Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-02-26
LOWER HOUSE OF LEGISLATURE
CONTAINS TOO MANY RE.
DICTIONARIES.
NO CONSTRUCTIVE LAWS
AT PRESENT SESSION
lawmakers Will Find Little Time At.
ter Recess For Consideration Of Big
Problems-Hardng Not Blamed For
Calling Attention to Errors in MuIct
Law Repeal Bill-Lee islative News.
special to Times-Republican.

Des Moines, Feb. ga total OF
twelve bills is the grist of the first
seven weeks of the legislative session
There will be four weeks more, pos
sibly five weeks, and into the less than
thirty working days there will be
! Thirty sixth general assembly.
What will happen soon is about this,
that the senate and house will make
a discovery, and that discovery is to
the effect that very little constructive
legislation is possible at this session,
especially OIL any of the topics that
have been much discussed: ence, that
the only thing to do will be to pass on
the essential things, make few neces-
sary changes in old laws, make appro-
priations and 90 home.
There will be nothing of great mo-
ment done as to highways, because
while the senate is progressive on The
subject, the house has Il large enough
reactionary minority to stop anything
really good. Too many members of the
house were elected on promise to tear
down rather than build up as to high
way matters.
Practically nothing can be done as to
schools or educational matters for the
same reason, and the situation is not
greatly different as to banking. insur-
ance. corporations. taxation. railroads
and the fever of reformation. There
are committees that are doing some
skirmShing around to find something
to reform. or on which to make u
record of reform: but the situation in
the legislature is not encouraging.
About all has been done that is possible
on temperance matters.
1t is anticipated, however. that when
the members return after having been
interviewed by the leading citizens and
delegations of women and having seen
the home editor and consulted with
political friends, they VIII be quite
ready TO plunge into business with a
viii and clean things up in proper man
ner A good deal of the dross has been
cleared away and fairly good job of
killing has been done with the ever re-
curing food of special bills.
The two houses will reconvene next
Thursday morning.
1t is agreed on all hands that Lieu
tenant Governor Harding did about the
only thing that could be done with
regard TO the mulct law repeal bill. He
got into the record the fact or the
errors and defects. which is sufficient
to serve notice on the courts that the
mistakes We're not overlooked. There
is not u particle Of doubt but that the
bill will be attacked in the courts and
they viii have to say whether the
errors are such as to vitlate the law.
But in the temper of house and senate
il was certain the bill would be sent to
the governor. 1t is true that the drys
were fearful lest the bill would lose out
at some place along the line II IT ever
came again to vote of the senate, but
that seems improbable. At any rate
they decided it would be better to have
it with the errors than to take any
chances on ever getting through with
out errors.
The fact of the errors. whole dozen
of them, in a bill of such importance
illustrates the prevailing carelessness
in the work of the legislature. The
fact that at least a dozen bills are be-
fore the legislature now to correct just
such errors in bills passed long ago but
emphasizes me weakness of the legis-
lative system as 1t is now being used.
The explanation which the presiding
officer Of the senate made as to the re-
peal bill goes into the record.
The Darrah bill to provide for voting
while away from home, having the bal
lot sent by mail Is the bill desired by
the labor unions. travelling men anc
many others For person who eX-
| poets to be absent from home on cleo
ton day gets his ballot from the coun-
~ auditor in advance on az applicant
sworn to and fled. Then the voter has
to swear that he marked his ballot IT
| secret and he sends in an official en-
velope with an outer envelope. Inc
! signature Of the voter on the envelope
! determines whether it Is TO be accepted
! as a ballot in the precinct where Of
! fered
| It remained for Quigley, the clayton
! county senator, to give -!ic retrench
ment and reform committee its hardes
! Jolt of the session as there was dis
cussion on the motion to discharge tn
senate graft committee. Quisley wa!
| on the graft committee. we FOUND
good ma ny things In our investigation,
/ he said, that showed the 1etrenchmen
| and reform committee had not dom
the things it was organized to do. l
| that committee had performed lts out!