Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-01-06
IlTTLE STIR IN pEs MONIES PRE-.
cEpiNo LEolsLATivE
SESSION.
no INDICATION OF BIG
FIGHT FOR PLACES
Yhrss Men AvowsdIy in Field For
spsaksrship and Little indication Of
Rssult-UtiIitiss Commission Cues
ton Again 70 Be Forced TO Front
Caucus Date Undetermined.
special to T,mes-Republican.

Special to Times-Republican.
Des Moines, Jan. with the legts-
iative session Ave days away. It Is re-
markably duh In the Hobbies. and there
IL no indication Of any "big fight" or
fierce contest" for places. or even q
vpirited rivalry. There is much to In
dicate that there will be quick and
satisfactory organisation OF the two
houses Of the legislature and getting
down to business very promptly. Tine
fact IL that on Monday and Tuesday
not to exceed Q dozen members OF the
legislature were in the city. The ma
jority of members will not arrive before
Friday evening or Saturday. One new
member wrote that he would be here
Monday morning early, and the canoi-
date who got his note wrote back that
perhaps ho had best wait few days
more, AZ the organization would all De
over before Sunday. However, It Ii
the candidates who are doing the
worrying, and thus Tar candidates are
not as numerous - usual.
There 70 absolutely nothing In sight
to Indicate what IL going to happen ON
the speakershtp Of the house. 1t Is true
that ono may pick up all sorts OF
~rumors" about the Hobbies, many OF
them set afioat for q purpose. and Few
of them worth much. There are stories
that this or that Especial interest" ID
backing ono or the other of the cand1-
dates for speaker. Such stories are
always heard.
Three Men In Field.
Justin Barry. editor; Henry Brady,
farmer and banker: "Bill" Atkinson
lawyer and chautauqua expert. That
Is still the field. Some Of the older
members and some OF the ex-members
are arriving to offer advice. But very
many Of the members have written 70
the candidates saying they will make
no pledges.
new feature Of the situation de-
veloped this week when some MEM
beers Of the legislature, some who are
listed as farmers, received a letter
from Judge Eggleston, OF Clarke coun-
". q democratic member serving sec
ond term, in which he indicated that
the farmer members" ought to get To-
gether and act without regard to party
lines. He indicated that the farmers
having q majority. ought to organize
the house as Q farmer body and DIS
tinctly for the farmers. and that II
the republican members would join IN
this the democratic farmer members
would get into tho game
II has been supposed the democrats
would select either Jamison OF Eggie-
ston for their candidate for speaker
.nd TINS make him floor leader for the
minority. t-
Tho republican caucus FOR speaker
and offices Of the house and for the
senate positions. will probably be held
at tho usual time on Friday night OF
Saturday. -,
Il ia expected Governor Harding VIII
.a hare soon to talk over committee
appointments with the, senator's He
nas xfyen no indication OF his line OF
procedure.
Utilities Commission Again.
Conversion OF the railroad commits
slon into : public utilities commission
or creation Of q new commission 70
look after franchise rights Of inter-
county ORGANIZATIONS, will again be
pig topic before the legislature. It will
be recalled that Governor Clarke IN
his inaugural address. urged such
commission two years ago. and with
out being committed to any particular
bill, he did all he could to secure pas
sage Of bill that would at least make
q start In that direction. The only
thing thus far accomplished has been
to place the matter Of granting rights
OF way for electric transmission lines
in the hands OF tho railroad commits
sion. This has worked out all right
save and except that the commission
ers have not had tho time to give the
matter the attention It deserves.
It Is know that the telephone people
are already moving In the direction OF
having utilities bill framed up to
their liking. This IL where the big
fight Will come. ~ between the big
companies and the little ones. and the
people who arc served.
Smith Brookhart Of Washington
who was here yesterday. says he is
I prepared to light any bill that will, not
give to the people the right to acquire
these public service properties on q
fair visitation. He would oppose 1.-The
bill ~ prepared BY the senate commit
S;lc['',AlRETS EnR