The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1876-02-10
FROM DIES MONIES.
Tae Capital Cily--Taxes, Toll
Bridges and Transient OppOr-
tumilies The Legislature -
Bills Passed, Bills Likely TO be
Passed and Others Likely To be
Passed over.

Special CORRESPONDENCE OF the Advertiser.
Dcs MONIES has. the external ap
pearance of being dull; people her'
talk about hard times. would
Judge from the general outlook tina
too much dependence was placed oil
the fact that this is the State Capital
Three bridges connect the east witt
the west side of the city, but the,
charge toll for all teams crossing, anc
that in itself must be quite tax OF
the business men Of either side. The
taxes this year are an even five pei
cent, and they have been within the
past four years as high as nine. Thi;
is not favorable to the rapid growth
o. the place.
Every other year, however, bring:
Des Moines new population for a
iime-the Legislature, composed Of
80 members, many Of whom are ac-
compsnied by their families, and the
attendant third house, composed Of
one-half as many more, is certainly OF
substantial benefit to the city. Most
81 the money paid to the legislators,
clerks, deputies and the attendants
on either house is in fact spent here,
consequently Des Moines is now re-
c,iving benefit. Then the lectur-
ers, readers, manager. Of concerts,
and amssements generally, make it
their business to visit the place dur
ing the session. Last week Mrs.
Pollard Kate Harrington recited
her Centennial Poem in the Hall Of
the House of Representatives. The
admission was free, but all were
asked to subscribe 10 her book OF
poems now in press. The Centen-
nal Poem was pronounced by critics
generally to be & good thing, and
those who differed from the general
opinion, realizing that it is much
eeejc. &c criticize centennial poem
than to write one, said little about it.
Hrs. Frances Carter also gave read
iag. She is an Eastern lady who
came very highly commended, and
OF the merits Of whose entertainment
there is a great diversity of opinion.
Tuesday night comes Helen Potter,
and Wednesday night Henry Clay
Dean on the "Old Senate" From
this you may know that Dcs Moines
is moi suffering for amusements.
The work Of the Legislature is pro-
crossing slowly. The old members
who at the beginning of the session
predicted that by March 1st all would
be at home have now fixed March
10Th as the time, while occasionally
we hear some experienced one saving
that "if they get through by April
1st they will do WELL" In the House
business moves much more slowly
than in the Senate. They have now
before them about 800 bills, the
greater part of them suggesting
amendments to and changes in our
present law. If they all become
laws the code of 1873 will be new if
not beautiful. But there is no dan
ger of the State suffering such a
calamity. A great part Of the legis-
lstion proposed is extremely imprac-
ticable, and the bills will die in the
committee rooms. 1t is astonishing
10 any practical mind to hear the wild
propositions submitted by members
touching Legislation. 1t seems some
times as though the mos. useful
member would be the one who sat in
his seat and voted invariably no"
The House has spent most Of the
past week in the discussion of the
additional penitentiary at Anamosa.
Il is proposed hereafter to have the
Warden elected by the Legislature,
the same as Warden Of Fl. Madison.
The most important bills which
have passed the Senate are the fol-
lowing: That increasing the number
Of Supreme Judges to five; that Civ
ing Judges Of District Court s?5eo
PER annum instead Of $4,000, the
present salary; that allowing county
Treasurers commission on the
amounts collected, but limiting the
amount to be received TO $500
nder this act, however, If it passes
the House and becomes law, the
Treasurers Of all the larger counties
will receive $500 per snnum FOR
their services. Then there is the
three card monte bill, which proposes
severe penalties by fine and imptis
onment in the penitentiary for all
found engaged i'll this infamous bust.
ness; and the noxlous weed bill.
which provides that all owners oil
land adjoining highways shall NOV
down the weeds before they go to
The big things are all yet to come.
One Of the proposed changes, which
is generally well received, is the es-
Enlistment Of a State Board of
Charities, whose duties it will be to
have a general supervision over all
the State institutions-to visit them
frequently and be able to report to
the Legislature from time to time the
actual condition and actual needs Of
each Of them. One Of the most per-
picking duties Of legislation is to de-
termine how the States money is to