Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1919-04-11
|iilcidl Paper Of the City and the County
Issued on Friday of Each Week
Our Des Moines Legislative Letter
By J. w. Jarnagin.

e&4,' OOA LEO IAVAASS AS6ASS'o
By J. W. Jarnagin.
Des Moines, Iowa, April z, 1919.
The 38th general assembly is getting
ready to adjourn. 1t has been voted
that the final session will be on Thurs
day, April II. There may be some i'm
portant developments later that will
change this plan but this is not thought
possible.
The Rathbun investigation has been
completed after the examination OF
thirty or forty witnesses whose knowl'
edge of matters involved was both near
and remote. There were not sensa-
tional developments in the case unless
the activity of the entire bar in Ida
countyis rated as a surprise. Every
lawyer in that county seems to have
involved either in procuring the pardon
Y or in helping to adjust matters after
i wards so as to keep any of the profess
sion from being indicted. 1t is gener-
ally believed that the summing up Of
the case will result in rebuke to the
governor for not giving careful inves-
tigation of claims for the pardon and
his failure to consult the board of pa
role; and that Havner will be classified
because of the indictments held over
the heads of the Rathbuns to get them
to concent to q revocation of the par
don.
Sitting committees have been ap-
pointed in both house and senate and
to these committees all bills will be
submitted from this time until the close
Of the session.
The resignation of W. S. Allen, Sec
rotary of state, brought to focus nu-
merous charges of inefficiency, neglect
of duty, and various and sundry short
comings on the part of that official. The
resignation is effective July LIST. The
document was given to the committee
Of the senate on departmental affairs
and by this committee presented to the
governor who promptly accepted the
resignation and thereupon appointed
Walter C. Ramsey. of Wright county,
to fill the unexpired term. Mr.. Ram
sey has been chief clerk of the house
for three sessions of the genera! as
sembly and is q very efficient and ca
pable official. He was candidate for
secretary Of state before the last pri-
mary but was defeated by Allen.
The one big measure to get through
the house was the road bill. A num-
her of amendments were added during |
the discussion of the committees re-
port and after the acceptance OF these
amendments the bill passed by a vote
Of sixty-four to forty-one. Wallace
81 Howard was among those who voted
.gainst the bill.
It is believed the bill will pass the
senate by safe majority.
One of the measures that attracted
much interest in the house in the SEN
ate bill by the committee on banking
giving authority to the superintendent
Of banks to refuse charters for new
banks if in his judgment the commun-
ity is already well served. A lengthy
discussion followed the presentation OF
the bill for passage and the final vote
was fifty-eight for and forty-six against.
It was developed in the discussion that
in certain communities, where there is
. large German element, friction dur
ing the war on account of the activity
Of some bank officials in pushing the
Liberty loans led to threats on the part
of those of German birth to establish
banks for their own accommodation
and in some communities such organi-
cations are under way. The passage
Of this bill will prevent the consumma-
ton of such plans. The law only holds
for two years.
The proposal of the committee on de-
affairs to abolish the board
of parole and give the work of this de-
partment to the state board of control.
was defeated by the senate.
The third index issued by the docu-
ment department, covering Legislative
work from Jan. 3rd to March 29th,
shows that in the sixty days session
covered by the index, total of 1869
bills and joint resolutions have been in
troduced. a
OF this number, ninety have been
passed and signed by the governor; 282
disposed of adversely aud 697 are re-
maining yet to be disposedtof.
woRKMEN's BILL PASSED BY HOUSE.
The workmen's compensation law
amendment as passed by the senate
last week was passed by the house of
representatives. 1t raises employers
liability from fifty to sixty per cent of
the regular wage but strikes out com
A.