The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-01-11
NOTES FROM THE CAPITAL
Dies MONIES, Jan. 9, 1900.

NOTES FROM THE CAPITAL
Dies MONIES, Jan. 9, 1900.
Frank +. Merriam, state auditor Of
Iowa, is dangerously ill at San Fran
cisco, and serious fears are entertained
for him. He left Iowa ten days ago
on business trip to the coast, and
before arriving in San Francisco
was i'll. He was soon after taken to
Mount Zion hospital in that city,
where he now is. Constant telegraph
ic communications have been kept up
and he is reported suffering from
typhoid fever. His relatives and
friends are seriously alarmed, though
he has wired for his family to remain
in Des Moines. He has, however, sent
for his family physician to come at
once.
The Ministerial Association has
given up hope of securing it's counter
saloon petition. A few canvassers are
at work, but matters are not being
pushed. At the last association meet
ing Attorney E. B. Evans was author
lied to inspect the new petition of
consent, which the Polk Directory
Company has filed with the board Of
supervisors, and to challenge any
names he found which he considered
should not be allowed. The ministers
claim there are a large number Of
names on the new consent petition
which will not stand a test.
The proposed change of the Iowa
constitution, to inaugurate system
OF biennial elections in future, is be-
ginning to attract a good deal of at
tention. There are only nine states in
the union which now hold state cleo
tons every year, and Iowa is one Of
them. Half of the state officers are
elected each year, for two-years
term and similarly with county officers.
At the last session of the legislature
Senator G.. NJ. Titus, of Muscatine, in
trod uced the Titus resolution, looking
to change in the constitution by
which all elections should be made BIZ
ennial. in the even numbered years.
Thus the necessity of elections in the
odd numbered years would be done
away with. The Titus amendment
passed the last legislature by over
whelming majorities in both houses.
- ~ nv" ONoSCo U1O COuluG StSSlOU IL
will he ready for a vote of the people
at the general election next November.
1t at that time it receives majority
of the votes cast on it, it will become
part OF the constitution If the
amendment passes there will be no
election in 1901. Those officers. either
state or county, whose terms expire
under the present law with the year
1901, will have their terms extended
one year SO that they may expire at
the close of 1902 and be succeeded by
officers elected in November, 1902.
Judge Kline, of the state board OF
control, has written descriptions of
two more county insane asylums, and
they are fully as interesting as his
previous productions along this line.
The report on Muscatine county's in
stitution indicates that it is among
the worst of its kind in the state.
lama county comes off better but it is
pretty severely criticised. The mem
bers OF the board have been criticized
for their reports of the county asylums,
it being charged by some that they
have been prejudiced against them by
reason of their desire to secure the
passage of law giving the board COM
plete charge of the insane of the state.
The members deny this absolutely and
say that they have taken special pains
to present everything in favor of the
county institutions.
The state board of railway commits
sloners met in the headquarters of the
commission at the state house and
perfected their organization for the
year of 1900. Colonel d. j. Palmer
was made chairman, Dwight Lewis
secretary, and c. L. Boylan clerk.
Judge Charles T. Granger, of ALA
makee county, after IL years service
on the supreme bench, announces that
he will not again be candidate.
Recognizing the many obligations i'm
posed in the past, he expresses his
gratitude to the people and will give
way to somebody else.
. Postmaster schooler has been
definitely instructed to begin the reg
istration of letters by letter carriers in
Des Moines January Is. This will be
in the residence portion of the city
only, and for the purpose of ascertain
ing whether the plan is practicable. If
the experiment proves q success the
service will be gradually extended over
the entire city.
Governor Shaw has offered reward
of $500 for the apprehension of the
murderers of John E. Robson, of Sioux
City, who was killed in his Office on
the evening of December 30.
DR.. Breeder, the popular pastor of
the Central Church of Christ, is i'll
with typhoid fever, and his condition
is said to be serious.
The Ministerial Alliance, at its re-
cent meeting, decided to print the
names appearing on the saloon petit
ton, giving as their reasons that they
believed the saloon men had used I'M
fair means in securing the petitions
now on file.
TOOK CoMMANCHE.
Captain Conhauser Captured and Burned
the Town.
MANILA, Jan. 8.-Advices from
Magalang, province of Pampanga, re.
port that Captain Conhauser, with
three companies of the Twenty-ffth
regiment, captured the insurgent
stronghold, Commanche, on Mount
Arayat. Three Americans were
wounded, but the enemy's loss is not
known. Three members of the Ninth