Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-05-06
Much IGNORANCE AMONG vor.
Frs AND CANDIDATES re.
cARDINe ELECTION.
LEGISLATURES IN FUTURE
DO NOT ELECT SENATORS
Federal Law SuppIants Oregon Plan
Adopted Quite Recently in Iowa
Railroad Commission Has Had
IS Strenuous Year Work Divided
Among Three Members.
special TO r,mes-Republican.

special to Times.Republican.
Des Moines. May cit will have to
be reiterated many times before all the
Iowa people understand plainly that
once and for all time. legislative cleo
ton Of United States senators is done
away with.
A number Of the candidates for leg
islative positions wrote the secretary
Of state asking about signing up the
pledges as to what they would do in
case Of a senatorial election, appar-
emily unmindful Of the fact that fed
eral constitutional amendment has SUI
perseded it all.
A very prominent Des Moines doctor
yesterday insisted with much vehem-
ence that it is going to be important
who Is elected to the legislature on &C
count Of the senatorial matter.
While the legislature OF Iowa passed
\ bill to establish what was called the
Oregon plan, in Iowa and it is in the
session laws, it also passed a bill
which puts into force automatically
the federal law for direct election of
senator's.
Each Of the four political parties
will nominate candidate for senator
at the primary. Other parties may
nominate by petition or by convention.
Other candidates may get on the bal
lot for November by petition.
In November the party candidates
and the independent candidates will all
have their names on the regular bal
lots and will be voted for, and the one
who gets the most votes will be en-
titled IN a certificate as United
States senator.
Even in case Of vacancy IN the
senate, when the legislature is IN SEES
sion or otherwise, the legislature VIII
have nothing to do with filing the va
cancy. It is all up to the people IN
the first instance. and to the governor
under certain contingencies.
When the record Is finally made up,
81 will probably be found that TINS Is
one OF the busiest years for the mem
hers of the Iowa railroad commission III
ali history. The commission mad
strenuous time last year, but this one
is even more 30.
lust at present Mr.. Thorne IS IN
washington finishing up the advanced
rate case. which was opened about
wear ago; Mr.. Ketcham has been over
wheIned with work relating to the
,,,;nor IOWA matters; Colonel Palmer
z;s In conference with railroad OFFICIALS
"a secure favors for Iowa shippers ana
clearing up odds and ends OF contro-
versies. 80,
An effort TO have it appear that there
Is lack of harmony on the commission
appears to be entirely without reason.
II is said to have started IN the cap
fions remark of an attorney who sought
TO make point in the rate case
against Thorne.
The fact is, as is well known 20
every one at all familiar with the work
OF the commission, that the members
of the commission must, OF necessity
divide up the work and handle 1t much
the same as the supreme court does oF
leaving certain cases or phases 10 IN
dividual mem bers; and that for a very
large part OF the time. the members OF
the commission follow independent
lines OF investigation or inquiry, mat
ters Of much weight being left to the
judgment Of one member only. Because
of the immense increase OF business
this has become necessity.
It can be stated fairly that in the
matter Of the advanced rate contro-
versy, as In other important matters.
there has been no disagree ement on the
commission. The handling Of this case
was left by Palmer and Ketcham to
Mr.. Thorne naturally and properly
because he is the lawyer member OF
the board and as every one knows, is
an expert In rate matters. In the
meantime the other members have had
plenty OF work to do. The arrangement
il not new nor strange and does not
indicate any disagreement or lack Of
harmony. This situation Is one which
is quite familiar to all who have had
dealings with the board, and it has
existed for a number of years No
change was made in the methods after
Mr. Thorne became member. and
there is nothing in the situation that
should have called for any comment
swhatever, save and except where there
is deep seated ignorance Of commission
work and methods.
. It Is stated that the ordinary work
OF the commission has not been neg
lected because of the rate cases and
there is no complaint Of neglect from
any source.
Ellen Rourke. state factory inspec-
TOR, will next week finish up in Du-