Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1915-04-07
LEGISLATORS GET
DOWN II BUSINESS
Defeat of Johnston assure in
Senate is High SpO Week.
81
MANY BILLS DISPOSED
THE PAS IEF
City Manager Plan, New ''Re(
Light Law and Budget System
Approved.

The history Of last week in the
general assembly is notable for the
defeat in the senate of the Johnston
road bill more than for any other
one result. Friends of progressive
road legislation hailed the acton of
the senate as one of the saving acts,
of the session. The house had passed
the bill.
The senate killed another piece of
reactionary legislation when it post
poned indefinitely the Miller bill to
repeal the law that placed county
superintendents upon an appointive
instead of elective basis.
Nearness of the time when the
work Of the assembly must be COM
pleted kept both houses hard at
work all week and more bills were
permanently disposed of than in any
previous week. The senate estab-
lished the record at passing bills
yesterday when it passed thirty-six.
The senate total for the week was
sixty-two and the house total thirty
six
Important Bills Passed.
The bill by Senator Fosketi CIV
ing cities and towns the right 70
adopt the city manager plan, the
new red light law, and the budget
system bill are the important propo-
sitions which received approval In
both houses and became statues.
The senate passed also the iSobin.
con bill to prevent pollution OF the
streams. the bill providing for a
document editor, and the highways
committee bill to- remedy defects in
the present road law.
All the bills for reorganization Of
the militia passed the senate and sew
eral Of them were approved in the
house. Other important measures
passed by the house include the
park life" plan of education by
Horchem, the Petersen anti-tipping
act, the Witthauer free employment
bureau bill, the state fair appropri-
alton bill, the Hobert anti-tubercu-
losiS bill and the Jamison bill abol-
ishing the board of parole.
The hew blue sky bill as introduc-
ed by Ring Of Linn passed the house
by a strong majority. In the senate
however, it Jared not SO we'll, and re-
mains to be considered this week.
Many Bills Defeated.
Many bills went into the waste
basket defeated. Both Senator Dor
ans bill to establish a system Of
guaranteeing bank deposits and Sen
ator Jones' bill for regulation OF
private banks were killed III rne SEN
ate. The house terminated the bill
for county aid for farm improve
ment leagues, the Holbert bill for
disinfection of stock cars ana the
Torrens land title system as pro-
posed by Greene. The senate refus-
ed to pass Senator Chase's bill to
narrow Iowa roads.
In spite of the good progress both
houses made, each is yet almost
hopelessly buried. Many OF the
members have reorganized that,
at the finish, it will be necessary to
sweep aside without discussion a lot
of bills in order to bring an adjourn
ment at any reasonable time.
The senate got down to business
Saturday and established new rec
ord for the upper branch of the leg
islature. Forty-three bills were dis
posed of during the day. o. this
number thirty-six were passed. Sew
en- were rejected or withdrawn.
Many Of the measures put through
by the senate were legalizing acts.
The machinery was in action at it's
best between l and 2 o'clock, for sew
enteen bills were passed during that
hour.
Three measures to complete the
plan of reorganization Of the Iowa
national guard were approved. One
increases the appropriation of the
militia from $15O,OOO to $165,00O
year. Another gives the adJutant
general four year term and the
third provides for the maintenance
of batteries of artillery and engineer
ing corps.
To Examine Books.
The Farr bill, which provides for
examination Of registration lists to
prevent election frauds, was passed.
In the western part Of the state In