Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-04-12
The Late Legislatures Grist of New Laws
Compiled in an Abbreviated Form,
ESTABLISH DEPARTMENT. OF AGRICULTURE
Library Commission Created-other Commissions Build
ing and Loan Law and Many Others Relating to
Insurance and Corporations Educa-
tional Measures Passed

15es Moines, April s.-The twenty
Eighth general assembly, which closed
Fits sessions Friday, has enacted a
large amount of legislation of more or
less Importance. The establishment of
D department of agriculture and the
library commission is the most import
ant of it's constructive legislation,
while the building and loan law and
telephone, express and telegraph taxa
/ ton laws are perhaps the most import
ant of its general legislation. A great
number of corrections and amendments
were made to present Jaws and the
cause of education received more ;ey;s-
lafive attention from this assembly
than from any ether in many years
past. The LAWS in brief provide as fol-
lows.
Education.
Provides that when one-thrsl Of the
4 school directors of county petition an
\ election shall be called to vote on coun-
ty. uniformity Of text books. This
\ applies to the county outside of
D towns and cities. The present law re-
quires the petition of one-half Of the
directors.
Requires the retention of from to Is
rents per pupil in township and
rural school districts to be expended
by the directors under the suggestion
by the state board of educational ex-s
aminers in buying a library. Other
school districts may take advantage Of
the law.
Gives the superintendent Of schools in
counties having uniform text books the
/ custody of the books unless otherwise
ordered by the county board of educa-
ton.
Consolidates the miscellaneous por-
lion of the state library with the state
historical department; it increases the
salary of the state librarian from 81, 200
to So, 900, and the salary OF the curator
of the historical department from 81, 200
& to 81 800. 1t gives the librarian charge
/ of the library and the historical depart
ment. It gives the curator charge of
the museum, art gallery, newspapers
Ind historical periodicals. It increases
the salary of the assistant librarian
from 5000 to $1,000 year and gives him
charge of the state law library, which
remains in the state house. The act APP
propriates $4,000 for the historical coll
lection and general library, and $4,000
for the law library. The act went into
Immediate effect as to salaries. The
consolidation may be consummated by
\ the trustees any time after jan
uary 1, 1901. 1t consolidatess the
\ trustees of the two institutions, also,
/ making the board composed of the
d. supreme court, the new board of
\ trustees.
Provides that school directors may
I, fix the number Of election precincts in
4 their districts. The former law linn
tied the number to five.
Provides that the endowment fund
iJof the State Agricultural college may
be loanedsat whatever rate the trustees
may fix or are able to get. The old
law provided that the fund must
y not be loaned at less than 6 per cent.
AS result 100000 soon accumulated
IN the state treasury, as money was
bringing from 4 to per cent only.
Extends the special tax levy of one
tenth OF mill not exceeding $4,000 a
4 year for five years for the State uni
versity for building purposes.
Provides for the levy of a tax of one
tenth of mill not to exceed $55. 900
: a year for five years for the State
Agricultural college for building pur-
4 poses.
Authorizes cities and towns to ex-
tend the use of their free public Ii
braries to non-residents on the payment
of certain suitable dues to be fixed by
the trustees. This enables residents of
the country to use town libraries under
conditions.
Authorizing school corporations to
accept gifts and to administer the same
thru their proper officers in accordance
with the conditions of the gift.
Establishing a dental commission OF
4 five members whose duties are almost
identical with those of the state board
of medical examiners with respect to
their own profession. The law requires
dentists to secure a state certificate
4 to authorize them to practice dentistry
provides that they must be graduates
of a dental school and hold diploma
and organizes the profession on the
same protective basis as the medical
Z profession. The rights of dentists al.
ready practicing are protected by this
act.
y Comforting authority upon the super
intendent of public instruction to print
and circulate circulars, pamphlets and
ot,er matter which in his Judgment
will be of value to the public schools
of the state, including the uniform
high school courses OF study reported
by the State Teachers association.
The bill also increases the expense ac.
count, annually, 5000.
Authorizing Illustrations to be in
serted in the report OF the Academy of
Sciences.
Appropriating $4,000 to complete the
classification and cataloging of the
state library.
Requiring all candidates for state
certificates to pass examination
whether graduates Of the State Normal
school or not.
Increasing the salary Of assistants