Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1902-03-26

IHdlly WIS tldI IL SHOULD De NOCeu upon
in all counties in November, 1902.
Since the defeat of the bill Greene has
prepared an amendment which pro-
vides the question of adoption of the
law shall not be submitted to the vot-
ers in counties except on petition of
1000 voters or 20 per cent. of the vOt-
ers in counties where that percentage
would exceed 1000.
The Sweeley bill providing that long
distance telephone systems shall be I'M
der control of the state railway COM
mission, as to their connections and
rates for joint service, has been finally
defeated. 1t was first reported out by
the house committee on telephone, tel
egraph and express without recommen-
datiOn. A further hearing was given
to the telephone interests, however,
and report for indefinite postpone
ment was made. n. T. Guernsey of
Des MOines appeared before the COM
mittee for the Bell interests on the
day the adverse report was made.
Money Question Is Serious.
The appropriations question is the
principal one that is bothering the
general assembly. A joint conference
committee on appropriations has been
appointed and it is wrestling vigorous
| ly with the financial problem. This
committee consists of Senators Garst,
Smith. Hartman Maytag and Wilson
on behalf of the senate and Represen-
tatives Hughes, Mates, Graft, Stuck
slayer and jerks. Here is the prob
lem that looms up large and Ominous
before the conference committee: APP
preparations have been practically
agreed on by the appropriations COM
mittees of $1.527, 1868. This is not in
elusive of $4,000 for the Vicksburg
monuments and $4,000 for the Look
out Mountain monument which will be
expended in the biennial period fol
lowing this period. On the other hand,
| if mill levy is made there will be
but $1,012,000 available, or in other
words unless there is some most radi-
cal pairing down of allowances there
will be a deficit at the end of this bien-
NAL period of over pJl5,000. The con-
| ference committee finds some relief in
the hope that the state will get it's
war claim of nearly half a million from
| the federal government and that in
creaSes in the returns from the collat-
eral inheritance tax and other incomes
that cannot be positively reckOned on
| will bring the state revenues up to q
| higher figure than the present esti-
mates indicates. Senator Garst, who is
the head of the state, appropriations
committee, and who is making q hard
struggle to keep the appropriations
down, has given it as his opinion that
some of the appropriations will be I'M
constitutional, in view of the provision
of the state constitution against an in
debtedness of more than $250,000.
After being subjected to persistent
urging, the senate and house commit
tees on appropriations has voted to re-
port for passage bills appropriating
$1,000 to the Benedict home at Des
Moines and 5000 each TO the woman's
and baby's home Of Sioux City and the
rescue home at Dubuque.
The bill appropriating $37, 800 for a
stock pavilion on the state fair grounds
has been reported for passage by the
house appropriations committee. 1t
was reported for passage by the senate
committee also, but against the wishes
Of its promoters was re-referred.
Crawford Assured of His Seat.
Senator Crawford of Dubuque, who,
after a hard campaign, was elected last
yy
will retain his seat. The contest
brought against him by the Democrat
ic ex-senator Nolan has ended in moth
ing. The special committee Of the SEN
ate to which the contest was referred
refused to enter on recount Of the
ballots on the ground they had not
been properly kept and there was no
assurance that they had not been tam
sei 10 = I,, ~,
tual ending of the case. Senator Bruce
of the Cass-Shelby district, who de-
feated Senator Emmert the Democrat
ic senator from that district, is now
in the unrestricted enjoyment Of his
seat. The house judiciary committee
has reported for passage the Hawk bill
providing for the appointment by the
governor Of commission Of three to
investigate the workings of the Tor
rens system of registering land titles.
If the commission finds it advisable, it
is to report bill to the Thirtieth gen.
eral assembly.
The senate has passed the bill re-
moving the discriminating tax of per
cent. against foreign insurance COM
panies 1t provides the tax on foreign
insurance companies shall be reduced
from 31a per cent. to 21a per cent of
gross premium receipts in the state,
the latter being the tax against insur-
ance companies organized in the Unit
ed States outside of Iowa.
The house recently paid rare trib-
ute to the veterans of the civil war in
passing by unanimous vote the bill APP
propriating $150,000 for the erection of
monuments to Iowa soldiers at Vicks-
burg. But $4,000 of the appropriation
is to be available this biennial period
The bill brought out the most stirring
oratory of the session, number of
members making strong addresses. TIE
senate appropriations committee has
recommended the bill.
The house has passed the Maggie bill
to prohibit under penalty the playing
of baseball on Sunday. An important
measure passed by the house is the
Clarke negotiable Instruments bill.
enacting laws uniform with the laws
Of other states on this subject and with
the decisions of the courts. but not
materially modifying the present laws
on that subject. The bill is furthered
by the American Bar association and
it's merit consists in the fact that
through codification and classification
Of the laws on negotiable Instruments
n will Droye a great convenience