Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1919-01-17

VOL. Tx, NO. 70
Our Des Moines Legislative Letter
BY J. W. Jarnagin.
{ Des Moines, Ia, Jan. Is, 1919.
After several days of intense but
good natured rivalry in an effort te
round up votes enough to Sc ure the
nomination for speaker all opposition
to Arch McFarlane, of Blackhswk,
who had q big lead over his opponents,
.ss5as withdrawn ard he was given &
\ unanimous endorsement.
Earlv in the contest Harrington, Of
Koskuth, Wormely, of Plymouth anc
Nef Of Pottawattamie withdrew, leav
ing the contest between McFarlane ahC
Finley, of Henry county. The with
drawal of the other candidates greatly
strengthened McFarlane and the with
drawal of Finley resulted Friday night
preceding the caucus.
Some interesting sioe.lights devel.
;oped in the contest for speaker. The
IoWa Homestead influence was bitterly
opposed to Mr.. McFarlane. A meet
4 ing of representatives of q half-dozeu
farm organizations passed vigorous
resolutions in opposition to him. A
represent tative of the Nonpartisan
League distributed circular through
ont the hotel lobby making all manner
of threats if McFarlane was successful.
These attacks greatly strengthened the
Blackhawk man among the farmer leg
islators, many of whom had been with
\ him from the start.
Matrimonial Laws to Be Revised.
It now looks like there will be some
restrictions thrown around the grant.
ing Of marriage licenses. A number of
observing people have asked for . law
making it obligatory upon parties con-
templating marriage to make public an
nouncement of this fact five days be-
fore application is made for license.
The object is to guard against elope-
ments, and to give ''couscientioVs OBJ
jectors" a chance to be heard. An
other enactment that has large NUM-
bss Of supporters is the passage of .
lsw that will require both parties to q
/ wedding contract to pass medical ex-
+ animation and upon such . certificate
from . duly accredited physician . mar
riags licenss may be issued. IN {,
ganlaseafs u Rs5slats All
4 seass e5nalls ssions sso resnl7fs foo1
prizes ID lows will DO proposed It the
coming session of the legislature by
Representative w. w. Epps of Ottum.
Va. The commission he declared,
would operate similarly to the national
food administration price fixing de.
partment, and would attempt to secure
the sale against inflated prices, both
Wholesale and retail. Mr.. Epps said
he has not worked out the details of his
proposal
To Legalize Iowa Flag.
Believing it is the desire Of large
number of patriotic Iowans, that the
Iowa flag be legalized by the Thirty
eighth general assembly, Mrs. Lue B.
Prentiss, chairman of the flag commit
tee Of the state society Of the Daugh-
ters Of the American revolution is in
the city interviewing legislators. This
Iowa flag was designed by Mrs. Dixie
G. Gebhardt of Knoxville, was spprov.
ed on May II, 1917, by Governor w. L.
Harding and the state council of de.
fense ut Des Moines. The D A. r.
aided by the Sons of the American
revolution presented an Iowa flag to
each Of the eight outgoing regiments
from this state that Iowa boys might
be identified beneath the Stars and
Stripes. These flags have been car
ried by them in France and the Rain
bow division is now carrying the flag in
Germany. Until the flag was recently
placed on sale in Des Moines but few
people had eyer seen one.
A Bill to Revise Code.
Frank Oertel, of Lee county, serving
his second term, is blind. His mother
sits by his side during the sessions of
the house and assists him in his work.
He is graduate from the law depart
ment of Drake university. He has
bill already drafted providing for re-
vision Of the code.
Primary Election Law to Be Changed.
Senator Clem F. kimball, of Council
Bluffs, came near getting measure
through the. 37th general assembly
which greatly modified the primary
election law. He will make another
attempt this session. His plan pro-
vides that Governor, United States
Senators and Congressman be nomi-
mated by primary election, but that
other state officers be nominated at
conventions. His bi permits counties
to continue the primary method of