Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1917-03-14
.PITT-J0HNSON ROAD
BILL IS DEFEATED
Iowa Legislature Retains Highway
Commission by Tie Vote.
LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM
DEPENDED ON RESULT
Victory of Anti-Admin S trat O n
Forces Will Influence All
Legislation.

An irresistible force met an I'M
movable body in the Iowa house of
representatives Saturday, and as a
s,yesult the Johnston road bill, the
Elwood-Mackie road bill, and the
Larson Shortess bill, the three i'm
portant general road law revisions
before the legislature, were all de-
feated
The irresistible force was the Pitt
machine, with it's fifty-four mem
bers. The immovable body was an
other group of fifty-four men who
upon every roll call opposed any at
tempt to abolish the state highway
commission, and upheld the progress
sive road bills.
A deadlock developed in the
house upon the first roll call taken
yesterday morning, motion by Rep
resentative Lee of Sac county to or
der an immediate vote upon the
Rogers amendment, the then pend
ing object of discussion.
The vote showed fifty-four men on
each side, and this lineup prevailed
upon every important roll call of the
day, including the defeat OF the
Johnston bill at $50 O'Clock Satur-
day night, after two day fight.
Under parliamentary rules a tie
vote means the loss Of the proposi-
ton upon which the vote is taken.
The situation which developed there
fore meant that any vote taken
meant the defeat of the question or
bill voted upon. Either side could
defeat any proposal of the opposi-
tion, neither side could pass its own
motions or enact any legislation.
Probably never before has SINH
lar situation developed in an impor
tant struggle before the Iowa legis-
lature. There have been bitter
fights and close drawn battle lines
in the past, but none in which the
membership of the house divided alb
solutely evenly and stood pat
throughout two days of debate
The situation, following the final
vote was somewhat clouded. The
house rejected any legislation ac-
cepting federal aid under the Shac-
kleford bill. A new measure will
have to be passed upon to make fed
eral aid funds available.
Tho Tnbuctnp hill u,b;lo Jaod cn
far as present considerations are
concerned, might be resuscitated by
reconsideration. Following the
tie vote of 54 to 54 under which the
bill failed to pass. Representatives
McFerren and Tucker, supporters of
the Johnston bill, changed their
votes from aye to no, in order to
move a reconsideration. Should mo-
tion to reconsider prevail, the John
ston bill may again be considered,
and the fight reopened, but this is
hardly probable.
The fate of the Pitt-Johnston road
bill decided Saturday, determines the
policy which will be followed during
the remainder of the session of the
Thirty-seventh general assembly.
The main points of interest in the
general assembly now are:
l. Shall the assembly adjourn
March 81? When will sitting COM
mittees be appointed.
2. Period for filing bills in house
closed, in the senate Thursday, ex-
cept committee bills.
8. Fate of suffrage amendment
and teachers pension system to be
decided this week.
5. Plans for state office building
and temple of justice to be submit
ted to the general assembly this
week.
6, Will the assembly vote for
eighth Judge of the Supreme court?
The road fight has overshadowed
all other issues of the Thirty-sev-
enth session. Up to this time reac-
tionary measures such as cutting
down the capitol extension, have met
with reverses, while progressive
measures have been treated fairly
well.
The close fight between the ad-
ministration crowd and the highway
commission faction in the house,
where the anti-commission strength
has been centered has been watched
by the entire state. The highway
commission faction in the senate has
so far held the reins in the upper
: house and has been waiting to kill