Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1901-12-06
NOTES FROM THE CAPITAL

NUIEo FNUm me NAFIIAk
Governor Shaw is in receipt of
letter from Ex-Governor Francis,
president OF the Louisiana Purchase
exposition, suggesting that December
20 be observed as Louisiana Purchase
Flag day. This is the anniversary
of the actual transfer of title by
France to the United States. Gov
ernor Shaw is in hearty sympathy
with the movement, and requests
that the American flag be displayed
from all public buildings, state. coun-
ty and municipal, in honor of this
historic event, which has proven to
be of such value to the world as well
as to the nation.
In the Forthcoming biennial report
of the state superintendent OF pub
lie instruction there will be an en-
phatic endorsement of the present
system of free text books, which has
been adopted in a number OF counties
in Iowa. The state superintendent,
while acknowledging that there has
been some criticism of the methods
employed in some counties by the
firms seeking to secure the adoption
of books, says the practical work
ings of the law have been satisfac-
tory. AS an argument against any
change in the present law. the SUI
perintendent cites the fact that dur
ing the present year between forty
and fifty counties have adopted or re-
adopted uniform series of books
for period of five years. and any
changes in the law would greatly en-
barrass these communities.
On recommendation of the city
physician, DR.. N. c .Schiltz. the city
council has taken action looking to
the ordering of general vaccination
i'll the city. A communication OF DR..
Schiltz was referred to the city so
Iicitor with instructions to prepare
a communication addressed to the
local board of instruction and to pre-
pare another communication adj
dressed to employers of labor in the
city. and especially to proprietors Of
large stores and factories.
Governor Shaw has offered a re-
ward of $3.50 for the apprehension of
the SLAYER cf Samuel Grafton, the
colored preacher found dead in
corn field near Ireton the middle of
last October.
An appeal case which will test the
features of the Iowa code which was
designed to circumvent the original
package theory OF the courts with
regard to interstate commerce, will
come on for admission at the next
term of the Iowa supreme court. In
the Iowa code it was sought to pre-
vent the sending into the state of
liquor in original packages by max
in" it crime to solicit orders for
liquor to be shipped into the state.
On behalf of this feature of the law
il is claimed that the solicitation
of orders is an act entirely within
the state and entirely separate from
the act of making the sale and ship
ment in another state. A number
of cases have been tried in the dis
trict courts involving the construc-
ton of this law some decided one
way and some another, but test
ease has been made of one from JEFF
ferson county in which one Hanaphy
was fined for taking orders for an
Illinois liuucr house. Judge Elchel-
berger decided that the law is con-
sti4utional, and the convicted per-
son appeals The papers have just
been finished in the case. The de-
fault relies on the we'll known prin-
ciple of non-interference with inter-
state commerce. The supreme court
has not passed on the question as
applied to this statute. The case is
of great Importance as involving one
feature of the Iowa prohibitory liq-
uor law.
State Auditor Merriam in his forth
coming biennial report makes rec
,,nmendation for the establishment
Of an insurance department. This
recommendation is one of the most
important features of the report.
An insurance commissioner. with pow
crs similar to those. conferred on
like officers in other states. is recon-
mended, in view of the fact that the
auditors office as now constituted is
overburdened.
The collection of Chinese arms Of
warfare presented by Major E. H.
Conger to Kinsman post of this city
recently, has been removed to the state
historical department. Kinsman post
has loaned the collection to the state
museum with the intention of donat-
ing it permanently to the state.
QUEEN FORGlvEs HENRY.
Efforts to Gloss Over Trouble in Hollands
Royal Family.
Amsterdam, Dec. Gin view, of
allaying public indignatif and ex-
element semi-official limitations
have been circulated to the effect that
Queen Wilhelmina has forgiven her
husband, Prince Henry of the Neither
lands, the suggestion being that the
public ought to follow suit.
Since Prince Henry returned to
Het Loo the queen and he have been
dining together and gradually resum-