Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-02-15
JOINT SESSION
ON SUFFRAGE
COMMITTEES OF BOTH HOUSES
HOLD SESSION TO CONSIDER
AMENDMENT.
OPEN MEETING TO HEAR
BOTH SIDES OF QUESTION
Retrsnohment and Reform Committee
Starts Work. on Probe Of Alleged
Treasury Deficit-Teachers Pension
Bill Makes Reappearanoe Chase
Narrow Roads Bill Finally Killed.
special to Times Republican.

DeS MONIES, Feb. 15.-The woman s
suffrage amendment will be considered
at joint meeting of the senate and
house committees on constitutional
amendments late today. 1t will be an
open meeting and all friends and foes
to be heard.
While the women are working faith
fully for favorable action on the par:
of the present legislature, nevertheless
1t is apparent that they are placing
their faith more upon securing soma
national legislation favorable to their
cause than upon state legislation. The
vote of last June on the amendment in
this state is an argument against suf-
frage which the women favoring it find
hard to overcome.
The retrenchment and reform com.
mittee, to whom has been referred the
investigation as to the condition Of the
state treasury and the cause of the
deficit, started work on this probe yes
,terday. Deputy State Treasurer Quincy
Willis was called before the commit
tee. Willis published statement the
first Of the week to the effect that the
shortage was due to- the failure Of the
Legislature TO certify sufficient
amount Of money to be raised to the
state executive council. He declares
there should be working balance in
the treasury. Willis has been deputy
treasurer for about sixteen years. Until
about the close of Governor CARROLL
term there had always been a suffi-
cient fund In the treasry to- provide q
working balance. Governor Carroll,
however, thought it was not necessary
to provide for this and for the past
four years the shortage has been in-
creasing because the last two ,legisla-
lures, according to Willis, have been
too close In the amounts certified to
the state executive council.
A bill to provide for teachers PEN
sions fund has been introduced in the
house and will be brought out in the
senate by Senator Parker, Of Polk
county. The teachers have been work.
ing to secure a pension law for several
years but have thus far been disap.
pointed.
The senate committee = on schools
will hold an open meeting next Tues
day to consider the county Uniform
make the office of county superinten-
dent elective instead Of appointive.
The senate yesterday defeated the
passage of the Chase bill tpsnarrow. the
roads OF, the state fromf their present
width Of sixty six feet to fifty feet. The
vote was 345against the measure to Is
for 1t. This is the second time that
this measure has been defeated as it
was up two years ago. It was re-
ported out for indefinite postpone
ment by the highway committee and
the senate supported the committee re-
port Those voting in favor Of the bill
were Ball, Byington, Chase, Coburn,
Kingland, LATER LIE Compile, MITCHELL
Price, Prondfoot, Ratcliff, Rule.
Thompson, Val Alstine, and voorhees,.
The house yesterday adopted the bill
to create a state banking department
Dy a vote OF % 10 ~. II ~ q QueStlo1A
as to whether or not this bill will pass
the senate.
1t would divorce the present banging
department. from the state auditors
office and create an entirely separate
department with a state banking COM
missioner who would receive salary
of $4,000, per year. He would have
supervision over all banking laws.
y. 81
Repeal of considerable portion OF
the Iowa '.blHe laws" is contemplated
in a bill introduced in the Iowa house
Yesterday by Representative Tom Crit
fin, Of Sioux City.
The bill would permit Sunday base
ball, theaters and movies without In
fraction Of the law.
A specific provision permits cities UNI
der 10000 population to adopt ordi-
nances prohibiting amusements, recre-
atoms and commercial operations per-
mitted under the new law on Sunday.
One of the motives back; Of the bill