Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1919-04-16
ACTIVITIES Of The
STATE, Legislature
go BILLS MADE LAWS AND SENT
TO GOVERNORS DESK FOR
HIS SIGNATURE.
ROAD LAW IS COMPROMISED
Probe of the Activities OF the Fish
and Game Warden is Under Way
(, by Legislators.
BY Ex-senator G.. L. CaswelI

I, by Legislators.
By Ex-senator G. L. CaswelI
Des Moines, Iowa, April -, 1919.
These are the days when every
legislator is pushing and wishing
that more speed might be made to
get the session finished up and ev-
cry member also feels that things
are going slowly in spite of the gen
eral desire to hurry. There is so
much to be done that all that will
be left undone will fill fve-ton
trucks in hauling the remains to the
balers-as usual. And yet it is not
of the house members had spent
their time in watching each other
and sparring for advantage on the
road question. Now they are able to
spar for half a day and pass a bigger
road bill-and a better one. This
week Tuesday they spared again
over the new motor vehicles law,
and passed it in good shape in an
hour and half after a discussion
and consideration that fully enlight-
ened everybody concerning it.
$50 Bills Made Laws.
At this time, less than week be-
fore time for adjournment, both
houses have passed and sent to the
governor for his signature just about
$50 bills, department bills of various
kinds, and all kinds of minor bills.
Many of the larger problems of this
general assembly have not as yet
been passed and freed from entan-
Cling strings. That is why so much
remains yet to be done in the short
time left.
After deposing Secretary of State
Allen recently and taking the auto
mobile department away from his
office. bill was passed relieving
his office from the duties of prepar-
ing the annual Iowa Official Regis
ter, better known as the Red Book
Compliments of w. s. Allen Secre-
tary of State" will therefore no long
er grace the title page of the publ
cation, as the book will be issued
and edited by Ora Williams. the
state document editor, who should
look after it. H.
Game Commissioner Next.
AS mentioned in this department
last week, probe Of the department
of the fish and game commissioner
of Iowa has been under way, and
now it is reported that Commission
er E. c. Henshaw is very sick at a
hospital in Des Moines, while the de-
partmental affairs committee has such
evidence as may cause him to resign
when he gets back we'll again. The
fish and game commissioner is ap-
pointed by the governor, and may be
removed by him.
1t is limited that the board of con-
troll Of state Institutions may also be
put under the microscope yet, as
there has been no limit to their de-
mands at this session and their job
Is getting to be bigger than that of
all the rest of the state government
Still another investigation was or
dered this week in a resolution to
have the affairs of the Iowa Panama
Pacific Exposition commission at
San Francisco looked into. At that
time an appropriation of $4,000 was
made for the Iowa exhibit at this ex-
position, and every detail of the ex-
penditures to be made was itemized
in the bill 1t is claimed now that
no full report of this commission has
ever been made, and the secretary,
Woodwork Clum, is to be especially
grilled concerning the matter
Those who know however say the
fault and failure to audit the reports
of the commission are due to the
state executive council, at least two
of whom did not attend to business
of the council during the time this
matter should have been handled.
Secretary Clum and others of the
say they will clear up
every detail satisfactorily.
Pardon Probe is Finished.
The biggest thing of the session
has been practically finished. Gov
ernor Harding and Attorney-G General
Havner have both been investigated
and found wanting, according to Spe-
cial Counsel Byers. The investiga-
ton of the reasons for the gov
ernor granting the Rathbun pardon
at Ida Grove ramified into every pos
sible nook and corner Like poison
gas it descended and spread and con-
taminated until several regulations
have been hurt and some ruined by it
The chief reason for the investiga-
ton, the claim that Governor Hard
ing got money for pardoning young
the governor of the
great state of Iowa was bribed-fell
perfectly fat, Chief Counsel Byers
made up his finding of facts from the
evidence on Tuesday of this week,
and each member of the house judi
ciary committee had copy handed
to him Wednesday. In that summary
Of the case Mr.. Byers stated that no
evidence had been found to prove
that the governor had received any
bribe for granting the pardon He
did, however, find. the governor
guilty of neglect of duty in not in