Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1915-04-14
MUCH LEGISLATION AS
SESSION NEARS END
SeItste and House Have Business
Well i'm Hand for Finish
Saturday Night.
AT WORK on SUPPLY <,eVN
MUCH DON s>s@ WEEK
Important Lew Nill Go on Statute
Books as Result of Sessions
Since Last Week.

Unless complications row unfor-
seen arise, the legislature will COM
plete this week the work of the ses-
; sion.
Hard work last week in both the
senate and the house resulted in fl
nal action on nearly 200 bills. More
than $50 were passed and probably
a fourth of the number were defeat
ed. The senate has left nearly $50
bills on it's calendar and the house
has so. These will be disposed of
easily enough, however. In addition,
each house will have to act on the
bills passed by the opposite body
and approved by the sitting commit
tees.
Disagreement on the appropriation
bills is regarded among the legisla-
tors as the only possible cause for
extending the session beyond April
II, the date which has been agreed
upon, tenta lively for adjournment.
1t is necessary, of course, that the
two houses agree on these measures
before adjournment. The disposition
of the house to reduce all appropria-
tons it is pointed out, might not
Suit the senate and cause a battle
that would take additional time for
settlement.
Important Measures Passed.
Several important laws were made
during the week by one house or the
other concurring in bills which had
passed the opposite house. Among
these are:
The Klinker absent voters law.
The McFarlane city manager
plan.
The Thomas blue sky Law.
The Whitmore prohibition enforce
\ ment laws.
The Frailey =, semi-monthly pay
BILL
The Chase provisions for preser-
walton of Iowa lakes.
The Barry bill creating state
board of audit.
The Coast bill for licensing of
public accountants.
The Savage bill abolishing the Of
flee of custodian of the capitol
The Klinker absent voter bill was
passed by the senate Saturday by a
vote of 2S to |. 1t has already been
approved by the house, and will now
go to the governor for his signature.
By the terms of the bill travelling
men, railroad men and others COM
PEELED to be absent from their home
city on election day may vote by
mail. 1t provides that not earlier
than fifteen days or later than three
days before the primary or election
a person expecting to be absent from
the city on election day may apply
in person or by mail to the county
auditor or clerk of the city or town
ship in which he resides Tor an alb
cent voters ballot. An affidavit
must be filed by the voter. He shall
then mark his ballot in the presence
of a notary, but so that the notary
shall not see how the vote is cast.
In the presence of the official the
voter shall fold the ballot, place it in
a plain envelope and seal it.
The envelope then must be sent to
the county auditor with an AFFIDAVIT.
The signature of the voter on the
affidavit accompanying the ballot
must correspond with that on the
affidavit filed when the ballot was
secured, or the vote will not be
counted. The auditor shall send the
ballot to the proper precinct in
which the absent voter is registered
The ballot shall be taken from the
envelope and placed in the balloI
box, without being unfolded, so that
no one shall know how the balloU
was marked.
The absent voting idea has had the
backing of the travelling men OF the
state. There are between 10000
and 10000 travelling men and rail
road men who may take advantage
of the new law. Many OF these men
have been compelled to lose one or
two days in order to vote in the past.
Others have made long trips home
rather than lose their vote.
The proposition was launched in
the Thirty-fifth general assembly
but it was lost. There was some op-
az position to it at this session, but not
SUFFICIENT to endanger 1t.
Provides for City Managers.
The McFarlane law furnishes