Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1919-02-21
Our Des meines Legislative Letter
BY j. W. Jarnagin.

by j. w. Jafnogln. ..,.,
Des Moines, Iowa, Feb. II, 1919.
The modification Of the primary elec-
tion law created some oratorical SPAR
ring in the senate when the, Kimball
bill came up for final passage. Those
!, opposed to the measure were not numer-
GUS but dreadfully in earnest. Some
really strong speeches were made on
both sides of the controversy, but the
final roll call resulted in vote of four
to one in favor Of the bill and 80 it
went through without amendment,
except that If any party fails to have =
full ticket in the field at the primary It
will be unlawful for such party to fill
vacancies either by petition or by con-
vention. As amended by the senate,
1owa's famous primary election Law for
the nomination of party candidates is
, % follows: Candidates for Governor,
Lieutenant Governor, United States
Senators, Congressman and all county
officials must be nominated 1T q primary
and al state officers except 10 above
noted must be nominated at . conven-
ton. Provision is made for the proper
selection Of delegates 80 40 to prevent
the abuses Of the old time caucus sys.
TEN. 1t is believed the house will vote
favorably upon the bill. .s..
While the senate was wrestling with
the primary reform bill the house was
engrossed in passing the bill by Repre-
sentative Dean. of Osceola County,
making an appropriation of SIS, 600 q
year for Attorney General ::Havner's,
state agents. The 37th general assem-
bly, created these state agents and set,
aside s25,O0O a. year for their support.
Attorney General Havner's biennial
report made q most excellent showing
in law enforcement but this did not pre-
vent q vigorous fight in the house to
defeat the Dean bill. Rogers, of Car--.
roll, led the opposition and there were
some earnest and eloquent addresses
made pro and con. All attempts to
weaken the bill by amendments failed
and after several hours of debate. sharp
retoets and accrimonious accusations a
vote wS3 reached and the bill passed S8|
tot18.
In the senate the ilsEsdith bill to
irseeal sthe present law Of choosing
county sSupssintsndents of scAools 4aad
60 back to the old method of popular
vote was defeated by vote Of three to
one. A
The house defeated . bill by . large
vote that had for it, object the amend
ing the soldiers preferenes lsw passed
some years. ago in Tie interest Of the
survivors of the war Of the rebsliisu. 70
that itswouid include the soldiers 10 the
war with Germany. 90 -
Col. NJ. L. Temple, Of Clarke County,
lead the opposition to the measure and
carried Ills point with practical unanim-
ity. .,>,-. :;..,:.qa
Our soldiers" said Mr.. Temple,
were largely recruited by means of Z
selective draft, which chose those who
must remain home in the factories and
on the farms. ~ we'll % those Whe put
on the uniform. There were many who
remained at home who would have much
preferred to go to war, but they were
needed more in the industries.
There should be no discrimination
between these equally patriotic and
equally essential classes. Bylegislation
tending to make . preferred class of
soldiers we will move to create q jeal-
ousy that will exist and grow in the
years 10 come. There 10 nothing too
good for the men who fought in France,
bat they do not ask to be preferred
above those other men who helped ut
home. The future of the country is
before us. We must be just instead Of
sentimental. We want harmony, and
it becomes US net to aalsow sentiment
and justified pride to cloud our judg- |
ment." r......
A MERITORIOUs BILL.
DR.. Coakley, representative from
Union County, comes forward with /.
bill which provides for conferring upon |
boards of supervisors authority to
establish employment districts. These
may comprise road working
or any other public
Upon conviction in the
district court for any, crime that justi-
fies Jail sentence the cuiprit must be
sentenced to hard labor and turned over !
to some authority that win see to it that
the sentsnce 10 carried out. This
authority may rest with the township |
or with the road suLerintend- |
ents., The prisoner ID under control of /
Duch authorities during the day and
must be returned to the Jail for lodging. |
Such prisooers shall receive current
wages for their labors, less the cost Of |
feeding them and the wage 80 received |
is to be turned over to the family or |