Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-02-08
SENATOR ASKS INVESTIGATION
OF CONDITIONS or Rusl-
NESS IN IOWA.
INCLUDES BOTH BRICK
AND ASPHALT CONCERNS
Attorney General Directed to Conduct
Inquiry If Senate Agrees to Resolu-
tion-Whitmore Fails in Effort to
Have "Bone Dry" Bills Recalled
Votes to Repeal Contempt Law.

terday introduced g resolution IN tne
senate of the Iowa legislature asking
for a probe of conditions in the paw
ing business. The attorney general IN
this resolution is directed TO make an
inquiry as to the existence OF an "
legal combination of individuals ana
companies engaged in the construction
of vitrifted brick and asphalt pave
ments. His resolution follows:
Whereas the tax payers OF the
various cities and towns in the state
are continually being called upon 10
nav special assessments for the paw
ing of streets upon which their prop
critics abut with either brick or asphalt
pavements. and
Whereas, the bids for the construc-
ton OF paving with said materials
have steadily advanced in price from
year to year. and
whereas, there is general complaint
that there seems to be ground for the
belief that an unlawful combination.
undertaking to control the price OF
brick and asphalt paving and the
division of territory therefor exists
between individuals or companies bid
and asphalt paving, now therefore,
BE it resolved by the senate. the
house concurring that the attorney
general of the state Of Iowa be ana
he is hereby directed and authorized
to INQUIRE into the existence OF such
combination to control prices Of SUCH
brick and asphalt paving and the
division Of territory therefor. to the
detriment of the public interest of the
said tax payers of said cities and
towns who are compelled to bear the
burdens Of special assessments for
public improvements, and to report his
conclusions to the present general as
semlbly by written opinion and in the
event that such combinations contrary
to law are found to exist. to proceed
with the prosecution of the guilty
party or parties; and that in such in
vestigation the attorney general be
and he is hereby empowered to COM
Del the production of documents and
to call and examine witnesses under
oath as to facts"
Whitmore Effort Fails.
Senator whitmore. OF Wapello coun~
ty, yesterday made an unsuccessful at
tempt to have two Of his bone dry
bills set for consideration by the SEN
ate on Feb. 20. He declared on the
floor Of the senate that as he under
stood Senator Kimbaii's motion TO re-
fer these bills to the committee he
meant only senate Ale No. which pro-
itbited shipping in of liquor for per-
sonal use. However he was informed
by Senator Kimball that such was not
the case and that hts motion included
all three Of his bills and was so voted
on. Senator Whitmore filed written
protest against the disposition of these
bills and was granted the privilege OF
having this protest printed in the
journal
The two bills which Senator Whit
more wished considered Feb. 20 were
senate file No. 5, providing that the
place Of delivery shall be the place OF
sale, and senate file No. 7, prohibiting
the advertising Of Intoxicating liquors.
It is possible that these may be re-
ported out by the committee on the
suppression Of intemperance to whom
they were all referred. Senator Kim
ball is chairman OF this committee.
Proposes Maximum Risk Rate.
Representative Miller, Of Boone
county, would seek to overcome the
objections to the present fire rating
law by the adoption of a measure he
has introduced in the house providing
a maximum rate at which fire in
surance may be written. If agencies
wish to discriminate in writing risks
they can cut rates as much as they
like but can't write above the maxi
mum rate. The insurance department
would have authority to declare what
this maximum rate should be.
Friends Of the present law say
such measure as Representative
Miller proposes would not protect the
small property owner who would be
the one who would have to pay the
highest rate. They say also that it
is unfair to permit companies to write
lower rate for one person than an
other. They also declare that for the
most part the maximum rate would
be the one which the insurance COM
panies would use.
Poor Law Repealed.
In the passage of senate file No. 50
by Whitmore yesterday the senate Of
the Iowa legislature has voted to re-
peal the law passed two years ago
providing penitentiary sentence for
violating an Injunction. The bill is
yet to be passed by the house but it
probably will go thru.
The bill was passed two years ago
largely to control the liquor traffic and
to send violators OF liquor injunctions
to the penitentiary. The supreme
court. however. in a. case appealed
from Sioux City. declared this law to
be unconstitutional in that contempt
Of court 10 not punishable by peni-
Tertiary sentence but by a jail sem
tence only. In other words it is not
a felony to be in contempt Of court.
The amendment passed by the senate
yesterday eliminates the penitentiary
sentence and substitutes q Jail sem
tence for this offense.
The law limiting the hours Of labor
for women in work other than house,
work and farm work to eight hours
was reported out favorabiy by the
judiciary committee Of the senate Of
the Iowa legislature yesterday. The
committee on public libraries reported
out favorably the bill TO provide Z
medical department in the state law
library but asked that the bill be re-.
ferred to the committee on appropria.
tons. "a ~ 5sl5s 9si 81
Would csnbins offiess.
Senator p. G. Holdoegel. Of Rockwell