Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-03-10
lFoEs or JOHNSTON HoADs BILL
ORGANIZE FoR STUBBORN
CONTEST.
EFFORTS TO KILL OFF
HIGHWAY COMMISSION
Johnston Measure Fathsrsd by Reae.
tionaries to Cause One Of Greatest
Contents Of Legislative session-c Con-
cessions Being Offered BY Advocates
Of Old Amendment Offered.

Des Moines, March 10.-Opponents
Of the Johnston road bill which would
abolish the highway commission and
put the power in road making back
in the hands of county supervisors are
gaining ground, it became apparent
last night.
A secret conference in which Soma
of the leading members Of the house
were closeted at the Slavery last night
had for its subject ways and means
of foiling the well-organized force
which is behind the Johnston bill in
the attempt which they will make
Thursday morning to put their bill
thru. Men who came out of the con-
ference were unwilling to disclose the
plan they had agreed upon.
Opponents Forming, Too.
It leaked out.however. that the OPP
ponents are getting together as solidly
as the hackers are and that they have
already swung to their side several
men who have been regarded as doubt
full in their attitude toward the john
ston bill and one or two who had been
| regarded by leaders in the movement
solidly with them.
retention of the present law with GER
tain notifications went so far as to
assert positively that the situation had
hean SO changed that the Johnston
bill could not get the required constitu-
tional majority of fifty-five votes.
Supporters of the bill themselves
hapan voSfordav rno to
their opposition, evidently in an effort
to hold their strength. Hall Of Taylor,
who although not one of the original
twenty-seven men who drafted the
bill, has been consistently for it, filed
nearly dozen amendments which
would take out several Of the objec-
tionable features and remedy minor
defects.
Hal! Stops One Hole.
His most important amendment
would correct the serious omission in
the bill as printed which, il the bill
should have passed that way, would
have allowed the county supervisors
to let contracts for permanent bridges
costing more than thousand dollars by
private contract at any price they
should decide to pay. Yesterday after
noon, Halls amendment was filed to
provide that contract price of bridges
costing more than thousand dollars
should not exceed the original estimate
by the county engineer or the board
OF supervisors.
The amendments made concessions
also VITO the. criticism, that the salary
for the state engineer provided by
the bill and the support for his de-
partment is too small. An increase OF
the engineers salary from $4,000 a
year to $4,000 and of the support from
SIC, 900 to $4,000 was proposed.
+ Appeal TO State Engineer.
Another amendment provided that
where boards of adjoining counties
could not agree on the road systems
so as to bring the main highways To-
gether on county lines. either could
take am appeal to the state engineer,
and his decision as to how the con-
tinuity of the highways should be
maintained would be final.
Another amendme ut would make it
compulsory for the counties to hire
engineers instead Of optional as at
first provided. BY a further change.
however, it would become optional as
to whether an engineer should be con-
suited in laying. out and maintaining
roads Of the township system.
Memorial Services For McPherson.
Council Bluffs. March 10.-An inn