Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1898-01-13

llsnIHents nave Deen opened In the state
since that time. The mulct law, allow
ing saloons to exist where consented to
by majority of the people in cities
of over 5000, 65 per cent. in counties or
so per cent. in cities having $500 and
less than 5000 population, has been gen.
orally satisfactory, and it is not likely
that any change will be made in it.
The Appropriations.
Among the appropriations that will
be asked from this legislature three
items stand out prominently: The
Cherokee hospital for the insane, $27o,-
900; the historical building, $50, 1000. and
the Omaha exposition, $4,000. The
state has already contracted to eSpend
about $1,000,000 on the Cherokee hospi-
tai, and the sum named is required to
complete it. This is regarded by many
who have examined into it as matter
of economy, as it will save the counties
in the northwestern part of the state
thousands of dollars every year now
paid for transportation of patients to
the hospitals in Independence and Cla
rinda. Besides, the building is COM
pleted, or soon will be, all but the in
side work, and if this appropriation is
not made it will have to stand that way
for more than two years. The histor
ical building received an appropriation
of So, 900 last year, and $4,000 have been
spent for site. Now it is proposed to
add $4,000 to the $4,000 that is left, in
order to make fair start at build
ing. 1t was found impossible to get
anything at all desirable for the money
available. The executive council de-
cided to wait till better appropria-
ton could be secured. The department
is now in three rooms in the state house
and has no room to grow. Many contri-
buttons of great value are promised as
soon as the building is secured. and the
feeling is very strong in favor of Civ
ing it favorable consideration, that
Iowa history may be preserved as other
states are doing. No surrounding state
is doing as little as Iowa in this direc-
ton. The Omaha exposition appropria-
ton has the least support of any of the
three, though something additional will
probably be given toward providing for
a state exhibit. The appropriation made
in 1896 was $4,000. but the commission
says it is wholly inadequate when COM
pared with what other states are doing.
The New Revenue Law.
Much anxiety is felt over the opera
ton of the new revenue law, which was
made a part of the new code adopted
by the extra session last winter. 1t
makes many radical changes, the most
important of which is to make the basis
of valuation for taxation 25 per cent. of
the actual cash value. The law here
tofore has required assessment of prop
erty at its actual cash value, but it has
never been observed. The assessed val
uation has not been the same over the
state. In some counties it went as high
as 33 1-3 or even 40 per cent, while in
most of them it was from Is to rs per
cent. The ways and means committees
wanted the valuation 33 13 per cent,
but the house would not agree to it, so
at the end of long deadlock it was
fixed at rs. No assessment has been
made under this law, and grave fears
are expressed that it will greatly re-
duce the valuation in many counties
without corresponding increase, re-
sulting in heavy decrease in revenue
without any means of remedying it aft
er the legislature has adjourned. 1t has
been suggested that the assessors may
not understand the new law at first and
will have trouble in arriving at what the
actual cash value of piece of property
is. They might take the valuation re-
turned under the old law, which is sup
posed to be actual cash value, and di-
vide it by four. Probably the executive
council which is the state board of re-
view of assessment, will be given power
to levy such a tax as may be necessary
10 raise certain sum of money, what
ever is necessary for state purposes, let
the rate be what it may. That is the
usual plan.
Will Correct Code Errors.
The new code adopted by the extra
session last winter is not without Sc
rious errors, due to the haste with
which some parts of it were consid-
cred, and the errors have caused much
inconvenience already. The legislature
this winter will try to find as many of
these as possible and correct them. To
do all these things and others which
will inevitably arise will probably re-
quire the usual length of time of a leg
islative session-that is, about 80 or 90
days.
Women Want to Vote.
The woman suffrage question is also
coming up this winter with more force
than it ever had before. The suffragists
have made an active campaign in every
county during the past summer hold
ing convention in every county seat.
They intend to make determined eff
fort for the passage of a resolution for
the submission of a constitutional
amendment to vote of the people, al
lowing women to vote on an absolute
equality with men. 1t will take three
years to accomplish this result, for an
other legislature must pass upon it be-
fore the vote is taken. The cause was
never so strong in Iowa as it is now.
F. w. BICKNELI.
SuccesSful Revival