Omaha daily bee., 1894-02-05
Iowa's Solons Find Themselves Almost
Exactly Where They Started.
SENATORS ARE NOT INCLINED TO WORK
Sentiment Seems to Prevail In Favor of
Taking Things Easy - House Is
Busy Rushing the Grist OF
Bills Through.

AIT VI OHt III " ktltldl lAiBb AAhNN bhh'
measure, which simply exempts registered
pharmacists from jury duty, consumed the
greater part of three days in the senate, and
after being defeated, was reconsidered and
efforts made to include bankers, farmers and
other classes, but the bill finally passed as it
came from the house. The senate immedi-
ately thereafter adjourned till Monday after
noon,
There is an evident disposition on the
part OF a majority of the senate to take
matters easy and do nothing with haste
or precipitation. Some are uncharitable
enough to infer that a few at least of the
senators do not really desire to meet the
grave public questions that are being
forced upon the attention of the legislature,
and hope to escape from giving these mat
ters due consideration by pleading lack
of time" However this may be, 1t is
quite certain that the senate is making
extremely slow progress in general work, and
the more important measures now pending
before that body remain untouched. For in
stance, the bill so carefully prepared by the
revenue commission to revise taxation, which
is of special interest to all the taxpayers of
the state, has not received the slightest at
tention beyond a mere informal considera-
tion of the first section by the ways and
means committee. In order to get this
measure fairly before the general assembly
and allow sufficient time to fully discuss
every feature, the legislature two years ago
adopted a resolution requiring a copy of
the recommendations of the revenue
commission to be mailed to every member
of the legislature in advance. This was done
to give them an opportunity to study it's pro-
visions at their leisure. 1t would seem,
therefore, that if the revenue laws are not
revised that the usual plea of lack of line"
will hardly avail with the people.
The lower house has made very commend
able progress in legislation. Every motion
to adjourn over" has been voted down, and
six full days work every week is the order
of the day. The bulk of the bills have been
handed in and the committe work is well
under way. Considerable progress has also
been made on the routine work of the cal
endar.
LIQUOR QUESTION STILL PENDS.
No progress whatever has been made
during the week in solving the liquor prob
lem beyond the informal discussion in COM
mittee rooms and the Introduction of a
number OF new bills on the subject by re-
publIcans. No test vote has been taken in
committee and no time fixed for a report on
the measures to the house.
The democrats have carefully prepared a
high license bill with local option features
and introduced it in both houses. The bill
allows the free manufacture and sale of
wine made from grapes or fruit produced on
the lands of the manufacturer and sold In
quantities of not less than one gallon. The
license fee varies from $500 to $1,000, 1900
of which shall go into the county treasury
and the balance to the municipality. A pc
tition signed by two-ffths of the legal voters
is necessary to call an election, which can
not be held oftener than once in two years.
1t is a foregone conclusion that this bill will
not pass.
While no definite action has been taken
it is clearly evident that the sentiment
among republicans is crystalizing in favor
of a mulct tax, the main difference being
whether the bill shall be merely an "addi-
tional penalty" to those already existing or
contain a provision that the payment Of
the mulct tax shall constitute a defense
against further proceedings under the law
against illegal selling. A strong delegation
of the liberal element Is coming here early
In the week from all the principal cities of
the state and every effort will be made to
induce the republicans to reach some agree
ment.
The house committee on highways has
turned a cold shoulder toward all bills pro-
viding for the issuance of bonds and for
special state taxes to improve the public
roads. The bill on this subject that is meet
ing the most favor was introduced by Jester
of Greene, and provides for the payment of
all road taxes in cash. for the election of a
supervisor by each civil township and placing
the whole matter under the control of the
trustees. Further amendments will likely be
added before the measure IL reported back
from the committee.
The house has passed by a unanimous
vote the Dawson bill, providing for the ex-
termination of the Russian thistle or salt
wort. The bill requires all land owners
to cut and destroy all thistles between the
LIST and 10th days of September of each
year, and should they fail to do so when no.
tilted by any person in writing of the pres
ence of the noxious weed, the failure be-
comes a misdemeanor, and is punished ac-
cOrdingly. 1t is also made the duty of any
person knowing of the existence OF any
thistles to give notice to the owner of the
land of this fact, and, unless
destroyed by the 10th of Sep
TENDER, to also give notice
to the board Of township trustees, who, be-
fore the 18th day of the month, shall cause
the same to be cut and burned, and the ex-
pense of the same shall be levied as a spe-
cial tax against the land. The professor OF
agriculture in the State Agricultural college
is also required to prepare a bulletin, CIV
ing a description and illustration of the
plant, with best methods for its destruction,
and distribute them among the farmers at
the expense of the state, In discussing the
bill, 1t was stated that If the thistles once
got u good foothold they would literally
take the land, and are so hard and thorny
that horses cannot be driven through them
without serious injury.
MISCELLANEOUS BILLS.
The house committee on insurance has APP
proved the bill introduced by Finch requlr-
ing settlement for losses to be made within
thirty days. instead of ninety. which is now
the rule; a majority of the committee will
also favor the Wyckoff valued policy bill
in a modified form. There is in the senate
only one insurance bill, and that is of minor
Importance.
There is an evident disposition in both
houses to modify the school laws to some
extent. Bills are pending to authorize
the infection of corporal punishment; to
require compulsory attendance of all
pupils between s and 10; to provide free
text books and free clothes TO INDECENT
children, and to authorize local school
boards to appoint an agent to furnish books
to the pupils. The corporal punishment bill
has been for indefinite post
ponement.
The legislature is being overwhelmed
with petitions, apparently gotten up
by concert. asking an appropri-
alton of S25, 900 TO lift the state fair
management out of the slough of
despond" into which 1t has been plunged.
AS the state generously purchased the
grounds and made a liberal appropriation
for buildings with the express understand
ing that no further demands should be made
upon the public revenues by this association,
the feeling in the legislature is not at all
friendly to this scheme.
The committee on agriculture is still
wrestling with the bills to prevent the col