Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-04-16

II
favor OF the retention of the highway
commission, formed what later was
dubbed the Elwood- Mackie faction.
Then the road fight started, The Pitt
Johnston men tried to kill the high
way commission. After seven weeks Of
battling, n deadlock OF 54-54 in the
voting killed every proposed road
measure.
The Two Road Laws.
But there came from the senate the
| two road bills of the session---the
Foster road patrol bill and the Bal
kema, accepting federal aid. The
| former Is considered one of the best
road measures passed by recent legis-
latures 1t requires all boards of super
visors to hire road patrolmen. Their
| duty will be to patrol every mile OF
| road assigned to them at least once
each week and be responsible for it's
repair and maintenance. 1t revolu-
| tioniZes the system Of highway upkeep
and will reduce the cost, its hackers
assert.
me Balkema bill accepts the fed
eral governments offer Of $1,000. 900
aid in road building within the next
i've years. lie Sldte lS ItuuIIeu W
add an equal amount, giving Iowa 81
| 100000 for road improvements in the
next five years. 1t will be spent pro-
portionately among counties.
War to the Fore.
Military legislation, necesstated by
Americas advent into the war came
first in the consideration of both
houses in the closing days. One mill
lion dollars was appropriated for rails
ing and equipping an army should
Iowa be called upon. The governor
was authorized to require the regis
tration Of all enemy aliens and TO
establish a secret service and con-
stabulary for the protection of prop
crty and the curling Of hostile acts.
Soldiers and sailors who enlist for the
war are exempt from being called upon
| to pay debts until after the war. Heavy
penalties were provided for espionage,
treason and unfriendly acts of citizens.
Code Revision Dead.
! Code revision was killed by sitting
committees of both houses when they
could not agree as to who should APP
point the commissioners, the governor
or the supreme court. The measure
had passed both houses with the SEN
ate providing for appointment by the
supreme court and the house by the
governor.
The appropriations committee also
killed the request for 100000 for the
campaign for increased food produc-
ton.
Salingers and the Cabinet.
INN rt 0f tho 1pgjS>
lature from a political standpoint was
liz. repeal OF the non partisan judi
ciary law, accomplished during the
closing week of the session. 1t was
killed for the same reason as the four
year term bill, which would have
legslated into office 291 auditors
clerks and sheriffs, and the eighth
Judge bill. which would have added an
eighth Justice to the supreme bench
The last two named had passed
both houses. Both houses suddenly
broke out IN open revolt against the
bills because they were supported
by the Kitchen cabinet" The kitchen
cabinet was largely Ben and Lou
Salinger. sons Of Justice Salinger,
and George Messenger, new state
banking commissioner and several
others Justice Salinger himself was
considered to hold portfolio by legis-
lators. The four-year term bill was
killed because of the prevailing. opin-
ion that it was conceived to pay of a
bunch Of political debts to faithful
partisans. The eighth judge bill was
killed because Justice Salinger and his
sons were so active in Its behalf ana
hecause NJ the charceS made by Sena-
tor Perry Holdoegel that che only man
behind with his work .cT the supreme
bench is Justice Salinger. Legislators
in both houses got so warm under the
collar that the bipartisan judiciary