Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1897-12-09

on the certificate plan, insuring lib
eral attendance from outside the city.
Insurance Men object.
The fire and life and the life assess
ment insurance men of the state have
raised question as to the meaning
of the new law in regard to taxing
their gross receipts one per cent, and
the auditor will probably obtain an
opinion from the attorney-ge general in
regard to the matter. The insurance
men claim that as the new law went
| into effect on October / the one per
cent. tax on their gross receipts is to
be taken from that date and for the
remainder of the year 1897. The au
| ditor thinks different, and rules that
the tax will be collected on the re-
ceipts for the entire year.
Engineers to Meet.
The Iowa Engineering society will
hold its tenth annual meeting in Cedar
Rapids on January 10. At this meet
ing papers will be read and discussed
on various topics and branches con-
nected with the practical part of the
civil engineers work. The officers ex-
| pect a good attendance of engineers
and others from all parts of the state.
The purpose of the society is the mu-
tual improvement of its members, both
along the line of better work and in
the social matter of being acquainted
with the profession at large, and while
its members are directly benefited by
being members, yet the organization
is not founded for pecuniary profit.
Many Want Places.
Joseph McGarraugh, the new GUS
todian of the capitol, is daily receiv-
ing letters from every part of the
state asking him for places in the state
house as soon as he takes the place to
which Gov.-elect Shaw has appointed
him, subject to the confirmation of the
senate. He wishes it to be widely cir
culated and understood that he does
not take the position until some time
in April next. This announcement he
desires made for the reason that some
persons are already urging him to
appoint friends to places under him
for this winter, presuming that lie will
| go into office as soon as the governor,
and that he will be able to take care
of friends during the legislature.
Appointed by Mr.. Shaw.
| Gov.-elect Leslie NJ Shaw has an
nounced the appointment of Frederick
Breasted, of Ida Grove, as chief clerk
of the governors office, and Miss Har-
riet Perry, of Grinnell, as his private
stenographer. Mr.. Breasted has been
court stenographer for Judge Elwood.
Miss Perry is reappointment.
1t is going the rounds of the state
| that there will be Is oil inspectorships
to be filed by Gov.-elect Shaw. The
new law says the governor may have
the power to appoint oil inspectors as
necessary up to the number of 10. There
is nothing mandatory to compel the
appointment of 10. Nor is there any
| thing in the statute, as it is under
stood, to allot an inspector to each con-
gressional district. The matter is left
| to the discretion of the appointive
power.
| A Statute Attacked.
The state treasurer's office is agitated
over the action begun by Frank Shinn
in the federal district court at Council
Bluffs to restrain the collection by the
state of collateral inheritance tax I'M
der the new law passed by the special
session of the general assembly last
winter. Mr.. Shinn questions the con-
stitutionality of the law under the
| fourteenth amendment, which pro-
vides that "no state shall make or en-
force any law which shall abridge the
| privileges or immunities of the citi-
zens of the United States, nor shall
any state deprive any person of life,
liberty or property without due proc
ess of law, nor deny to any person
within its jurisdiction the equal pro-
lection of the law" The case, which
involves the estate of Frank Stewart,
of Carson, from the administrator Of
which the state is attempting to col
lect tax, is to be made test case.
Judge Kline to Retire.
Chief Justice l.. G. Kline will retire
from the Iowa supreme bench January
l. He has formed law partnership
in Des Moines with j. C. Hume and
Charles S. Bradshaw, and expects to GO
into active practice. He went on the
| S1Drpme benob in 1901