Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1917-02-28
LEGISLATURE TAKES
A SHORT RECESS

A OIlUkl nLULOO
EFORM IN PRIMARY LAWS, DRY
BILLS AND CAPITAL EXTEN-
SION FEATURES OF WEEK
REGULAR ARMY IS CRITICISED
State Agent Bill Under Fire. Bone
Dry Measure Passes the
Senate.
BY J. w. Jarnagin
Des Moines, Iowa, February "a, 1917
After strenuous week the legisla-
ture adjourned Saturday for ten day
recess. Some lively tits were fea-
lures in committee meetings and on
the floor of both houses there were
some interesting debates over pend
ing measures. John w. Rowley, Of
Van Buren, who was candidate for
governor before the primaries, two
years ago on the capitol extension is
sue, delivered the principal address in
support of his bill to sell % acres
of the extension grounds. Represen-
tative Lee. OF Sac county, was the
leader of the other side and made elo-
quent and forceful arguments in reply
to Mr.. Rowley's accusations. The bill
was defeated by close vote. The
road issue is still foremost in the
house and every move made of import
ance is predicated upon the attitude
toward the bills pending. March 9Th
has been set as the time for taking
up the road bills and great relief will
rsult when the matter is disposed Of
as the unsettled condition hinders
progress in legislation. In the senate
bone dry bills, and changes in the
primary election law have been the
prominent features. In both houses
something like 900 bills have been in
troduced and the presentation Of new
measures Is daily occurrence. All
hope Of short session is gone and
hose in touch with matters do not
look for adjournment before the sec
ond week in April.
Primary Election Law Modified. !,
Senator Kimball's primary election
bill which would take OF the pri-
mary ballot all state officers under
governor and leave their nominations
to state convention passed the SEN
ate voted to keep the crcle off the
amendment gives the voter the right
to paste in or write in names OF dele
gates toSthe county convention. I'm
der the Kimball bill the names of the
candidates for United States senator,
governor, congressman and all cOun-
ty or township officers and delegates
to the county convention will appear
ON the urinary ballot. The county
convention will select delegates to, the
state convention at which the state
officers will be nominated. The SEN
ate voted to keep the circle OIL the
ballot, to continue the non-partisan
nomination Of judges, and to elimi-
nate from the. ballot OF prrsidentiaI
years the names Of electors and print
thereon simply the names Of the cam
didates for president and vice presi-
dent.
Bone Dry Measure Passes Senate. =
The action OF congress in making it
a crime to ship liquor into states that
have prohibitory laws stimulated ac-
ton on one of the bone dry bills in
troduced early in the session by Sem
ator Whitmore, OF Ottumwa. There
will be no more legal drinking Of in
toxicating liquors In Iowa except by
the drinker who goes in person across
the state line and himself drinks what
booze he brings back with him. With
the adoption Of the Whitmore bill vio-
lations Of this law will be made sub
iect to action brought at the point of
delivery and will enable county off,
yn &o - yy& khAf fn
| ties. Delivery of intoxicating liquors
| is made equivalent to sale of the
liquor in SO far as locating the point
| at which action may be brought In
effect the bill cuts off the railroads
from transporting and by the words
| "or other" relating to carriers, places
the same prohibition upon all truck
or automobile lines or persons who
haul for hire, against driving across
the state line to bring liquor into the
state Senator Helmer attempted to
amend the bill by striking out the
words cor other" but his amendment
failed to carry.
The bill passed by the following
vote:
Arney, Ball Balkema. Ed
wards, Enger. Fellows, Fleck, Fos-
kett, Foster, Gibson, Grout, Henig-
baum, Kimball. Kingland. LATER. Le-
Compte, Indy, Lytle, Mitchell. Park
er, Price, Proudfoot, Ratcliff, Rule,
Smith, Stephenson, Taylor, Van Al
stine, Voorhees,, Whitmore, and Will
son-31.
Nays~-Adsms, Broxam, Byington,
Caswell. Chase, Coburn, Evans. Evers-
| To-
Helmer, Jackson. Newberry, Schrup,
Thompson and White-1S.
Highway Legislation Getting
| Interesting.
| The organization of the house was
vi esumably based upon the attitude
that would be assumed toward high
way legislation. The principal bone
OF contention is the state highway
commission and the granting Of more
authority to boards of supervisors and
township trustees The election Of Mr..
Pitt speaker indicated that bare ma
jority of one OF the republican men,
highway law, but account must be TAX
en- of the IA democrats In the house
when it comes to putting a measure
through that body, hence there is con-
siderable uncertainty as to the exact
lineup. Soon after the introduction of
what is known as the Johnston-Pitt
bill those opposed to its provisions
known as progressives when it comes
to highway legislation, drafted bill
making amendments to the present
law and providing for changes that it
was hoped would satisfy those who
want more power conferred upon local