Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-04-03
SENATE BILL PROMISES TO POP
ULARlzE PRESENT HIGH.
WAY STATUTES.
SOME DOUBT AS TO
ACTION BY THE HOUSE
Conference May Be Necessary or
There May Be No Legislation at All,
Leaving Law Just az at Present
Senate Shows Strong inclination to
Defeat New "6Iue Sky" Bill.
snecial to Timss-Republican


Des Moines, April 3.-Nothing could
have been clearer in matters of legis-
lation than that the senat- highway
bill, prepared by the leaders of senate
and house committees on highways,
would be carefully and conscientiously
prepared and would pass the senate.
But from the very first there has been
some question as to whether or not the
bill would get thru the house and to
the governor, or there would be de-
liberate choice of the reactionary ele-
ment that there be no legislation at all
on good roads. The second phase of
the situation is now developing.
1t was certain that there were about
thirty members of the senate, fully and
fairly committed to the forward move
nent in roads legislation. When the
bill passed it had thirty five votes, tho
possibly some might not have voted
that way but for the knowledge of the
on sided character of legislative senti-
ment. On the other hand there were
votes cast in the senate against the bill
on the same theory that many such
votes We're so cast in the house, that of
paying off campaign promises.
Removing Bad Kinks.
The highway bill as passed would
take a good many bad kinks out of the
present law, and would go long way
toward making better the feeling of
the people toward centralized control
and direction of statewide highway
planning and construction. It would
establish better relations between the
county boards and the county engineer
ing department, would make it easier
to relocate or straighten roads. would
dispose Of the railway crossing troubles,
increase the proportion of the auto tax
going to each county, etc.
From the very first it has been known
and acknowledged that as for the
Johnston bill which the house put thru
that it was not in good faith nor seri-
ously intended to become law. Some
of those who voted for it would never
have done so on the suppoSitlon 1t
could ever pass the senate. It was
avowed by it's strongest and loudest
advocates n,the floor of the house that
its chief purpose was to make political
issue for the campaign two years
hence. In this the politicians had much
local assistance in the way OF publicity
for their scheme. Many Of the. house
members deoiaye thatgbut for the way
the Johnston bin was treated with Seri-
business by those who ostensibly OPP
posed it, the bill could not have passed
the house. It's weakness was at once
apparent when it came under discus
sion in the senate and could muster
less than a third OF the votes, when
proposed as a substitute.
The highway legislation will probably
go to a conference committee unless
the house is willing to accept substan-
TALLY the committee bill on which the
most of the work of the session has
been put. If there Is no Hesitation at
all on highway matters the situation
will be left just as at present.
Blue Sky Bill Hopeless.
That it is the intention of the senate
to fight down the new blue sky bill Is
now apparent The original Thomas
bill was finally thrown to the appropri
ations committee ostensibly to consider
the appropriation feature and the bill
came back yesterday entirely aban-
doned and a new and strange one
taking it's place. The house bin was
finally received and sent to committee
and all are to be considered next Tues
day. But it is evident the bankers are
prepared to kill off any new blue sky
An Important bill by Holbert passed
the house Friday, providing for COM
pensation to the owners of livestock
killed because of tuberculosis and a
general inspection Of livestock with a
view to eradicating the disease.
The senate Friday came up to the
consideration of the bill to revise the
law as to newspaper libel and after
amendments were offered by Francis
and Clarkson. to meet the views of
lawyers, consideration was put of until
today.
Other Measures Disposed Of.
The senate passed house bill yes
terday which increases the allowance
per capita at the orphans home. Day.
export, to s13 a month and Axes the
minimum per month at $1,000.
The house bill to authorize cities to
establish sanitary districts has passed
the house. 1t gives cities the right to
establish such districts and tax the
property for the purpose of keeping
streets clean and sanitary.
Senator Eversmyer got thru the