Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1917-03-28
IOWA LEGISLATURE
IN FACT|ONAL SCRAP
Charge of Use of Money to Influence
Legislat 8, Brings Outbreak.
WILL NOT Al L'IN
BEFORE APi> Va NOURTEENTH
Vast Amount of Worl delayed by
Factional Divisions. He'uch
Legislation Yet to \.
Disposed of.

alism in the house on Thursday over
the charge that money was raised
two years ago to pass the Johnston
road bill, peace was patched up Fri
day-but war clouds still hang over
the general assembly. Hostilities
are likely to break out at any time
Legislators believe this situation
VIII continue to the end of the pres
ent session.
The spring weather has influenced
the 158 members of the assembly
toward serious consideration of final
adjournment. The senate members
have served notice on the house that
the senate will not consider sine die
adjournment before April IA. AS the
house can not adjourn Independent
OF the upper branch of the assem-
bly,, it is apparent that the session
win last at least three weeks more.
Interest now is centered in the
effort made in the house to abolish
the Offices of str printer and bind
er. The Helmin. bill has met with
serious opposition. A sutbtitute
bill has been offered which places
safeguards around the proposition.
If the Pitt-Johnston faction insists
on standing by the Helming bill, the
whole project may be thrown out by
vote of "a to "a, and the offices of
printer and binder continued
The senate killed the house bill
making the county superintendent
of schools elective instead of ap-
pointive. This was the only bill of
the Pitt men which has gotten
through the house. Its death in the
senate was expected, but it has
caused some hard feeling in the
house and some of the house mem
bers may be prepared to help kill
some bills which the senate sends
over, in order to even up the score
The road fight was transferred to
the senate last week, after the de-
feat of all the road bills in the house
by a vote Of "a to "a. Senator
Chase filed bill which was modi-
fication Of the Johnston bill The
senate highway committee reported
the measure out for postponement.
Chase made fight to have the bill
placed on the calendar. He failed.
The best the anti-highway commits
sion has been able to figure in the
senate is 21 votes, and on the Chase
bill, two Of those votes were lacking.
The equal suffrage amendment
was passed on Wednesday by the
senate by vote of 35 to 15-almost
three to one. The measure went to
the house, and it has been placed on
the calendar for action next Thurs
day. 1t will pass, it Is said.
AS concession, the anti-suffra-
gists secured the pledge of thirty
five members of the senate to sup
port bill to take vote of the wo-
men at the next general election to
determine whether majority of the
women of the state want the vote
Governor Harding is asking the
legislature to set aside 100000 for
use by the Iowa military department
in protecting public property and in
organization of troops in case war il
declared with Germany.
AS this appropriation will be in
addition to other state appropria-
tions, it may require an additional
tax on the state. 1t is believed that
there will be no opposition in the
general assembly to the bill.
Code revision probably will be or
de~ed by the general assembly this
week. The house has passed a bill
for a commission of three members
to be appointed by the governor
The senate bill provides for three
member commission to be appoint
ed by the Supreme court.
The house wants report by Dec
1, 1917, so that the revision may be
submitted to a special session OF the
legislature next spring.
The matter Of authorizing an
eighth judge of the Supreme court
is also being considered. The house
has passed the bill, but the provi-
sion requiring the senate to approve
the appointment of the additional
Judge named by the governor was
stricken out The senate appropria-
tion committee has recommended
the extra Judge bill for passage. but
the bill still provides that the ap-
pointment be approved by the SEN
ate,