Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-01-20
SPECIAL ELECTION ON PRohiBI-
TORY AMENDMENT MAY BE
SET ON EARLY DATE.
SPECIAL ORDER FOR
THURSDAY AFTERNOON
Of hsentess-charse Of Existence
Of Coal Combine Precipitates Lively
Discussion in Ssnate-Miners Not
Bensfittins From Increased Prices.
Special to Times-Republican.

Special to Tlmes-RepuDlican.
Des Moines. Jan. 20. - The specia
election on the prohibitory constitu-
.ional amendment may be held next
October. Senator James NJ. Wilson, OF
Centerville, father Of the senate
amendment and chairman of the sem
ate committee on constitutional
amendments, is preparing a bill along
this line. The sentiment among the
legislators appears to be for submits
sion some time early e the fall either
in September or October,
1t is the plan now to make the pro-
hibitory amendment a special order Of
business for Thursday afternoon. Il
had been the plan to act on it today
but when it was found that many of
the members might not be present
when the measure comes up, owing to
the fact that they will be going home
over Sunday.
The house committee on constitu-
tiunal amendments made record on
reporting out measure promptly yes
terday when the prohibitory amend
ment was messaged over from the SEN
axe JUSI oc1CA llS IlOOAI oNJSAA lAhS4iis
Representative Ainker, of Denison,
chairman of the house committee on
constitutional amendments, requested
that 1t be read and committed. The
committee at once went into session,
and in less than FIVE minutes time rec
commended for passage the amendment.
Representative Guy Roberts, of Ring
gold county, who is in charge Of the
measure in the house, then announced
that he would ask that this be made d
special order Of business either next
Wednesday or Thursday.
Coal Combine Probe.
With the appointment Of the senate
committee yesterday 10 take up the
probe into an alleged coal dealers
combine the membership on the coal
Investigate committee is now COM
plete. The senate members are Sena-
tors Price Of Abba, Caswell Of Deni-
son, and Haskell Of Cedar Rapids. The
house members are Representatives
Epps OF Wapello, Starzinger Of Polk
and Griffin Of Woodbury.
The resolution to appoint the COM
mittee precipitated a lively debate in
the senate. Senator Wilson, of Cen
terville. declared he could see no more
reason to appoint a committee to in
vestigate coal dealers methods than
grocers' methods or other lines of busi-
ness. He asked If there was any rea-
son to believe that county attorneys
could not handle the situation in their
own counties. Senator Whitmore re-
piled that SO far as he knew the coun-
ty attorney Of Wapello is the only one
who has started any investigation. He
declared that coal down there has gone
up from 15 cents per bushel to % and
that miners are not getting any more
wages. He said the dealers were buy
ing coal on contract as cheap as they
did when they sold it at Is cents per
bushel.
Senator D. s. FIeck, Of Newton. who
handles coal as well as lumber, said he
had no objection to an investigation
but that the resolution itself made q
serious charge. He said his experience
had been that he could only get one
load Of coal now where he formerly
was able to get fifteen.
Capitol Extension Fight.
Just how far the provisions against
capitol extension introduced in both
branches of the assembly yesterday
will get is a question. Representa-
tive Rowley, Of Van Buren, county,
who ran against Governor Clarke two
years ago on the anti-capitol extension
platform, introduced the measure in
the house and Senator Ball, Of Fair
field, in the senate. The measure
would give the executive council au-
thority to sell twenty-five acres out
of the seventy-two in the tract. The
buildings have already been removed
from this portion and the grading has
been done.
Senator Whitmore says Of his meas
ure to cut out the capitol extension
tax beginning with next year that
there has already been sufficient funds
raised for all improvements Of the
grounds His measure would cut off
s150,0o0 per year for a period Of five
years or $4,000.