The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1864-02-29

Matters In tho General Assembly
DEs MoISEs, Feb. "a.
DEAR GATE: Mr.. Woolson, of Henry
to-day presented to the Senate an elabo
rate report from the special committee OF
the Des No;nes River Lands. in favor o
resuming the railroad land grants. The
report is an able one and gives evidence
of much labor and research in its prepa
ration and Of thorough examination o.
the whole subject. The bill accompany
ing the report provides for resuming the
railroad grants and for regranting to the
railroad companies all except the Des
Moines River Lands, but it does not pro-
tect the title of the old Des Hoines River
Company. Mr.. Henderson will to-morow Y
present minority report.
The Senate also passed to-day an &C,
to increase the duties and compensation
of County Superintendents of Schools
This bill has been carefully prepared BY
Senator Saunders of Scott county. and il
intended to and will make the Superin-
tendent's Office a live one, and in my
judgment It viii tend greatly to increase
the efficiency Of our school system.
Several bills are pending looking to the
better protection of the school fund. The
plan heretofore adopted Of distributing it
among the counties, TO be loaned out BY
the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors, has
worked badly and many losses have been
suffered. 1t will probably be invested in
U. S. bonds, thereby assisting Uncle
Sam, and securing the interest beyond
peradventure.
Both Houses have passed an act for the
benefit of public libraries, which is Of in
terest to the Keokuk Library Association.
1t gives to each public library in the State
one copy of all public documents which
may be at any time in the hands of any
State officer for distribution.
The House to-day discussed bill for
the appointment of sanitary agents. The
animus OF this bill is seen in the fact that
it repeals the act BY which Mrs. Annie
Wittenmeyer was appointed, and thus vir-
tually proposes to withdraw the endorse
ment which the State gave TO her By the
passage of that act. This bill will never
become law, Notwithstanding the extra
ordinary efforts being put forth by some
gentlemen to carry it through.
The bill to increase the compensation
Of the Clerk Of the District Court of Lee
county has passed the Senate, and will
pass the House. 1t is made necessary by
your having two county seats and two
clerks Offices, in consequence Of which
two clerks and two deputies are employed
almost the entire year. The compensa-
ton is increased to three thousand dol
lars, in fees, including the sum paid to
deputies.
An effort was made in the Senate to-
day to add two friends of . license law to
the committee upon that subject. The
motion was voted down by large major
ity, thus showing that there is no prob
ability of the passage of any license law
at this session. 1t Was said in debate
that the present Law is enforced well in
many of the interior counties.
Senator Stubbs. of Jefferson, from the
Committee to visit the Penitentiary, has
submitted a report. recommending the
abandonment of the plan heretofore adopt
ed for the completion of the building and
submitting q new plan on less magni6-
cent scale, by which the building can be
finished for about $4,000. 1t would re-
quire some 100000 to complete it &C
cording to the original plan.
The Union Convention on the 22d was
large, harmonious, and in every way sue
cessful. Yours, OCCASIONAL.