Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1900-01-17

sen, horticulture; HOPKINS, puDuc IL
braries; Lambert, fish and game, and
Arthaud, enrolled bills.
The 10 Democrats of the senate were
given four chairmanships. They are:
McIntire, engrossed bills; Lambert fish
and game; Wilson, public lands, and, En-
inert, pharmacy. None of these are
important committees, but each chair
manship carries with it the right to APP
point committee clerk. This IS all
the patronage the Democrats will Sc
cure in the senate, but it is rather more
than the usual amount.
Normal school Problem.
The wisdom of establishing additional
normal schools and their location II es-
tablished constitute complicated prob
lem, which will come early before the
legislature and is likely to inger long
before final settlement is reached.
Additional normal schools are favored
by practically all the leading educators
of the state. Governor Shaw dwelt ex-
tensively upon the subject in his an
nual message and urged the creation of
four new schools His view as TO the
number of schools needed is the popular
one at present and if adopted will give
the state with the present school at
Cedar Falls five.
In all sections of the state towns are
making efforts to secure the schools and
the contest over location may defeat tn Q
entire proposition. 1t is impossible to
give anything like a complete list of
towns which are candidates for selec-
ton. State Superintendent Barrett
| favors locating one of the schools in
! Des MONIES, but admits there is no posi-
bility OF such action. All the state
would combine against Des Moines.
Among the towns which want normal
schools are Emmetsburg, LeMars, Storm
Lake, Sheldon, Algona, Denison, Wood
bine, Harlan, Atlantic, Shenandoah,
Red Oak, Corning, Bedford, Creston,
Washington, Wapello, Columbus juno
ton and Knoxville. The people Of
Knoxville are petitioning the legislature
to abolish the industrial institution for
the blind at that town and convert the
buildings to the uses of a al school.
They show that with only 80 inmates
of the present institution the state has
100000 invested in grounds and build
ings and gives an annual appropriation
of $40, 500 for support The board of
control is disposed to favor the abolition
of the present institution, the members
admitting that it is an expensive luxury
and not a success for the purposes for
which it was established.
| Antitrust Legislation.
There is the promise of some highly
interesting anti-corporation legislation
There is talk of bill to prohibit the
giving of passes on railroads, for the use
of public officers, state, county or judic
ial, or for persons attending politica
con ventions. Indications are that sucl
bill will be presented, and if SO, it viii
occasion lively fight. Another pro
posal is to require all quasi-public cor
porations, which do business under mu
nicipal franchises, to report their affairs
to public accountant or examiner, al
least annually; the reports to show the
actual value OF properties, amounts OF
Indebtedness, stocks and bonds outstand
ing, gross and net revenues, operating
expenses, and all other information nee
essary to enable the public to determin.
the value of franchises. Such meas
ure, too, would arouse an enthusiastic
opposition, though its advocates declare
it would, and should, pass.
The friends OF Adjutant General M
FL. Byers are backing movement to
increase his salary during the period
that the Iowa troops We're in actual ser
vice. The salary of the adjutant gen.
eral at present is 81, 800 annually. Gen
eral Byers came into Office just before
the outbreak of the Spanish war. He
acted as adjutant general and also as
quartermaster general; modified and
equipped the state militia, arranged fol
their transportation and camps, looked
after the records during the time they
were in the United States army, and
since they were mustered out has been
engaged in reorganizing the guard. He
is said to be actually loser by reason OF
holding his position, because of the
heavy expenses which he was com
pelled to meet in the transaction of his
manifold duties. During the civil war
the adjutant general of the state was
paid at the full rate of his rank, that OF
brigadier general, which is $500 8
year. 1t is held that this is no more
than should be paid for the services
rendered by General Byers, and there is
no doubt that he will make strons
showing of support for the bill. The
national guardsmen are unit in sup
porting the proposal.
Introduction of Bills.
The introduction of bills is fairly be
gun in the legislature, and the girls
thus far sustains the predictions made
some time ago, that to properly handle
the business on hand would require q
hundred-day session this winter. The
institutions generally are demanding
an unusual amount of money. The
chairmen of the respective committee:
ON appropriations will have their time
fully occupied in trimming to keel
Within the revenues, despite that there
is half-million surplus in the treasury
Already bills have been introduced to
give the state university 100000 add.
tional annual. support fund, and $50, OO(
annual building fund in the form of 8
tax, for five years. The agriculture
college will demand like tax
Strenuous efforts will be made to Sc.
cure an effective anti-prize fighting
law from the present legislature. A
law was passed two years ago to pro
hibit prize fighting, but it is found to
contain so many loopholes that convic
ton under 1t is almost impossible. De
Moines is the prize fighting center o.
the state just now, although Sioux City
Dubuque and Davenport have recently
witnessed number of contests. Her,
the managers of these events have SO
little fear Of the present law that the
contests are pulled off" in the largest
theater in town and it is always filed.
4 Senator Trewin has introduced bill
to close q manifest hole in section 4,60s
n. n