Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1917-01-31
ENGE% AND NICHOLSON
FGH,sIsoN 1W|NE.
Winneshiek Repre-, tive Would
Sell the Product Cost to
Farmers of the.
BOTH MEN HAVE INTRODUCED
80 BILLS IN LEGISLATURE,
Bill to Aid Oiling of Highways
Passed 93 to o. Will be Great
Thing for Country Roads.

Hon. H. P. Nicholson of Winnie
shiek had the honor of introducing
the first bill that passed the house,
the bill, mentioned in these columns
last week, TO permit boards of SUI
pervisors to eXpend portion of the
money received from automobile Ii
censes for oiling country roads, if
the supervisors desire to do so. This
bill was passed by vote of 93 to .,
so it will be seen that it is in very
high favor.
1t is the first really important road
legislation of the current legislation
now on its way toward enactment.
We think it will prove a great law,
and make some of the best roads the
county ever had. Oil will not only
make travelling over the roads a
pleasure, but it will preserve the
roads and prevent the ruts, etc.
caused by continual washing from the
rains. Mr.. Nicholson is to be COM
mended for this bill.
Representative Nicholson expects
to introduce another important bill
during the present session of the leg
islature, providing for the construc-
ton of twine plant to be operated
at either Fort Madison or Anamo3a
by convict labor. Senator Enger is
also strongly in favor of such a bill
The product is to be sold to the
farmers at cost.
Several states now have twine
plants, among them being Kansas
and Minnesota, where Mr.. Nicholson
understands the venture has been
quite successful.
Binding twine is an essential in
farm operation. and if the cost can
be iegitimately reduced Mr.. Nichol-
son believes it should be done. There
would be no opposition to such bill
from the ranks of union labor it is
believed, inasmuch as the industry il
not one operating at present in Iowa
TO any extent.
A plant large enough to be Of any
great value to the state would cost
at least 100000 and $500, 900 would
probably be required to produce
enough to supply the market and
supply work for most of the convicts
not now employed.
Since the above was written both
Mr.. Enger and Mr.. Nicholson have
drawn up bills to appropriate $780,
900 for twine factory either 1t Fort
Madison or Anamosa.
Another bill Representative Mich
olson will bring out is one 'chibit-
ing the manufacture and sale of
sleighs and sleds in Iowa having tread
of less width than 54 inches.
BY reason Of the sickness of Sena-
tor Kimball, of Council Bluffs, chair
man Of the Ways and Means commit
tee, Senator Enger, being ranking
member of that committee, automa-
tically became chairman of the ways
and Means, and Retrenchment and
Reform committees, two of the most
important in the senate.
Senator. Enger is a member Of
nine different committees, and all
important ones too, which is evidence
that he is going to- be a very busy
man, and by the way things sound
coming from Des Moines he is max
ing the Winneshiek-Howa district
a senator 10 be proud of, as will Rep
resentative Nicholson. Both men
have made great start, and are fast
'beeoming recognized as able law
makers, and their constituents here
can have every confidence in them.