Omaha daily bee., 1894-01-29
BACKING THE MULCT PLAN
Prohibitionists in the Iowa Legislature Favor
the Funk Bill.
LOCAL OPTION STANDS A SMALL SHOW
Committees of Both Branches Arc Now
Wen Organized Against 1.-THE
Revenue and other Laws
Will lie Revised.

Dies MONIES, Jan. 2~s.-[Special TO The
BEE. "A flood of bills on all conceivable
subjects has been pouring into both branches
of the legislature all the week. Many OF
them refer only TO some technical change in
the code in respect to changing time ard
dates of proceeding. Half n dozen ambi-
tious members have introduced bills modi-
flying the prohibitory law. Nicoll of Ida
wants to create in each town of over 1000
inhabitants Il corporation of not less than
twelve persons, in which the exclusive
right of selling Intoxicating liquors shall be
vested. He says this is the plan now in
vogue in parts of Sweden and Norway, and
claims that it has worked well wherever
tried. Morrison of Grundy proposes that
the state shall try the club house plan, and
has presented u bill to incorporate
clubs of 100 members each, authorized to
furnish liquors TO its members only.
Grow of Wapello is the author of a bill
granting the right to cities of not less than
1000 inhabitants to issue licenses for the
sale of intoXicants, under stringent regula-
tions, at a minimum fee of $1,000. Chassoll
of Plymouth has drawn up Il bill providing
for both municipal and county option, fixing
the fee ut the same limit.
In the senate, Brewer has introduced tho
Catch county option bill, which passed that
BODY TWO years ago, DlJ was ucledJeu III lHe
house. Harsh has introduced Il mulct tax
bill similar to the Funk bill, with the pro-
vtso that The payment OF the license IN
monthly installments in advance shall act
as a bar TO prosecutions under the state
law"
Funk's .Mulct' Bill.
The Funk bill, which has been perfected
by the chairman of the house committee on
suppression of intemperance with the assent
of a majority of that committee, embodies
all of the leading features of the 'mulct
PLAN" which has been fully discussed in the
public press. This bill leaves the present
prohibitOry laws intact, and simply adds as
an additional penalty Il special tax OF not
less than $500 nor more than 81 LOCO per
annum. The gist of the law is contained in
the following sections:
Section /. There shall be assessed against
any person, partnership or corporation en-
gagged Il in unluwfully selling or keeping with
intent to sell, any Intoxicating liquor, and
upon any real property within or whereon in
toXicating liquors are sold or kept with intent
to- t, sell ro m saGyy to law in I'll TINS LIST, state, an agsreo
not to exceed the, aggregate of $1,000 per
year, as may be determined from year to
TENDER meeting of each year, to be collected
in the same manner that other taxes upon said
real estate are collected except as otherwise
provided in this act.
1t is made the duty of the local assessors
to assess the tax, but should they neglect to
do so any three citizens can perform the
| uuly. Inc Dlll CONTAINS al SSDFtSS PROVISION
that the payment of the tax shall,not exempt
saloonlteepers 'from further prosecutions
under the state laws. One-half of the tax
collected shall go to the municipality and
the balance be turned into the general fund
of the county. The enforcement of this act
is especially confided to the governor, who
for this purpose may suspend any assessor,
member of the board of Supervisors or county
treasurer who fails to perform his duty.
OF tho seventeen members OF the house
committee, Messrs. Funk, Saberson, Won
Glider, Morrison. B%itterman, Morris of
Clarke, Martin. Red, Waters and Lauder
have already signitied their approval of this
bill, SO that it is morally certain To be re-
commended for passage at an early day.
The senate committee on suppression of
intemperance, after holding a series of
meetings, hasa been utterly unable to agree.
Taking advantage or this lack of u%nanimity
Senator Rowen of Wright has organized the
prohibition members of that body and
pledged them to oppose any form of license,
and practically them to the
support of the Funk bill. The only prospect,
therefore,, of any changes being made in the
prohibitory law depends on the democrats
and liberal republican element getting to-
gether and uniting upon some measure that
will meet with the approval of Governor
Jackson.
Revenues and
The revision of the revenue laws, as
recommended by the revenue commission, is
being considered by the house committee on
ways and means. Chairman Mitchell says
there is merit in the recommendations of the
commission, but the subject is so extensive
and so important that no headway can be
made at present and no conclusions reached
until late in the session. The senate has
undertaken the matter more in detail. ana IA
collateral inheritance tax and special tax on
the stock of new corporations are among the
probabilities. The foreign insurance COM
panies will fight the proposed increase in
their rate of assessment from Pa to 4 per
cent on their gross receipts.
In the matter of improving the public
highways but little heauway has been
made. A dozen bills on the subject are al
ready in the hands of the committee of agri-
culture, but no two of them seem TO be alike.
Scott county wants the right to assess u
special tax to create a fund for this purpose.
Young of Delaw0re proposes to place the
public highways under the exclusive super
vision of the county board and empower the
supervisors to levy a tax not to exceed 5
mills, and requires the poll tax of 81 for
each male between 81 and 40 to be paid in
cash. A strong protest has come uD from
the farmers against being compelled to pay
all their road taxes in money. There is also
some talk of making each civil township u
road district and provide for an overseer,
who will be required to devote his whole
time to improving the roads.
The Russian thistle bill introduced by
Mr.. Dawson in the house has been recon-
mended for passage.
The insurance companies are receiving q
good snare of ATTENTION. Bills requiring ali
fire companies to pay the full face of the
policy, and requiring settlements for losses
to be made in thirty days, are pending. The
house committee, however, does not take
kindly to insurance legislation, and all re-
s%trictlve measures affecting these interests
will be recommended for indefinite postpone
ment.
The school book question is coming up
again for consideration. EX-Speaker Mitchell
has introduced a bill for county uniformity
and for the purchase or publication of text
books by the state.
The state fair managers have asked the
legislature for an appropriation of $25, COO
TO relieve them of pressing debts.
representative Dawson has introduced
a bill dividing the state into eight normal
school districts and to establish one school
in each district on what is known as the
"Pennsylvania plan"
To head or Note Workers.
House bill No. /, introduced by Carter of
Dallas, reads as follows;
All notes taken by any peddler for the pur-
chase price in whole or In part for any pateat,
patent right, patent medicine, lightning rods,
goods, wares and merchandise, and ali notes
taken by amy insurance agent for tho
1 ----- To-. -, naV ,-AltaY - . $3.50 L