The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1919-03-27
A LEGISLATURE LETTER

Des Moines, March %, 1919.
Talk of adjourning this session OF
the General Assembly on April 18th,
has been promoted by joint resolu-
ton offered for that purpose, but
the general opinion seems to be that
possible date to finish. The matter
J will probably be decided within the
next few days.
along now in both houses, while
many of the minor bills also get at
tenti0n between times. Monday this
week the house adopted the senate
circle back on the election ballot in
this state and eliminating the presi-
Dental electors from the ballot.
The vote was strongly enough in
favor of the bill to cinch it in spite
of any attempts to reconsider, and
that means hereafter the voters will
60 back to the system Of ballot
or more when a mark in the circle
at the head of the party ticket voted
the whole ticket without any other
marks. The majority party always
liked that in any county, but voters
spoiled so many ballots by also
marking in other tickets that the
law was changed. Now Vow. the .i new law "
b W 80
ballot marking and every name
marked for or written in on any
ticket will be counted even though
the circle is also used.
The supreme court of this. state
the other day declared the anti
tipping law inyalid; The senate three II; e
law which has been a fake and a
farce ever since it was enacted, and
good men and big men have habitu-
ally violated it right along 1t is
better that a law that breeds such
contempt for law as that should be
repealed or voided in some way. a
under the law over two years ago
for taking a tip is thus exonerated
by the supreme court, and the rest
OF us have our consciences cleared
amazingly.
Pardon Probe is On.
The real start of the Rathbun
pardon probe was made by the house
Judiciary committee Friday morning
when Attorney Byers appeared. with
Attorney General Havner summoned
as the first witness. The attorney
general was on the stand all the
forenoon and part of the afternoon
identifying exhibits that were before
the Ida county grand jury. and get
ting the case in hand for the Judlcl-
AIRY committee to go ahead. The
virtually as a state grand jury, and
the 81 members, most of whom are
attorneys, are giving it their close
attention. Witnesses will be called
for every phase of the case as it
bears relation to the pardon that
was granted and there will be no
withdrawing. There will be either
1ok1 Of 20
ernor for his part in the pardon pro-
ceedings or an Indictment against
him, if opinions heard here are cor
rect. Mr.. Havner's connection with
the case will also be investigated,
and possibly an attorney or two
may have something to answer for
when it is completed. The. investi-
days or three weeks, depending on
developments and their Importance.
State May Make Cement.
A mighty important bill, In the
estimation of many of the members
of the legislature, was introduced in
the. senate Monday. That was bill
to enable the state of Iowa to go in
to the cement business. Senator
Evans of Butler county hurried the
ing bills at this session and expects
to amend it in the committee and
try to get through a workable meas
ure by which the state can prOtect
itself and the people from the al
legged cement trust and dealers who
have advanced the price of cement
already from 80 cents q barrel to
ing to do a lot of paving of roads
and streets from now on, and &C.
ment is the main material used in
such paving. If people are not to
be at the mercy of the cement man
ufacturers, it is common sense. 20
reason that the way to avoid It IS to
condemn land and take over factor
and for the state and municipalities
where paving or bridge construction
is on the program. With this there
will be plenty of other use for &C.
ment on private and city contracts.
Petitions are coming in punches
from many parts of the state oppos-
ed to the pending road Dill Mem
,ers Of these petitions mean when
they have not seen or read the new
road bill and do not know the ex-
act provisions that are in it, Many
people seem to think they are to be
held up and made to pay for hard
roads and do 1t right away. But
now copies OF the new road law nave
members Of both houses. Banks
and individuals and farmer organi-
cations everywhere have been pro-
vided with copies of the bill and it
AZ expected there will be a. change
OF sentiment in its favor when the
people at home have had a chance
to get at the truth concerning 1t in.
those who are prejudiced or fright
ene6 at the prospect of hard roads.