The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1902-04-29
The New Law Passed by the Gen.
eral Assembly Insures Thou
sands of Miles Annually.
GOES INTO EFFECT IN APRIL, 1903.
Important Decision Concerning Re-
missions to Be Named-Bills That
Failed to Pass-State Institutions
-Other Notes of Interest.
Especial Correspondence.l

important measure passed by the re-
cent general assembly, does not go into
effect until April, 1908. 1t provides
that the township trustees in each
township in the state, at their meet
ing in April, 1908, shall consolidate the
road districts into a township road
district, which consolidati ton shall ap-
ply also to the road funds. The trus-
tees then become the sole authority;
they may order and direct the eNpendi-
ture of road funds, may contract for
the work on the roads, may appoint
township superintendent for the
work, but may not incur Indebtedness.
The four-mill road tax must be collect
ed in cash and paid to the county treas
urer as other taxes, the treasurer re-
turning to the trustees three mills of
it for township expenditure. The
trustees must expend not less than IS
per cent. of the tax thus collected be-
fore July in that year. Weeds in the
roads must be cut twice year at least,
and landowners may be allowed COM
pensation for cutting them. The road
superintendent for the township, if
one is hired, shall serve one year and
at price not to exceed three dollars
a day. Two days. work for road poll
tax is required as formerly. This, in
substance, is the new law relating to
roads, which means the making Of
thousands of miles of good roads in
Iowa, annually. after next year.
The supreme court has handed down
a far-reaching opinion on the ques-
ton of the contributory negligence
of children. 1t is held by the court
that children cannot be expected to
exercise that care and diligence which
does not, naturally, go with their age.
The degree of responsibility must be
determined by their age. Thus, in case
of trespass, for instance, they may
still recover damages for injury if dan
gerous machinery is not properly pro-
tected. The decision was made in a
case from Musca tine in which child
who had been injured in playing about
railroad turntable, sued for dam
ages. The court held that the turn
table was not properly fastened and
secured by the railroad company, and
although the child was trespassing on
the railroad property, yet it could re-
cover damages for the injury because
the law cannot presume the child to
have had sufficient knowledge to con-
tribute by its negligence to its own
injury. This is new and important
rule in Iowa jurisprudence. The opin-
ion in which it was embodied was writ
ten by Judge S. NJ. Weaver, and was
the longest opinion ever handed down
by the Iowa supreme court except in
the prohibitory amendment case in
1888, when Judge Day wrote an opin-
ion of more than 100 pages, Judge Beck
writing dissenting opinion of equal
length.
New Commissions.
Gov. Cummins has the appointment
of several new commissions, under
laws passed by the recent general as
sembly. The most important of these
are the commission to superinte tend the
completion, repair and decoration of
the capitol building, for which $4,000
was appropriated for expenditure
within four years; the commission to
manage the Iowa part of the ST. Louis
exposition, for which $125,OO0 was APP
propriated; and the commissions on
the erection of monuments to Iowa
soldiers at Vicksburg and the battles
of Chattanooga, for which $150O0O and
$35000, respectively, were appropri-
ated. Scores of names have been men
toned for all of the places. The CAPT
tol commission will consist of three
members; the st. Louis commission
will consist of 10 members, and sec
rotary to manage the business, and
the soldiers monument commissions
will be made up of representatives. of
each of the army organizations from
this state engaged at the siege and
battles.
Bills That Failed.
A large number of the most impor-
tant bills introduced in the legisla-
ture failed to get through. Among
these were:
The valued policy law.
The two-cent passenger railroad fare
bill.
Prohibiting the giving of passes by rail-
roads and the taking of passes by pub
lie officials and delegates to political con-
ventions.
The constitutional amendment for the
removal of the state university from
Iowa City.
To remove the circle from the official
ballot.
To create board of control to manage
the state educational institutions.
To abolish the tax ferrets.
The resolution indorsing the Hoar bill
in the United States congress and which
Is intended to restrict the issuance of in
functions against strikers.
The bill for the enactment of a stand
ard fire insurance policy.
The bill to create state commission
of optometery; that is, to govern the
sellers of eye glasses.
To erect additional normal schools.
To create d BARRIERS commission.
To enact the Torrens system of land
title registration.
To create an insurance department
Woman suffrage constitutional amend
ment.
To regulate primary elections.
To require loaves Of bread to weigh one
pound.
Requiring the assessment of railroad
property on basis Of the value of their