Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1921-04-14
STATE Is SAVED FOR
TWO YEARS MORE
ON HIGH GEAR AT
THE LAST, FINISHED SEES
SION In GOOD SHAPE
1t is finished!

1t is finished!
The thirty-ninth General Assem-
bly, of Iowa came to an end some
time Friday night, April 8th. Those
who stayed to the finish were Lieut..
Gov John Hammill, presiding over
what was left of the senate, and
Arch w. McFarlane, directing what
was left of the house membership.
1t may be stated that few of chose
remaining would have been grateful
for an ambulance to carry them
back to the hotel, or any old place,
so tired and "all-in" were they.
The last ten days of legislative
session is siege that "gets the
goat" Of most of them. Early and
late, every hour and every minute
the members must be alert, on the
job and watching their bills. Then
so many outside interests demand
attention. Everybody having any
thing before the legislature is at
fever heat trying to get action. Men,
bers are besieged directly and in
directly, by subterraneous avenues
and by wireless. Good friends lay
down on them for just one favor;
other members try to get legislative
friends who are under obligations
for past favors to come across
with something in return. Sitting
committee members are simply be-
sieged till they want to hide from
everybody. And finally, when most
of the big things are out of the way
and over, and past resurrection, ev-
erybody becomes reckless, more or
less. Even sedatN Legislators who
have not smiled or chummed much
with anybody, feel toward the end
a letting up of the strain, of snap
ping of nerves as they relax, while
thoughts of home and their own
business intrude. Then is when they
answer roll calls without even know
ing what they are voting on, often.
Sometimes they don't care a d.
They vote against anything suspi-
cious, or for anything some friends
want, knowing that it is not import
ant, or If it is, they can perhaps
hear about it in time to block it
later.
have even seen the remnant of
house members in the last hours of
a last-night session standing in
groups near the speakers desk
where they might better hear and be
heard, cracking jokes between votes,
and waste paper baskets thrown half
across the chamber, or mayhap a
swipe with a sponge or even a spit
toon shot wild. Staid senators have
also INDUCED in this last-hour reck-
lessness sometimes, though with
only half the house membership the
senate is more easily kept in due
bounds and its actions circumscrib-
ed.
And them home and rest. Many
a member goes home sick and unfit
for anything after the three months
strain, and often you may hear Of
some who have been thirty days get
ting Strengthened out and ready for
their own affairs again.
Little Left in Hopper
1t may be said THIS session has
left less in the legislative hopper
when the works closed down than
any session in recent years. The
house, with it's electric voting ma
chine, has set the senate a pace right
along. With night sessions and ex-
ira hours all the scattered matters
were brought out for action, with
limited debate and without chance
for reconsideration.
What a tempest the public utili-
ties bill did cause last week! The
house passed the measure by
strong vote, changed its mind and
wanted the bill back. The senate
refused to send it back and passed
the bill. Various resolutions and
al MAZDA fn hill tho
bill, but it went TO the governor, and
Governor Kendall finally chloro-
formed it with a veto. The bill
seemed to give special board OF
three district judges the power to
determined the need for changes in
street car, electric service and other
public utilities rates. We hear that
evidence was presented to the gov
ernor to show that increases in such
rates to the extent of one-third to
one-half and even sixty per cent
were anticipated by some.
A second utilities bill, with some
of the features of the first, was got
ten out of the sitting committee in
the house last Wednesday, and a
last desperate attempt was made 20
put it over. 1t failed, however, and
the issue sleeps.
A Real Blue Sky Law.
And then came the Weaver-Whit-
more blue sky bill to prevent and
restrict the sale of fraudulent or
speculative stocks and securities Of
Iowa concerns. 1t had passed the
house, and in the senate caused a
fight of days. Finally a substitute
offered by Ethel received attention
and the line of battle formed on it.
Amended and strengthened till its
teeth show across the continent, the
substitute finally passed. Those
who wanted to temper the Weaver
bill to a mild and innocent measure
to prevent injury to legitimate pro-
motion interests in that state, got
something for their efforts, but the
scaly or suspicious proposition here
after will have but scant chance to
float in Iowa.
Cigaret License Law.
The Dodd bill to require a license
from dealers in cigarets, after pass
ing the house last week, was defeat
ed in the senate Monday by two
votes, after a bombardment with
amendments to nulify or strengthen
it. Next day, it was reconsidered
and passed with such provisions as
will require dealers to pay straight
license fee of $50 in smaller towns,
of SIS in smaller cities, and 800
annually in larger cities OF this
state. 1t requires also revenue
stamps to be placed on all packages