Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-01-14

FACES VARIED
BATCH0f WORK
Prospect for a Good Start
Never Brighter Than the
Coming Session; Much
Legislation in Sight.
(BY ORA WILLIAMS.)

(BY ORA WILLIAMS.)
Des Moines, Jan. 11.-Surely tn
men clothed with authority to &C
for Iowa people in matters of legis
lation are to be complimented on tn
evidence of harmony and good feel
ing with which the session of tn
35th general assembly is entered.
Is situation so strangely in contras
with that Of two years ago, or condi
lions which prevailed a dozen O.
more years ago, as to be quite
worthy of comment. So far as can b.
ascertained there Is nothing what
ever in the way Of the session getting
down to business at once and max
| ing Of 1t strictly business session
disposing of all the political ant
semi-political questions with ease
Unless there is something unforeseen
in the way, the regular order will re
suit in about this program:
Monday-Both houses called to or
der, temporary speaker and clerk and
temporary secretary elected. Repre-
sentative Fraley will WELD the gavel
in the house and President Clarke In
the senate. Members will be sworn
in and the governor wills be notified
that the legislature has met. Prob
ably the permanent organization will
also be effected.
Tuesday-Houses will meet in
joint session and proceed to the can
vass of. the vote for governor and
lieutenant governor. There being NO
contest contemplated, the count will
be largely perfunctory. The address
of Gov. Carroll to the legislature will
be delivered by him in person and be
read to the joint assembly.
Wednesday-Unless the count of
the vote is finished, it will be done,
and start be made In the matter of
arranging for rules and the routine
work of the session. Arrangements
made for the inaugural.
Thursday-The Inauguration Of
Gov. Clarke and Lieut.. Gov. Harding.
Oath administered by Chief Justice
Weaver. Address Of Clarke and out
line of general policies of legislation
and state work Committees to be
announced in both houses.
Two Weeks Of Work.
The introduction of bills and refer
ence to committees follows at once
upon announcement of committees,
and committee meetings will begin.
For about two weeks the regular or.
der will be to have each house meet
at 10 o'clock a. m. and bills will be
received, consideration of rules and
other formal matters will be disposed
of. In the afternoon Of each day the
committees will be at work Few re-
ports will be ready for some time. A
few minor bills can be quickly re.
ported, but the larger ones will 60 to
subcommittee and hearings will be
arranged
The chief variation from this will
be when the two houses ballot, as
required by law, for United States
senator, and the next day meet and
declare an election. A Second ballot,
or one in joint session, will not be
needed, as each house will show a
majority for Senator Kenyon. 1t Is
expected he will be present and ad-
dress the joint assembly when his
election Is declared.
It is usual to have a short recess
about the first of February and visit
ing committees will do their work.
All the older members Of the leg
islature agree that there are too
many committees. Instead of having
a committee for each of the state
institutions, under the board Of con-
troll there should be one committee,
on state institutions. Instead Of COM
mittees like those on private
corporations, horticulture, mines,
labor township organization, Ju-
dicial districts and several
like those on private corporations.
horticulture, mines, labor, township
organization, judicial districts, and
others, have them consolidated with
larger committees. The bulk OF the
work Is done by half
dozen committees in each house.
Some of these committees are too
large and others too small. But un-
less the members themselves agree,
in caucus, or otherwise, to radical
changes, not much can be done for
reform.
Plenty for Ways and Means.
The ways and means committee OF
the two houses will this year have
greater Importance than usual. The
report of the tax commission should
naturally 60 to this committee. Very
likely, If this is done, a sub-commit-
tee will be named In each house to
devote it's time to this subject. Joint
committee meetings are quite COM
mon when big matters are being con-
sidered. There is no topic likely to
have greater attention than the tax
question. This committee will also
handle the matter of terminal taxa
ton, any proposed modification Of
the moneys and credits assessment
law, and the bills for direct inheri
lance tax. If there is a special tax
levy authorized for building roads by
state aid, this committee will have
to pass on the same.
The appropriations committee will
have the usual hard task of making, or
trying to make 81 of the peoples
money do the work of SO or more. The
state treasurer figures it out that
million dollars of extraordinary ap-
is all that could be safely
made unless 1t Is contemplated that
more than two and half million dol
lars a year is to be raised by state tax
levy. The state auditor stretches the
figures a little. Usually the appropria-