Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-04-21
NOTABLE LEGISLATIVE TERM is
BROUGHT TO CLOSE AT
MIDNIGHT SATURDAY.
WILL GO DOWN IN HISTORY
BECAUSE OF INVESTIGATIONS
Much Constructive Legislation Enact.
ed. First in Importance Being Road
and Vehicle Laws - Communities
Empowered to Vote Bonds and Erect
Memorial Buildings.

! Special to Times Republican,
Des Moines, April 21.-The Thirty
eighth general assembly stopped the
! clock at noon saturday in order 10
conform to it's resolution to adjourn
sine die at the hour Of twelve and
continued vigorously to function until
late in the night Investigations were
on up 10 the time the guvels fell and
special committees authorized TO act
are being continued 70 complete the
probes
The statement that the present
legislature has been the most diligent
investigating BODY which ever con-
vened under the dome Of the state
house stood unchallenged up to the
time OF adjournment and the predic-
tions were freely made that its record
along this line would not be equaled
for years to come.
The first crack out of the box" the
senate refused to confirm Governor
Hardin2's reappOintment of State In
surance Commissioner J. 4. Taake but
placed its stamp of approval on Sena-
tor Arthur Savage. Then along came
the Rathbun probe involving both the
governor and the attorney general,
touching on all of the passions OF the
human heart over a circumstance that
was full OF tragedy and bringing on
an investigation that was at all times
dramatic.
Ringling's three-ring circus never
10 a ~ E,ir,Cy an Thir-y- q RlIl
general assembly when it comes to
putting on more than any one mortal
could watch There We're various and
sundry investigations going on at once
and at the same time. Every few days
some new investigation would break.
Of course the main show was over in
the judiciary committee room adjOtn-
ing the house chamber.
1t was past the midnight hour on
Wednesday night Of this last week Of
the session when the vote was taken
which freed the governor from trial
on impeachment charges and the next
day after voting mild censure Of the
attorney general the Rathbun case so
far as the legislature was concerned
was laid in its grave.
A. the session tipsNS the STATE dulO-
| mobile department has been trans
ferred to the state treasurer's Office,
Secretary of State w. S. Aliens
| resi- gnation to take effect July l has
| been accepted. and Chief Clerk Walter
| Ramsay, of the house, appointed TO
succeed him. state Fish and Game
| Warden E. c. Htnshaw because Of
criticisms of his department refused
| to accept reappOintment and Deputy
! w. E. Albert has accepted the position.
The senate Saturday on recommen-
| dation Of Senator Pitt, who has had
! charge Of the probe. voted to turn the
! investigation Of the expenditures Of the
| Iowa commission to the Panama-Pa-
! cific exposition in 1915 over TO the re-
| trenchment and reform committee to
| conclude. The Bonner charges that
| some unnamed legislators had been
guilty Of carousing were being gone
| into at adjournment time.
Final Action on Important Bills
Among the measures over which the
| legislators have been battling thruout
most of the session on which final
action was taken during the conclud-
ing hours were the Dean bill, the Rule
| cigaret bill and the Schaffter DILL
| granting women the right TO vote for
| presidential electors.
| The legislature also came thru with
| bill for course of patriotism in the
| public and private schools, over which
! there has been more or less contro-
versy. The measure was also a con-
| ference committee biH amending the
Powers bill. The superintendent of
| public instruction is to prepare an
| outline Of studies on Americtn citizeE-
! ship to be used in the grades and the
| high schools must offer an approved
course in American history and civics.
The road bill and motor vehicle bill,
! passed by both houses during the clos-
| ing weeks Of the session, are accorded
| the distinction Of being among the
| greatest constructive measures which
! were ever put on the Iowa statute
| books II is predicted that under these
| measures Iowa will undertake road
building projects which will involve
! the expenditure Of from fifty to one
! hundred million dollars annually and
will change the road map Of the state
in many localities. Many communities
are reported to be ready to at once be-