The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1870-04-07
From "A Special Correspond
eht.

DEAR COURIER;
Nature is herself
once more "Old Sol' with o clear
genial face, smiles down upon Iowa's
Capitol City, and much to the de-
light Of tho denizens thereof, has
changed the gloomy aspect to bright
ness and beauty, and promises in q
few days more to put an ond to the
almost fathomless mud which has
90 10 ng disfgured the face Of moth
er earth, making locomotion difficult
distasteful, and disastrous, particu.
larry to the subjects of amendment,
which by the action Of the present
General Assembly it is confidently
expected will in a few years more be
turned loose in 1owa's garden Of
| Eden TO cat the forbidden fruit Of
politics.
The days ct the present Legisla.
ture are well nigh numbered. Its
work whether well or poorly done is
passing into history. The members
will soon vacate their seats and re.
turn to their constituents, we trust to
receive the welcome plaudit, "well
done, good and faithful servants
The investigating committee which
it is stated, will submit their report
on Monday morning will, it is be.
lieved, fail to disclose any proof that
a single member Of the Thirteenth
General Assembly has pocketed his
"thirty pieces Of silver" as the price
for betraying his constituents; but
this is not saying that it was be-
cause of want of an opportunity
As the end draws near and mem
bers with the sagacity and
wisdom, characteristic Of pro
found legislative ability, pro
coed to draw their last rations o.
postage stamps, and pack theil
trunks with dirty duds, documents
and stationery, the people may wei
spend few moments in SUMMARY
ing the work accomplished during
the three months, and over, which
havo cost the State not less thar
500 per day. The measures o
general Importance, in a summary o
this character, will be found to occu
py a small space in comparison will
the acts of q purely local or legaliz
ing nature.
| The question of railroad taxa
ton still "hangs fire." the Hous'
have refused 10 concur in the Senat
amendments to the Russell bill.
The following is the Section strick
On out of the House bill:
"The Treasurer Of State shall lev,
on said gross receipts tax of on
per centum per annuln, when the,
do not exceed the sum Of 81 900 pc
mile, and when such receipts excee'
| $4,000, but do no. exceed $4,000,
tax of two per centum per annum
and when such receipts exceed th
sum of $4,000 per mile, tax Of tire
per centum per annum upon its entir
receipts"
j Instead Of tho above the Scnat
amended as follows:
"The State Treasurer shall levy OF
said gross receipts tax as follows
On the first SO, 1000, or part thereof
per mile, one per centum, and on re
ceipts of over So, 900 and under$6, OOO
per mile, two per centum, and on tn
exc, j of receipts, over $4,000, pc
mil three per centum."
| Ii is feared by the friends Of tn
railroads, and hoped by their enemies
that tho Senate will be compelled II
choose between coming to the Hous
terms, or permitting the taxation o
railroad property to remain as nov
fixed, in which case it is believes
that a number ofSenators DESTROYS o
being reasonable as to the amount O
tax, yet at the same time strongly il
favor of at least the increase fixed By
the Senate amendments, will yiel,
the point in preference to allowin,
railroad taxation to remain at it
present rates for the coming tw,
years. The Bill providing for tn,
purchase of G.. Green's reports i
swamped in the House. 1t carriet
on Engrossment, but lacks vote
sufficient to cake it up for passage on
of its regular order, and in no othe,
way can it be reached during tn,
present session.
| In the Senate, besides the usua
number of unimportant local bill
that have been passed within two o.
three days past, were also the follow
ing Bills: Making appropriations fol
the Asylum for the insane, at Mt
Pleasant, and for the Deaf and Dumb
at Council Bluffs. Also bill author
izing cities to erect toll bridges, ant
one to enable townships, incorporated
cities and towns, to aid in the con
struction OF railroads. i.
| The especial orders" in the Sen
ate will be on Monday tho considera
ton of a bill the provisions of which
are quite lengthy, and which seeks
in a well guarded way to enable tn.
widows ofsoldiers who are competen,
to have the care oftheir children t.
remove them from the "Homes'' ant
draw from portion of the amount
now paid the "Homes" for their sup
port. This righteous measure, l re
greet TO say, has not sufficient sup
porters to justify the faintest hope
for it's passage.
On Tuesday tho Tete Des Morris
land grant bills will be considered
The indications are that combinati or
of companies seeking each to get q
small slice will fail in their attempt
to divert the land from the original
purpose for which it was granted.
On Wednesday the bill making an
appropriation for the Agricultural
College comes up as special order.
The managers Of that institution will
undoubtedly receive rigid over.
hauling before the bill runs the
gauntlet of both Houses. II.
HASH.