Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-04-05
The STATE LEGISLATURE.
Important Work Accomplished in the
Twenty-Seventh General AS
sembly the Past Week.
BOARD OF CONTROL BILL is NOW AlAW
Gov. Shaw Names the Members-New
Primary Election Lnw-Increase in
House ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS for
women-Money for State Institu-
tions-Other Notes.
Especial Correspondence

| Especial Correspondence
Des Moines, Ia. March 2S.,By the
time this paper is in the hands of its
readers the Twenty general as
sembly will probably have completed
its work and adjourned. The business
| of the house was placed in the control
Of the sitting committee Saturday
morning. The committee consists
of Eaton. Klemme, Lambert, bows,
Johnston, Brighton, Prentis, Clas-
sen, Let's and Pcnick, and no bill
can be taken up without the consent
of this committee. The senate has not
lad sitting committee so far, but has
been clearing up its calendar, passing
house bills and appropriation bills. The
early settlement of the board of con-
troll question FASTENED adjournment,
which will probably occur on Thursday
or Friday of this week.
Passed Promptly.
The board of control bill passed the
house with unexpected promptness.
None but the house committee amend
ments were adopted. These amend
ments give the board of control power
to supervise the financial affairs of the
three educational institutions, state
university, state agricultural college
and state normal school. The board is
authorized to examine into all their ac-
counts and see that they are right, and
all estimates of these institutions for
the next legislature must be approved
by the board of control, and its arch
itect must make the plans for the i'm
provements that are asked for. The bill
was passed by vote of II TO 90.
The senate concurred in the amend
ments, and on the following day CThurs-
day. Gov. Shaw announced the appoint
ment of the members of the board OF
control. They are eX-Gov. William Lar
rabee, of Clermont, chairman, two-year
term; Judge L. G. Kline, of Des Moines,
democrat, four-year term, and John
Cownie, of Iowa county, six-year term.
The appointments are highly commend
ed by both the friends and the oppo-
nents ofthe system as being of such high
! character that the new law will be
| given the best possible trial. The board
formal appointment and confirmation.
The names will be sent to the senate
| about Tuesday or Wednesday and
promptly confirmed.
Primary Elections.
The bill to regulate primary elections
has passed both houses. The senate
cut out that part of the bill which APP
plies to caucuses as well as primaries.
The new law makes it an otfense pun
ishable by heavy fine or imprisonment
for man to vote in the primary of a
| party to which he does not belong, and
voting twice in the same year in oppo-
site primaries is prima facie evidence Of
violation of the law.
The People Will Decide.
The Whelan resolution, proposing an
amendment to the constitution to give
every county in the state member
of the house, has passed both houses
and having passed the last legislature,
the question will now be submitted to
the people at the next general election.
If adopted, the ratio of representation
will be fixed by dividing the total pop
ulation by the number of counties.
Every county having in addition to this
tliree-ffths of the ratio will be entitled
to one additional representative. This
will make the house consist of 100 mem
bers under the present population.
The amendment restricts the number
to 115. The proposed change is op-
posed by the representatives of the
larger counties, because they do not
want the smaller counties to have the
same representation that they have. 1t
is largely in the interest of northwest
ern Iowa, which has been showing
remarkable growth during the past ten
years, and is demanding more equit-
able representation in the legislature
than it can secure under the present
plan.
Free school Books.
An amendment to the text book law
reduces the number of voters required
on the petition for submission of the
question of adopting free school books
to vote of the people from SO Ia per
cent. to rs per cent, which it is
thought will result in more general
adoption of the plan.
Hubitunl Criminals.
The habitual criminal act has passed
both houses. 1t provides that when
persons have been three times convict
ed of certain felonies they may be sen.
fenced to the penitentiary for life, and
that certain juvenile crimes thrice COM
mitted may send the one SO convicted
to the penitentiary for three years.
Reformntory Measure.
The woman's reformatory bill has
passed the house and will doubtless
pass the senate. 1t provides that the
new department in the Anamosa peni-
Tertiary shall be used as reformato tory,
divided into two departments, known
as the reformatory division and the
penal division. The reformatory di-
vision is for the reformation of women
and girls over 16 years of age, who are
confined for some other crime than that
OF murder. They are to be instructed
morally and Intellectually and In some
regular course of labor. The warden,