationally Bryanesque
and laden with the familiar but ever
attractive philosophy of hope and con-
fidence and good will. The Bryan ad-
dress to the legislature was very de-
lightful hour.
Supervisors Bill Sent Back.
Discussion Of the bill to change the
law as to election of boards OF super
visors disclosed a wide variation to
view in the senate. The committee
substitute for the Wilson bill pro-
vided for three supervisors in each
county, all elected at large, under
bonds, no two from any one city or
township. Senator Kimball had an
to provide way by which
a county might have five members,
by districts and elected
from districts, but elected at large.
This brought out the fact that in the
larger counties Of the state there Is
desire for more than three members
and also there is objection to the dis
trict plan. A start was made to patch
up the bill, after the Kimball substi-
tute had been rejected, but it was sent
back to the elections committee.
Remains Indefinite.
Brief consideration Of the highway
commission bill in the senate yester-
day hardly served to show where the
lines will be drawn at the finish. The
superficial indications are that the bill
will pass in form not very greatly
different from that In which 1t was
by the committee. An amend
ment proposed by Senator Allen to
make the county engineers appoint
ment subject to the approval of the
commission was rejected 10 to rs. The
argument on which this was rejected