Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-02-08

and the funds cease to be trust funds,
county must share it's portion of the
loss. Another objection is that this
law would be such change in the con-
ditions in the extent and nature of the
treasurer's liability that in case of
defalcation the bondsmen could not be
held. On the other hand, the friends
of the bill claim that the county can
be fully protected by bonds given by
the county repositories, and that a con-
siderable revenue may be derived froIa
interest on such funds. The bill passed
the senate by vote of "a to 4.
Bonus for Fairs.
Ellis have been introduced in both
houses to pay the usual state bonus of
$500 to the county and district agricul-
tural societies which were excluded
from this benefit, which they have en-
joyed for 40 years, by the new ruling of
the Encouragement and the auditor Of
state. The bill will undoubtedly be
passed, as it involves no new appropria-
ton, and the plan of extending state
aid to these societies will probably be
changed, so that in the future they will
be paid an amount equal to 40 per cent.
OF the premiums which they annually
pay, not to exceed 5000 each.
More Normal Schools.
The need of more normal schools is
strongly felt, and appropriation bills
have been introduced to provide them.
One is by Gibson, of Plymouth county,
offering to the state about $4,000
worth of buildings now used in the con-
duct of successful normal school in
I.eMars. providing that the state will
appropriate $4,000 a year to assist in
maintaining it. Another is by Hinkson,
of Guthrie county, proposing to appro-
PIRATE $4,000 and create commission
To locate four new normal schools. The
lack of funds this year may prevent any
appropriation of this kind, but the Le-
Mars plan stands the best show of sue
cess.
Interest on State Warrants.
1t is proposed 10 reduce the interest
on state warrants from six TO four per
cent, or at the most five per cent. The
credit of the state is so good that the
warrants not paid for want of funds
which may run from six months to
year can readily be marketed at four
per cent. in large sums, and some of
the members have taken the position
that the state ought 10 make this saw
ing, and let the state treasurer sell the
warrant and turn over the proceeds to
the persons entitled to the money. OBJ
jections have been raised to the plan
on the ground that it will look as if the
state debt, about $47O,0O0, was to be
continued for an indefinite period, in
stead of being paid off. which is the in
tention of the members.
Anti-ScalpinE Dill.
Railway Commissioner Davidson, who
has examined into the subject, is in ia
vor of the unti-scalping bill, which he
thinks will be advantageous to the pub
| lie as we'll as the railway companies,
because it will remove the objection
that is made to low excursion rates,
where the railway companies have
suffered severely by having tickets i'm
properly used. He thinks it would re-
suit in giving The people more favorable
rates from the railway companies, and
that under the proposed law the public
would be protected from loss of I'M
used tickets, because the railway COM
panies are compelled by the act to re-
deem them promptly.
The School Book Question.
Representative Ray, of Poweshiek
county, has introduced bill which, it
adopted, would rcvolutionize the pub
lie school system of the state and re-
quire regarding of all city and town
schools and general Encouragement.
Ii proposes to establish q commission,
consisting of the state superintendent,
labor commissioner and three others
to be appointed by the governor, to adj
vertise for bids for furnishing text
books, to be made in Iowa for use in the
public schools of the state. The bill re-
quires that the same books shall be
used in all the schools of the state,
graded and ungraded, and it fixes the
maximum prices for the books, which
will be slightly lower in some cases
than the present contract prices by
/ UI4SA DOohS dA " SOuA
and townships under the present law.
The bill provides that in determining
prices the fact that books are to be
made in Iowa shall be taken into con-
sideration, implying that it is more ex-
pensive to manufacture them in the
state, but that the advantage of assist
ing home enterprise will be sufficient
to counterbalance this extra cost. Sim
ilar bills have been introduced every
session since the present law was adopt
ed in 1890. but they have not been given
serious consideration. State Superin-
tendent sabin, after thorough inves-
tigation, reports that the present law
is working satisfactorily, and that 1t
Is the best plan in operation in any
state.
Resolutions Discouraged.
Various resolutions have been intro
duced instructingthe Iowa members of
congress how to vote on various ques-
tons, but the conservative element in
both houses has discouraged such ac-
ton. They say it is not the province of
the Iowa legislature to be taking up
these national and international ques-
lions, upon which information here
must necessarily be limited. The con-
gressmen, they say, are better prepared
to pass intelligently upon these ques.
tons, and they should not be interfered
with. The resolutions so far introduced
have been in regard to the Cuban ques-
ton, Hawaiian annexation and oppos-
Ing the pooling and anti-scalpinp bills