The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1919-01-29
D0INGS OF IOWA
LEGISLATURE
Most Important Event Of the Past
Week Was the Announcement Of
Different Committees
EXTENSION BOBs UP

CAPITOL EXTENSION Bo5s UP
Senator Whltmore Asks That Account
ing Be MADE OF Funds by the
Executive Council
DES MOINES, Jan. 27-(Special to
the Review)--The most interesting
land important event Of the first week
of the legislative session was the an
nouncement of committees. In the
house Speaker McFarlane placed each
member on nine committees. To prop
lerly distribute choice, experience and
fitness comprehends a diversity OF
Judgment that taxes the skill of the
Ipresiding officer. That the work was
we'll done is shown by the satisfac-
ltion among the membership. We have
not heard a single complaint. At the
head of the most important commit
tees were placed men of ability and
experience. Wichman, of Hancock,
is chairman of the committee on ap-
propriatiCns; Anderson, OF Winneba-
go, heads the committee on agricul-
ture; Wormley, of Plymouth, takes
federal relations; Harrington, of Kos
suth, judiciary; Weaver, OF Polk, mu-
nicipal corporations; Santee, of Black
Hawk, roads and highways: Finley, of
Henry, ways and means. When it Is
remembered that some of these com
mittees have as many as forty men,
bers the duties OF the chairman are
better understood. Each committee
has a clerk and other officers are avail
able such as door keepers, assistant
clerks and so on. Inasmuch as the
most important work Of the session
| is done by committees the meetings
are attended by every member there
of when important bills are up for
consideration. Hearings are frequent
| ly held at which time various inter-
ests affected by the measure under
discussion are represented by attor-
neys or others familiar with the is
sues involved.
In the senate Lieut.. Governor Moore
placed Kimball, of Pottawattamie, at
the head of ways and means; Wilson,
of Appanoose, and Proudfoot, of War
rem, head of the two Judiciary comit-
tees; Foskett, of Page, appropriations;
CoburH of Cherokee, agriculture; /;
| VI clOuIA, IA ACW
committee entitled department affairs
was given to Holdoegel of Calhoun.
| The Introduction of bills immediate
| ly followed the announcement of the
various committees and proper refer
ence was made so that consideration
will begin Immediately. From 1000 to
1900 bills are introduced at a session
Thus far about 200 bills have been
introduced. They cover about every
subject Imaginable, from repeating the
law making a tax exemption for those
who use wagons with wide tires to the
compulsory construction of bob sleds
of standard width. Modification of the
primary election law so that all state
officials below governor will be nomi
mated at a convention; repeal of the
non-partisan judiciary law; giving
more aid to county fairs; amending
the drainage laws; providing for bet
ter housing conditions in cities of over
10000 inhabitants; exemptions from
debt of three-fourths of the wages of
the head of a family; allowing boards
of supervisors to purchase real estate
up to $4,000; increase in township
road dragging fund from to 3 mills;
providing for the recording of dis
charges of soldiers free of charge;
giving chiropractics legal standing:
disposing of funds derived from sale of
extinct church property; increased
fees for constables; forbidding boards
Of supervisors from erecting buildings
costing more than $4,000 without
vote of the people; changing the name
Of the reformatory at Anamosa to
mems refOrmatory, women criminals
having been taken to the new institu-
ton at Rockwell City.
Content Settled
The voting of Iowa soldiers at the
last general election was legal, says
the report of the house elections con-
test committee, which seated F. w. In
gersoll of Tama county as representa-
tive. The report presented to the
house by Representative Clark of Linn
county, was unanimously adopted. T.
e. Mann, democratic candidate, con-
tested the election of Ingersoll on the
ground that soldiers had no legal right
to vote. The legality of the soldier
vote was predicated upon opinions
given by both Attorney General Cosson
and Attorney General Havner.
To Suppress Automobile Thieves
A bill which will provide an entire
code of automobile criminal legisla-
tion, intended to make the auto thief's
trade profitless in Iowa, will be draft
ed and introduced later in the session
by Rep. U. S. Alderman, of Story
county. The basic feature by which
Rep. Alderman hopes to save Iowan's
motor cars against organized thievery
is an adaptation of the present Cali
fornia law, under which every person
who drives a car within the state
must carry certificate showing his
ownership OF 1t.
Four Year Term for County Officials
A four year term bill for county Of
ficers was introduced in the senate by
Senator J. j. Rainbow, of Black Hawk
county. Rainbow's bill provides that
the county treasurer, recorder and cor
oner shall be elected in 1920 and every
four years thereafter. The clerk, aud
itor and sheriff can be elected in 1922
and every four years thereafter, the
present incumbents of these offices
holding their office until said election.
This is the same bill which passed the
house and senate of the 9th assembly
h,Yf fatI tIaN ~ o law ,orl,