Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-02-02
OPPONENTS or HIGHWAY com
MISSION FORMULATE ADMIN
IsTRATioN MEASURE.
SUGGEST REPLACING
OF STATE BOARD
Would suppIant Present Commission
With State Ensinser-wil! Not Pre-
sent Bill This Week - Committee
Disapproves Hardins's Recommenda-
tions For Special Agents.

T
be presented by the anti highway COM
mission faction of the legislature has
been practically completed by the UNI
official committee of five which has
been working on the bill for the last
two weeks.
These men. who are Representatives
Johnston of Lucas. McFerren of Ham
iKon and Hall of Taylor, and Senators
Chase of Hamilton and Frailey of Lee.
have completed their first draft of the
bill.S which is to be considered in 81 eau
Gus of it's friends some time today.
The bill is longer than D. Dutch
mans pipe. and undertakes a complete
revision of the existing road laws.
1t will suggest the replacing of the
highway. commission by state en-
gineer the reduction of powers of the
state controlling body to direction of
engineering and construction alone, and
will accept the federal aid appropria-
tions available under the Shacllleford
act.
According to Representative John
ston, of Lucas, the bill will be consid-
cred in caucus before it is presented
to the house, but it will probably be in
shape for introduction either Saturday
or Monday. 3
The opponents of the Johnston bill
will not present. their measure this
week, altho they have studied out about
| what they wish to present Elwood's
bill prohibiting county supervisors from
| issuing road bonds to meet warrants,
but permitting counties to issue road
bonds upon a vote of the people, will
probably be presented Saturday.
Harding Bill Defeated.
Altho bearing the Endorsement and
recommendation Of Governor Harding,
Larson's bill. n. +. 60, appropriating
| $4,000 for the hiring of special agents
and assistants to the attorney gem
| eral. was voted down in the house
committee on appropriations yesterday
| afternoon by vote of Is TO IT,
1t will be reported to the house to-
day for indefinite postponement. but
Chairman Klaus of the sub committee
which had the bill will present a
minority report recommending the bill
I for passage.
This bill was introduced in the house
Iby Representative Larson and in the
Esenate by Senator Ratcliff, both of
Montgomery county.
Its provisions would permit the gov
fernors or attorney general to assign
special ttorneys, detectives or officers
Ito any particular litigation FOR crime
(which might require state attention.
Governor Harding asked members of
4 the committee to recommend the bill
flor passage.
He declared that under the present
/ 4, Dir ho oiyvn In, ~
tof a crime like the villisca5 ak murders
would be to offer a purse of $500. He
also urged passage of the bill because
he felt that special counsel of some
sort should be assigned in Lee county
to aid in the prosecution of litigation
regarding taxation of the Keokuk pow
er project. a suit involving $16,OOO.OO0
of property.
The fight will probably be continued
! on the floor Of /, the house and In the
| senate. The senate has not acted upon
the bill yet
War on Boards Begins.
wedding out of state commissions is
| about to commence in the Iowa leg
| islature.
| The committee on retrenchment and
reform, by divided vote, has recon-
mended the abolishing of the state
library commission, and a bill to do
away with this body will be introduced
in few days.
The commission maintains Offices in
| the state house, and Miss Julia Rob
inson is secretary. Members Of the
board are Mrs Horace M. Towner,
Corning; Mrs. Henry j. Howe. Mar
shalltown; Mrs. A. J. Barkley, Of Boone,
and w. r. Orchard, Council Bluffs.
| Elk officio members are the state libra
rian, the president Of the state uni
yersity, and the state superintendent
of public INSTRUCTION.
The commission encourages library
work in Iowa. thru publicity travelling
libraries, organization and cataloging.
The last Legislature appropriated $15.-
900 for the work.
1t is proposed to transfer the work
OF the commission to the state libra
rian.
Another state board will be placed
under fire by bill to be introduced in
the house today by Representative
Douglas Rogers, of Manning, which will
do away with the board of parole and
transfer its duties to the board of con-
troll.
Mr. Rogers believes that the board
Of control, in conference with the war
dens OF the state institutions concern
ed, Is better fitted to handAe the work
than any board which takes up the
duties as merely incidental matter.
This bill was before the assembly
two years ago, and received much
4 support at that time.
Il 2