Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1921-02-02

Y T-7
, of justice" on the new capitol ex-
tension grounds, and on allowing rs
district judges in the state $2,50O more
pay a year.
Back OF this legislative turmoil
there is said to be some political
| jealousies left over from two years
ago when certain senators wished to
become candidates for lieutenant gov
ernor, and others wanted to become
attorney general. and other things.
It will be remembered that Senator
Pitt at that time dropped slow-fuse
bomb In the senatorial camp by
threatening to become a Jim Pierce
candidate for governor and thus up
set everything. It had It's effect at
the time, but surrender to him then
did not have the results that those in
terested had expected. The Home
stead could not deliver any goods.
Has he another bomb ready to hand
them at this session? Has he? Wait
and see.
Open Season On Highway Law
1t is already seen that there are de-
signs against the present highway
law, and that at this session some at
tempt will be made to curtail the
highway commissions influence, and
take away its financial support 1t is
also said the opposition will favor
moving what is, left Of the highway
commission after they get through
with it to Des Moines and have one
state highway engineer in charge of
all highway matters instead of the
commission as now.
At the same time the highway COM
mission is going ahead with it's tre-
mendous organization, planning new.
progress in all road matters, endea-
voring to eliminate crossing dangers
by giving boards Of supervisors pow
er to order crossings taken out or
made overhead roadways, and pro-
yiding that the cost shall be adjudged
by the state railway commission, and
apportioned to the railways and to the
primary road fund as seems equit-
able; also providing that il the rail-
ways plead poverty and inabaility to
get the money, the state may loan
them the money out Of the primary
road fund at six per cent interest,
with deferred payments extending over
ten years. Finance has been the
greatest obstacle to securing vital
laws in the elimination of railroad
crossings heretofore; now this inn
portant detail seems to be provided
FLOR it is hoped people who drive the
highways may finally be protected.
1t is said that any question OF ex-
pense and accounting of the automo-
bile license funds will be met square
ly by the highway commission, and
that they will welcome any investiga-
ton of this matter see that all the
people or the state may be satisfied
regarding it. AS one OF the biggest
departments in the state at this time
the investigation ought to be made,
fairly and without spite or incrimina-
tion, and the report published as wide-
ly as possible in the newspapers of
the state.
Fer q Constitutional Convention.
A very comprehensive bill provid-
ing for holding constitutional con-
vention in 1928 has been introduced
by Senator Wichman of Hancock
county When the voters declared
last fall in favor OF holding conven-
tion to revise the constitution of the
state, they put up bigger job on
the legislators than they perhaps real
ized. All the details and plans and
machinery for such convention must
be supplied by the s9th General AS
sembly. Representative Calhoun has
introduced a bill in the House also
dealing with this constitutional con-
fyention. Which one will get through
and become a law is hard to say.
The Wichman bill, Senate File 343,
provides that at the primary election
in 1922 all candidates for the post
tion of delegate to the constitutional
convention shall secure petitions en-
titling them to go on the ballot, then
the voters shall vote for two dele-
gates for each one to be finally elect
ed The primary and general election
Of delegates will be absolutely non
partisan. and the two highest at the
primary election shall go on the ball
lot for each district at the general
election, where one delegate will be
chosen from each senatorial district
in the state and one additional for
each such district having more than
10000 population. This will make so
delegates to be chosen for the con-
stitutional convention and they will
meet in May, 1928, and revise the con-
stitution of the state as intended by
the organizers of the state may be
done every ten years If the voters
say so.
Senator butcher of johnson county
has similar bill, with the same num-
ber Of delegates provided for. and
stating that women shall be eligible
to serve. The bill provides that dele
gates shall be paid $15 per day. but
not to exceed $500 each.
No", dii VIM want W dSSiot III ZIG
grand and glorious work, start your
campaigns.
Educational Institnti0n Wants
A total support and Improvement
fund of something over $5,600,000 a
year is asked for by the several state
educational institutions from this Gen.
eral Assembly, and on this sum the
legislators are looking with unfriend-