Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-04-18

During the Last Week-Eirst Accom-
piishment OF Note Was the Repeal of the
Allen Street Railway Law-The New
Primary Election Law-APpropriatiOns
for Various Purposes
The forty-frst general assembly.
which came to a close at an carly
hour Saturday morning. was in session
1o1 days. beginning Jan. and ending
April Il. II was the shOrtes; session
held in a generation. 1t was also the
least boisterous session in the matter
ef political debates and party squab-
bIes. a half dozen times during the
fourteen weeks there was a show Of
trouble on account Of what the minority
claimed was a denial Of its constitu-
tionaI rights. but not for years at the
end Of q session was there prevalent
such a general feeling Of good will.
Practically all 81 the dehnitive work
was done during the last week Up to
the beginning Of that week but four
teen bills had been signed by the gov
ernor. To bring the work up to the
passage stage. however. the various
committees were obliged to put in more
hours daily and more days weekly than
had been the custom. BY their industry
81 new precedent has been established,
and il is the opinion Of the members CT
this assembly that future assemblies,
with this example before them and the
compensation the same, long or short
session. viii be able to get away from
the capital before the month Of May,
except when there is an United States
senator to elect.
Among the first accomplishments OF
note was the repeal Of the Allen street
railway law enacted in 1897. To which
many Of the members were pledged be-
fore their elecdon. Legislation on this
subject for two years. at least, goes
back TO the old horse and dummy act
OF 1874 with notifications to cover cleo
trio and cable IiEes. with the passage
Of this bill street railway legislation
ceased to Le A question.
Among the most important measures
passed are these: The Drew bill To pre-
vent the importation # armed laborers
from other states on false representa-
lions Of employers, designed to avert
such tragedies as occurred at Virden
last fall and at Pana recently; amend
ing the law relating to arbitration to
enable the state board Of arbitration to
enforce the attendance and testimony
OF witnesses and to compel obedience
to a decision where both parties to n
labor controversy join in the proceed
ings: the bill revising the laws relating
to mining, designed to secure greater
safety for miners in their work: pure
food bill to prevent the adulteration OF |
articles Of human food and providing |
for the enforcement thereof; n primary
election law applicable everywhere in |
the state except in Cook county. the bill |
10 be in force Only when adopted by /
the people Of any county. city, town or /
village: To prevent the colonization of /
voters in Chicago lodging houses just |
previous to elections: revising the medi- |
Il L.
the diploma mills and insure a high |
er standard OF education Of practicing /
physicians in Illinois; making amend
ments to the prison parole law to cor
rect defects in the practical operation
of the old law; making a revision OF the |
game laws of the state; authorizing cit
les to acquire and operate electric light |
plants for municipal and commercial
lighting: giving further protection to
union labor in the use OF it's labels.
The soldiers in the late war were
well treated in the matter of state rec
ignition Of their patriotism and in be
ing promptly given the privileges OF /
state institutions now enjoyed by vet
Grams Of the civil war, and the orphans
of these new soldiers were not forgot
ten.
The exact total Of the appropriations
made by the general assembly were not
aNalldblt NHtH inns matter was pre- |
pared. but IL is roughly estimated they |
will aggregate something like 81, 500. 600. |
over a half million Of this amount was
for expenses incurred by |
the state in its conBection with the late |
war Another half million in round |
will be devoted to the asylum |
at Peoria. AS for the other appropria-
lions for state institutions generally, |
they were cut to a lower level than
usual in order that the total might not
reach too high mark The appropria-
tion bills are now in the hands OF the |
engrcssing clerks so that all the figures
were not obtainable. but the list Of ep-
herewith given covers all |
the bills of Importance 1t will be seen
that the Lincoln million-doll monu-
ment project proposed by the Curtis
bill failed to go through and that the
assembly followed the recommendation
Of the governor and appropriated $780,
eco to repair and strengthen the pres
emit monument