Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-04-10
PROBABLE PRESENT
WEEK WILL BE LAST
STATE LEGISLATURE EXPECTS TO
ADJOURN ALTHOUGH HOUSE
CALENDAR is CROWDED.
EBy Carl A. Dixon.l

Lee MONIES, April sine iowa regis
lature today opened what Ms probably
the last week of the session.
Both houses have adopted resolu-
tons to adjourn April IA but the move
has been tied up in the senate by a
motion to reconsider, that the session
may be extended another week IL the
lower house fails to complet it's books.
The house is far behind with its cal
endar, due to the extreme factional
fighting throughout the entire session.
Many important measures are caught
in the flood of untouched bills and the
senate may force another week Of work
that the house may be compelled to get
action on those measures.
The Foster road patrol bill, consider
ed by the senate as the most important
highway law proposed or adopted this
session, has yet to be acted upon by
the house. It establishes a patrol sys-
tenn by which counties will keep all
main travelled highways under contin-
ual inspection and in repair at all
times.
The Balkema bill accepting the fed
eral governments offer of 100000
federal aid in road building has passed
the senate but must still pass the
house. 1t was booked together with
the recent road bills in the house. all
of which were defeated in the great
factional fight.
The Kimball bill shortening the
state primary ballot, passed early In
the session in the senate, is buried in
the house. Code revision is tied up be
cause house and senate have passed
separate bills and have not agreed up
on a conference measure. 1t Is pos
sible that the power Of appointing the
code revisors will be taken from the
governor and given to the supreme
court.
Blue Laws To Stand?
The blue laws repeal. passed by the
senate. reposes peacefully under the
house heap, with small chance of get.
ting out.
Factionalism has again entered into
the affairs Of the house, delaying action
on a sitting committee to weed out the
unnecessary bills. The Pitt forces are
Directing to the selection made by the
Elwood-Mackie forces of Guy Roberts
of Ringgold as one Of the four mem
bers Of the Pitt half of the committee.
The complaint is made that Roberts
has not stayed "hitched" to the Pitt
faction. 1t is assured that much of the
guillotining done by the sitting com
mittee will be alone sharp factionai
lines if possible. Both sides have
ceased to have any brotherly love for
each other.
The senate assured the construction
ne n hN,,;to1 - J,u-, C;fy, for tha n ro
and treatment of crippled children,
when it passed the Roberts bill ap-
pr%opriating S15O.nO0 for that purpose.
The measure will go to the governor
for signature today.
The hospital is considered a neces-
sitv because Of the large number Of
children being cared for at the state
university under the Perkins law. The
law provides that children suffer'ne
from durable diseases shall be token
tn the hospital for treatment wheH
their parents ara unable to pay the
cost OF such treatment.
Correct Jury System.
The evils Of the iurv system have
been corrected in a large measure al
last. With its passage bv the house
SATURDAY.. the senate Judiciary commit
tees bill establish jury commissions.
became law.
The bill provides that Judges Of The
district court in counties having q pom
ula.ion Of more thar $4,000 and hav'ne
q city therein Of more than $4,000. shall
anroirt a commissicn Of three men to
select Jurors Thov shall ~ccr,n'le lists
OF men from every township from
which Jurors are selected.
The house his PISSED the Eprs bill
TO conDe' ra'lrn"dS to eliminate dead
c~n-te~" railrno5 crossings in tho state
The bill is DESIGNED to Get rid Of the
steep grades a~porcaching railroad
tracks on which the engines of wary
ora ki'ed in c'i~' hing. leaving the
ho1nleas on tho trocks. Scores
of fatalities orc~r nr~"allv in the
sta4o through erch accidents.
TIE Eprc hI would compel the rail
roads to FIJI in .ha approaches to theft
tracks. mak'-e tie crosT'ng level with
the tracke for some distance on both Z
ei'cs go that If p car kills its engine in
climbi-c tho grade. it could stop before
it reached the tracks.
Tho Whitmcre bill recurring street
end interrrban cors TO be heated
10 q terrerat,,~e IF Mt least forty de.
rrees raescd tho house Saturday and
will become a law.
Representative Epps' bill to establish
TND