Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-02-06
TWO BIC MATTERS
UP IN ASSEMBLY
WHlTMoRE "1okE DRY BILLS"
AND THE ROAD sQUABBLE
GETTING ATTENTION..
Especial Correspondence

Especial Correspondence.
,Des Moines. Feb. 6.-Opening gums
in the two most important battles SO
far developed in the present session Of
the Iowa legislature will be heard this
week.
The senate tomorrow morning at
1926 o'clock will open the food gates
of oratory on the three bone dry"
bills fatheredz by Senator Chester w.
Whitmore Of Ottumwa.
The Pitt-Johnston road men, repre-.
senting Governor Harding and the adj
ministration, have completed their
road bill and will present it on the
floor of the house early this week. The
moment it hits the floor the highway
commission supporters W fall upon
1t and come forward ws.h their new
highway bill, drafted in five secret con-
ferences at the Slavery hotel. The
house will then determine whether the
administration has the votes to put
through the administration program.
Who will lead the attack on the
Whitmore bills tomorrow has not been
disclosed. But the weapons the oppo-
sition has chosen have been quietly
discussed in senate chambers.
LIQUOR Barred From State.
The Whitmore bills, If adopted as
they stand, would bar liquor from the
state except for two purposes. Drug
gists could secure it for medicinal Dur-
poses. Manufacturers could buy it to
make proprietary medicines. But its
importation for private consumption
az beverage would be absolutely pro-
-hibited. Railroads would be barred
from carrying it. The individual
could not cross into Illinois. Missouri.
Nebraska or Dakota, either in an auto
mobile or on foot and carry back
liquor into the state of Iowa. To be
caught with any liquor on the person
would constitute crime.
The three bills come on the floor Of
the senate with the unanimous APPROX
al of the senate committee on the sup
preston of intemperance This alone
will have much weight in the voting
for this reason--that the three bills
OF the TEMPERANCE forces of the state
and as such demand the support of
those legislators who espouse the tenn
perance cause.
The one big argument the opponents
Of the bill willy use will be the effect
on the constitutional amendment. It
will be claimed that the bills as they
stand are too radical and would cause
revulsion Of Feline on the temper
ance question throughout the state
that would swamp the amendment.
On the other hand. the senate tenn
perance committee approved the bills
on the assurance of all the temperance
leaders NJ the state that to enforce
such prohibition would aid the cause
OF the amendment Thew said that six
months of strict prohibition under
such "bone dry bills" would produce
the same condition as they claim has
been produced in other states-that
enforced prohibition has STRENGTHENED
the temperance cause materially. Sat.
isiied with the confidence of the tenn
Derarce leaders. the committee there.
fore brought out the radical program
Senators Uncomfortable.
The outcome is in doubt. There are
many senators who admit they are
hone dry. who are uncomfortable I'M.
der the collar because of their fear the
bills are TOO radical and will have
"kickback" and yet feel they cannot
vote against them without having their
stand misinterpreted. The odds are
in favor OF the MASSAGE Of the bills in
the senate. When they get to the
house the 10S representatives
haven't discussed the measures suf!i.
GENTLY to permit prediction on the
lineup
Road Fight Begins.
Just as the TEMPERANCE measures
he TO hnf hn
road fight is the outstanding issue be-
fore the house.
The Pitt-Johnston men, Comnnsed ri
the supports Of Speaker NJ. H. Pitt
and the followers OF Representative
James Johnston OF Lucas. are about
ready to advance for the attack. The
Pitt forces represent the anti-hiehway
commission men. the taxpayers
league, the county supervisors and
anti-hard road advocates. The John.
ston men are those who were in the
assembly last session and supported
the Johnston road bill.
Their road program. according to
authentic reports. will not call for the
abolition of the highway commission
as originally intended. They fear the
sentiment Ia not strong enough to put
1t across. But the measure will nro-
pose the stripping OF the commission
of most Of its supervisory power, re-
turn that power to the counties and
bring the commissioners to Des
Moines in an engineering capacity to
merely advise and not supervise"
in road work
Senate Vote Surprise.
The senate's so-called test va on
the roads issue this week was = sur.
prise. Senator Holdogels bill, provid.
ing for an increase in the powers of the
highway commission in road grading.
passed the senate q to rs. with Ave
senators not voting. The highway
commission forces thought they had
the senate two to one against the Pitt.
Johnston men. They are now engaged
in STRENGTHENING senate fences How.
ever. it is generally believed that the
senate will vote to sustain the high.
way commission in the main and that
whatever the Pitt-Johnston men pass
in the house. It will have to be quite
to get by In the senate.
II is difficult to say at this time just
what effect the recent procurement