Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1913-02-05
LEGISLATURE IS BUSY
Iowa Lawmakers Put in Active Week
Getting Down to Business.
GOOD ROADS, LIQUOR BILLS
AND WOMAN'S SUFFRAGE I'll
Hood of Bills Introduced Has Les
scned and Committees are Conn
mencing to Report Gut Meas
ures for Passage.


ture has been its busiest thus far, SO
far as the work of real legislation Is
concerned. Previous to this the time
has been well occupied with the orga-
nization of the house and senate, and
the inauguration of Governor Clarke
and Lieutenant Governor Harding.
the election of VIM. S. Kenyon United
States Senator. and the introduction
of over three hundred bills.
Good roads, votes for women, elec-
tion of United States senators by di-
rect vote, Of the people and the Ken
yon-Shepard bill, are big questions
that have been before the legislature
the past week.
Legislation for good roads -perma-
1ent highways perhaps-now is in the
process Of making. subcommittee
of the senate and house committees
on highways are at work framing up
ideal good roads bills that later will
ee married. From this union is to
spring bill that is expected to be the
pet child of the present general as
sembly.
Votes for women was the subject
paramount at a joint session address
ed by Mrs. Grace Wilbur Trout. pres
ident Of the Illinois State Federation
Of W0men's Clubs. The attitude of
the legislature seemed to be that Of
the small boy when school begins
resigned to his fate, but not enthus-
iastic. Senator Chase caught this at
titude, mayhap. when he introduced
his bill to defer definite action for
stUo years BY. proyiding primary to
ssk IT yhes sentiment or the, citixens.
'eoth men and women.
Resolutions to ratify q measure in
congress for q constitutional amend
Eent to provide for the election Of
United States senators by popular
vote was passed without opposition in
both houses. When thirty-six states
have ratified the change it will be
come effective.
January was very dry month. not
only a. regards the operations of the
god who parcels out precipitation,
but also as regards Things legislative
in Iowa's Thirty-fifth general assem-
bly,. The "drys" have had their in
ming and the man who likes music
''and things" with his meals has had
visions OF an Iowa designed solely as
an abode for the dromedary and 9TH
en- Of the pachyderm species that can
travel over . week when deprived Of
liquid refreshment, &
Reduced to unadorned phraseology
ne situation Is this: Every move of
he "drys" has been crowned with
garden green's and the "wets" have
experienced the monotony Of consist
ent defeat. Daylight closing and i've
Mile-limit laws for saloons have been
reported for debate In the house and
. resolution favoring the Kenyon
shepard bill has been adopted In both
Aouses. The bill il designed to pro-
Aibt the shipment Of liquor from wet
= dry states.
Opposition to the resolution favor
ing this measure was lacking In the
hQase. but in the senate there were
tlreworks a-plenty. The "wets" how
ever. could do no better than Is out
.of so votes on a test roll call. Sena-
tor Farr of Sioux City has paved the
way for an additional fight on the res
olution.
Hopes of fire fighting laddies of the
state for the double platoon system
have gone a-glimmering. The senate
bill tolprovide such died a sudden and
untimely death when the senators or
dered it's indefinite postponement.
Clarks0n's bill to authorize heavier
school taxes for the handling OF bond
% inuopteuneSS mas passed the SEN
ate.
No bill has passed both houses yet
except that one which provides for
funds to pay expenses OF the inaug-
ural ceremony.
Definite action on the fight involv-
Ing changes in the state schools as
ordered by the state board of educa-
tion Is still to happen.
Bills for state normal schools at
Perry. Bloomfield and shenandoah,
have been introduced.
legislative work was halted and a
hush fell over the legislature Friday
At the news Of the death Of Senator