Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1921-04-14
UNDER THE GOLDEN DOME

Des Moines.-Iowa's Thirty-ninth
general assembly adjourned sine die
shortly before midnight of April s, af-
ter the usual rush Of last minute le-
gislation which always characterizes
the wind-up of the legislature.
The feature of the closing week
was the veto by Governor Kendall Of
the Springer public utility bill, which
passed the house and senate, but
which was later the center of spirit
ed effort on the part of the house to
recall it, to which request the senate
refused.
The bill provided for the settlement
Of disputes in regard to public utility
rates and franchises by court to be
composed Of three judges OF the dis
trict court, selected to act in each in
dividua! case by the chief Justice of
the supreme court.
The provision which caused the
veto Of the bill was the indetermin-
ate franchise provision, whereby pub
lie service corporations were given
practically an indefinite permit to
operate.
Public utility interests of the state
were strongly in favor of the bill,
which also had the endorsement Of
the lowe league of municipalities.
A large number of important mea-
sures were passed in the final days,
and there was much argument over
the appropriation bills. The house
trimmed down a request of the State
University of Iowa and the State col
lege at Ames for building appropria-
ton OF s975.000 each to 100000 each,
and also slashed the senate figures
for the board Of control and board of
education appropriations.
The Doolittle vital statistics bills
was passed, and will give Iowa adj
mtttance to the registration area Of
the federal government. It provides
for the appointment by the county su.
pervisors OF registrar OF vital sta
tistics in every township, who will re-
ceive a compensation of Is cents for
each birth and death reported. Re
ports are made direct to the state
registrar of vital statistics in Des
Moines. The law is one in effect in
many states, and was drafted by the
United States bureau Of the census.
The boxing bill, which would have
legalized twelve round fights in Iowa,
was killed in the senate by top
heavy vote, regardless of the fact that
the American legion was agressively
in favor of the bill.
The measure lacked any enthusi-
astic leaders in the senate, and after
being amended to prohibit an admis.
sion fee of more than 81, was killed
entirely.
The legion, however, was success
ful In gaining the passage of its more
directly important bills, including the
soldier bonus, tho tax exemption, and
preferential appointment laws. I'm
der the preferential appointment mea-
sure veterans are to have first pre-.
ference in the selection Of state, coun-
ty and municipal employs under civil
service or appointed otherwise.
Considerable discussion of the Sc.
lection Of the next speaker was heard
during the closing days of the session
in the house. Representative E. P
| Harrison of Pottawattamie county has
probably the largest following. Con.
siderable interest was shown in an
announcement by Senator M. B. Pitt
that he was removing from Harrison
county into Pottawattamie county
thus leaving his present senatorial dis.
trict. Pitts term expires this session
while the present Senator from Pot
tawattamie holds over for two years
This is likely to mean that Pitt, who
has been prominent in the house and
senate for eight years, will hardly be
member of the Fortieth general as
sembly.
The senate killed a bill which pass
ed the house placing all telephone
companies of the state under control
of the state railway commission. II
also defeated bills by Buser and
Brookhart providing for a revalua
ton Of railroad property for the pur
pose of taxation. The house trim
med up the Lake bill for a five pei
cent occupation tax on the gross rev
enue of all common carriers.
l.. A. Jensen of Forest City has
been named by Governor Kendall 70,
| position on the board of parole. He
| is banker and we'll known political
leader in northern Iowa.
Very few OF the recommendation
made by Governor Kendall in his mes
sage to the legislature were carried
! out. Agitation for consolidation Of
state offices and departments came
to nothing, and only one attempt was
made along this line, this being the
Holdoegel bill to consolidate the
board of parole and the board Of con
troll.