Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1914-11-19
EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
RADICAL CHANGE SUGGESTED BY
THE REFORM COMMITTEE
OF THE LEGISLATURE.
EXPECT OPPOSITION TO PLAN
VIII Recommend the Grouping OF
State Departments In Three Divi-
sions and Election of Official Board
by the Direct Vote Of the People.


Des Moines.-The legislative COM
mittee on retrenchment and reform
held session at the state house to
consider the report Of the subcommit-
tee which contains suggestions to the
legislature for important changes in
the state government. If the report
is approved, it will Immediately be
published and distributed, according
to Senator Joseph Allen of Pocahon-
tas, chairman of the committee.
The plan of the subcommittee pro-
vides for the grouping of the depart
ments Of the state government into
three divisions, the governor to APP
point the head of each division, and
they with the governor to form the
executive council This would strip
the auditor, treasurer and secretary
of state Of all powers except those
given them by the constitution. They
would no longer sit on the executive
council.
AS there are about forty depart
ments Of the state government, each
division under the new plan would
have between twelve and fourteen
branches. The committee has at
tempted to group them so that the
departments in each division will
have some relation to each other,
but as the number OF divisions Is so
small, the committee says that the
public must take this into considera-
ton. Necessarily there will be de.
partments grouped together which
apparently will have no connection
with each other, they say
1t is probable that the committees
plans will meet with spirited opposi.
ton. w. s. Allen, secretary OF state,
has declared that he will fight any
attempt to remove power from his
department. He believes that four
men elected by the people will form
a better executive council than -four
men three of whom are appointed by
the governor
There are other heads of depart
ments at the capitol who, fearing the
hcN oCucno 10 AHtChutu " SOhooiA
date departments later on. expect to
fight it. They assert that the pres
ent plan will be the first step and
later some of the heads of the depart
ments will be let out and clerks dis
missed.
To Push Capitol Purchase.
The executive council has ordered
the capitol extension project com
pleted Immediately. ]. A. Jester
agent for the council in making the
purchases of property within the ex
tension, was directed to make one
more attempt to buy the twenty
pieces OF real estate which are need
ed to make up the tract. In case the
owners of these lands refuse to sci
to the state at a reas enable figure
the matter will be placed in the
hands of the attorney general who
has instructions to proceed to con
denim tho properties.
The extension includes about 17C
lots. All but twenty have been pur
chased. The owners of the remain
ing lots are asking too high prices
for them, the council asserts. Some
of the properties are held as high as
SAC, 900.
Council Conducts Drainage Hearings
The state executive council con
Quoted hearings regarding the drain
age of lake beds. Persons opposed to
the draining of Rush lake, Muscatine
slough and Keokuk lake appeared be
fore the council.
A committee asking for the drain
age of Trumball lake in Clay county
presented petition to the state. The
following from Dickens, Spencer and
Ruthven made up the committee: w
M. Mason, T. j. Debolt, M. F. Smith
Chris Jensen, c. F. Johns, Ed Evans
e. P. Barringer, Tim Hughes and Will
Hayden The lake covers LOO acres
An additional LOO acres OF swamp
depend on the lake for drainage, /,
is said. The council announced nc
decisions.
ENRCUoG nCPOTLS.
State and county candidates con
tinue to file their campaign expense
accounts with the secretary OF state
Clifford Thorne, chairman OF the
state railroad commission. spen
! $1,000 for reelection. He gave Sill
to the state central committee ant
spent 50 cents for dinner at the
Wellington.
w. c. Brown, state treasurer, in
vested s3O550 in the campaign. ant
the Rev. Otis l.. Sturgeon, candidate
for United States senator on the in
dependent ticket, expended s2,120.S9.
Cassius Dowell OF Des Moines, re
publican ongressman-elect, spen
$47S.50 in securing his election.
Clayton County Flops.
Clayton county went republican il
the late election for the first time il
several years. William Becker (rep.]
was elected to the state Legislature
by 25S majority, His victory add!
one more to the republican gain, Civ
ins the republicans nine more mem
bers of the house than two years ago
Cummins carried the county by 1854
and Congressman Haugen, received
a majority OF 1874. Candidates fol
county offices were elected b,
majorites ranging frcm seven vote!
to 1875,
Dismissal Asked by State.
John Fletcher, assistant attorne,
| Oa0ara1 has flad q mntinn IN die