Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1897-02-26

appropriation for the census depart
ment was twice too high, Mcfarland
got away with it all ana no
doubt be able to hush up all who aro~
able to expose his methods.
There were thirteen bank failures
in Iowa last year, involving liabilities
to the amount of $2,500,0O0, and yet
we are told that we have the best
banking system ever known. If this
be the best, God pity the worst.
Although it had been publicly
proven by expert accountants and
other means that the last city admin
istration of Des Moines had stolen
thousands of dollars of the peoples
money, and had in various ways been
corrupt and criminal, the grand jury,
after spending a month in a pretend
ed investigation, says it is satisfied
the corruption exists, but it couldn't
be proven. Strange how much evi.
dence is needed in some cases. Let it
be limited that some poor victim OF
the gold standard, in order to keep
his family from starving, has stolen
loaf of bread and the jury would in
dict him on any kind Of evidence.
The democrats have appointed
steering committee, presumably to
work state manufacturing senti-
ment. They claim to have consider
able gains among the republican
members, several who voted against
the measure last winter now signify
ing disposition to favor it. 1t is
claimed there are So votes in the
lower house for manufacturers law
and a growing sentiment in that di-
rection in the senate. Hayes, Baker,
Porter, Ranck and Harper compose
the steering committee.
| The law provides that the men,
bers, in a case of this kind, shall draw
all their pay at close of the session,
but the boys are trying to twist the
thing around 80 as to justify them
selves in drawing ii monthly.
The matter Of arranging basis for
taxation was settled by making it 33aa
per cent of the cash valuation, thus
making the assessments uniform in
all counties.
| The Brant bill, making special
charter cities subject to all provisions
of the mulct law, was hurried though
and the supreme court decision, just
rendered, no longer cuts any figure.
Saloons in special charter towns can
go right on doing business.
The senate has refused to grant
women any additional rights of suf-
rage. An effort was made to allow
them to vote on proposed municipal
bond issues as we'll as on school bond
issues, but the impression made on
this august body by Mother Anthony
and her fair followers seems to have
been lacking in intensity. and 1t says
to the women, thus far shalt thou
go and no further
The foot was brought to the a.ten.
ton of the committee that the treas
urers of a several state institutions
make habit of getting. hold of the
funds, loaning them out at interest
for their own benefit and often re-
fuse to pay bills. when there is plenty
of funds to pay with, because it
would deprive them OF the interest.
. But the committee refused to take
steps to abolish the practice.
i Senator Rowen says that the Ana
mosa penitentiary can be run with
$4,000 less money per annum than is
now being squandered on it. A SINH
lar state of affairs no doubt exists in
every institution and department of
the state. But will anything be done
about it? That's the question.