Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1891-01-29
FROM THE STATE CAPITAL.

JEFFERSON CITY, Jan. "a, 1891.
Ed. Register-The hopper is filing
up very fast and the mill continues to
grind, but as yet very little has been
done for the people of the State. Near
ly three hundred bills have been in
troduced in the House alone and refer
red to the various standing commit
tees So far only two of these bills
have been ordered to engrossment.
Many of them have been acted upon
and reported adversely, which, using
the language of a legislator, sends
them to the "bone yard" where they
slumber in peace. Two new commit
tees have been formed, viz: "SchOol
Text Books and "Apportionment."
The duties of the former will be to
consider the great numbe of bills re-
lating to the publication OF school
books by the State, while the duties
of the latter will be to draft and re-
port bill changing the judicial, sena-
torial and, probably, the congressional
districts. AS regards the school book
gu stion. it is a very difficult one to
settle. None of the bills are exactly
alike. Every member has some idea
which he contends is the best. Hon.
w. E. Coleman, State Superintend-
ent of Public Schools, in his last re-
port openly opposes state adoption.
He says it is not the necessary cost of
text books that has caused this bur-
den to patrons. but the unnecessary
changes. He further claims that these
evils can be remedied by our present
law which plainly says, among other
things, that the school board shall des-
ignatA the text books to be used in the
school Whenever this is done (the
adoption of books to be used in the
schooI Mr.. c. says that the teacher
or school board clerk can order for any
individual or class of pupils direct
from the publishers and thereby en-
able the pupils to procure their books
about 80 per cent. cheaper. Governor
Francis, in his recent message, urges
the General Assembly to give the peo-
pie relief, but cautions US to consider
the matter very carefully before we
enact any law. The people through
out the State are appealing to their
senators and representatives and ask
ing them to enact law providing for
the publication and distribution of
books at the expense of the State. AS
I have already said this knotty prob
lem to solve. Something will I'M
dou btedly be done during the present
session. 1 am ready and willing to do
all l can, but I confess that [ do not
know what is best.
The amount of work for the APP
portionment Committee will depend
somewhat upon the action of Congress.
If the Frank bill, which is now
pending in the Z. S. Senate, should
become law Missouri will be entitled
to one additional congressman, hence
it will become necessary to redistrict
the State. The senatorial and judicial
districts will also be changed.
Next week the House will pass a
bill appropriating the sum of one mil
lion, two hundred and fifty thousand
dollars for the State Sinking Fund, to
be used in the redemption and pur-
chase of State bonds that will become
due during the years of 1891 and 1892.
There will also be another bill appro-
priating something more than a mill
lion dollars for the payment of all in
terest upon the bonded debt of the
State that may became due during the
years of 1891 and 1892.