Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1921-02-16
LEGISLATORS STIR.
UP SOME SCANDAL.
All State Departments Under Inspec-
tion Now, With Several Cited
To Appear
STATE SUPERINTENDENT
ON THE CARPET
Legislators Show the independence
of BrOnchos--Five Weeks Help
Harmony
Des Moines, Feb. IA, 1921.

Des Moines, Feb. IA, 1921.
Legislators and state house peo-
pie have been much agitated the
past week because of Investigations
being made by the departmental af-
fairs committees of both houses, and
charges of malfeasance in office or
graft or plain incompetence in some
cases.
The departmental affairs commit
tee was appointed first in the Senate
two years ago when Senator Holdoe-
gel of Rockwell City was made chair
man. Senator Holdoegel is a digger.
He also smells a rat when there is
one around. He keeps more steno-
graphers and clerks busy than any
man in ithe General Assembly. 1t
was his work that created sensa-
tion two and four years ago when he
dug up the records on one supreme
court justice and showed alleged lack
of attention to duty. He started in
on Secretary of State
Allen and some other officials. This
session he is not head of the depart
mental affairs committee but his
work heretofore has been a guide to
the present committee with Senator
Anderson of Greene county as the
head.
The result has been a calling on
the carpet the past week of Superin-
tendent of Public Instruction Nc
and also of w. B. Barney,
food and dairy commissioner. Charg-
es intimated against the banking and
insurance departments have also
caused comment. Nothing official has
been reported against either depart
ment. it is said, but the heads, In
surancc Commissioner A. C. Savage,
and Banking Commissioner Hender-
son, have demanded a prompt and
full Investigation sof their depart
ments. They say they have nothing
to conceal and they do not propose
to stand under a shady newspaper
accusation any length of time, which
all will agree to.
Witnesses before the committee
have simply been grilled on points
brought out in the rumorS. Super
McClenahan admits taking
$50 fees for addressing teachers in
stitutes, but claims it is a precedent
in that Office and that
he has right to such fee. Ex-Supt.
Deyoe is understood to deny that he
ever took or accepted pay for adj
dressing institutes. Some question is
raised regarding his travelling ex-
penses and fees, also.
As to Commissioner Barney's dairy
and food department, there have
been always rumors and charges that
certain officials therein were not full
filling their duties, and the recent
milk investigation at Cedar Rapids,
and the fight on Barney made by the
Cedar Rapids Gazette, make the
present matter serious. 1t is a big
and the investigation
and should occupy some time and be
complete, so that some of the solons
say.
Efficiency as mapped out by ex-
perts for schools and for business re-
quire well matured program. Not
so with a Legislative body. Gov. Lar
abee and Gov. Cummins during their
second terms were able to dictate the
things to be accomplished, but they
stand alone except for the COVER
nors who held Office during emergen-
cy times. Even these two pronounced
and accepted reformers were not able
T.. secure cooperation in the matter
of expediting a Business program of
work. Gov. Larabee ard Gov. C.m-
Minis were able to lead their broncos
ur to the watering trough. When
tie broncos got thro Ugh fussing with
each other they draak- nos before.
Gov. Kendall mappel car g progra,a
for this general assembly 10 follow
for doing the largest amcpnt OF
work in the shorte It ti'ne possible.
Up to date the schc,lple has not neen
followed. The code connlisaion pre-
pared p-ogram chat might have
prevented an extra session IT FOL
lowed to the letter, but legislators
were rot ready to accept the advice
until they had an opportunity of IN
vestigating for themselves.