Omaha daily bee., 1902-02-06
TAXATION OF RAILROADS
Important Bill IAtroduC,d in Liss With
oummins' Views
sWAMP LANOs s1R uP DISCUSSION
state heard OF Health Takes Hold of
smallpox Situation In Des MOines
-supreme Court Decisions
FavoFs Opera Company.
(From a Sian Correspondent.l

In Iowa which has yet been introduced
made its appearance in both houses Of the
Iowa legislature this morning. The bill was
introduced into the senate by Smith and
into the house by English. The bin en-
bodies the Views of Governor Cummine in
relation to the additional information re-
quired by the State Executive council in
order to make a fair assessment Of the
railroads Of the state. The provisions Of
the bill are as follows:
For the purpose Of making reports to the
executive council the gross earnings of rail-
way companies owning or operating a line
or lines Of railway partly within this state
states or territories. or territory. upon their
line or lines within this state, shall be
sscertainsd and reported 6Y said railway
within this state shall be separately re-
ported, with the full earnings thereon.
Business originating In this state and term
mating elsewhere, business originating else
where and terminating in this state and
ing in this state, but carried or done over
the line or lines in this state, or over some
the three classes last above mentioned.
with the full earnings thereon in this
state; the earnings In this state being COM
puted upon the basis of the length OF haul
or carriage in this state as compared with
1t being hereby declared that for the pur-
sessment OF railway property FOR taxation
the gross earnings or business done or
in another state or other state or territory
or territories shall be that proportion of
the entire earnings of such business that
the haul or carriage in this state bears to
the entire haul or carriage.
The executive, council shall have the
lions with respect to the keeping OF ac-
counts by the railway companies doing
accurate division OF earnings as aforesaid
and uniformity in reporting the same to the
executive ouncil
1t is expected this bill will receive strong
support by the friends of the present state
administration and 1t will be urged in lieu
Of other bills which are being prepared
providing for more radical innovations IN
the matter OF railroad assessments.
swamp Land Settlements.
In the house this morning a resolution
was presented which stirred I'D a lively
discussion. The resolution indorses the
Lacey bill in congress for ,refunding to
states the sums received by the United
States on swamp lands granted to the
! states. but enormously sold by the land de-
partment. 1t appears that in the case OF
Iowa, after the land grant OF 1852, by which
all the swamp and overlooked land Of Iowa
vas given to the state. the surveyor general
failed to withdraw large tracts from entry
and they were disposed of. It is claimed
that in this way the state Of owl was de-
prived of nearly $500 900. which would have
been received, from the sale OF these lands.
The resolution approving the Lacey bin to
effect q settlement was presented at the re-
quest OF the entire Iowa delegation In con-
gress, all Of whom are favorable to the bill,
and 1t was desired for the moral effect 1t
/ WOnld have On con opoaapoan f-orn okAar
states in approving the bill. There was op-
position to hasty consideration Of the bill,
but 1t was read, after which the resolution
was passed.
Old Soldiers In once.
A peculiar petition was presented in the
senate by Lewis of Page county, a petition
from J. p. Kinsey and others, asking the
passage Of a bill to require that soldiers be
given a preference in appointments to pub
lie positions where their qualifications are
the same as civilian applicants, and making
It a misdemeanor. punishable by impeach-
ment of the public oficiaI violating the pro-
visions OF the law. 1t was referred to the
committee on military.
The bill for an appropriation Of $4,000
for the insane hospital at Cherokee passed
the senate. the first Of the general appro-
priation bills.
New Measures.
Among new bills introduced were: Hub
bard and Head. bill to create department at
insane hospitals for dipsomaniacs. morphine
hends and inebriates; MaPdis. for an addi-
tional Judge in the Third judicial district In
southern Iowa; Molsbery, to punish with
ten years imprisonment for advising MUIR
der; Gran, to prevent use Of trading
stamps; Durham, new bill for compulsory
education; Crossley, TO give state certin-
Gates to graduates OF the State university
and state normal schools; Tallman, to re-
quire railroad companies to post bulletins
Of arrival and departure of trains; Furry.
to make It possible to punish perjury by nne
instead OF penitentiary sentence.
A large number Of bills were reported
back from committees as follows: Bill to
tax telegraph line along the Burlington 10
the company. favorable; to legalize Dallas
county courthouse bond election. favorable;
TO amend laws relating to Aspen Grove
cemetery. favorable: to repeal law requir-
Ing teaching Of vocal music, postponed; to
give banks right to act as trustees. favor
able; abollshing days Of grace. favorable;
fixing width Of public highways at fifty feet,
instead OF sixty-six, for postponement;
raising age limit at female industrial
school, favorable; authorizing contract to
collect Iowa wal claims. favorable.
i The senate committee on ways and means
asked to give a hearing to President Mac
Lean Of the State university in favor of
the bill to increase the special tax levy to
double what 1t is now to provide a building
fund for the university, No action was
taken.
The house committee heard the Board OF
Control on appropriations for state insti-
tutions.
The house judiciary committee decided
favorably on the bill to destroy the pres
emit tax ferret Law, also the bill to reduce
interest on county warrants from 6 to 5 per
cent.
The house committee decided on recon-
mending for passage the appropriation for
the insane hospital at Cherokee.
supreme Court Decisions.
The supreme court this morning decided
a case in walch the Bcstonian Opera com-
pany won a nnal victory over a Sioux Cit,
lawyer bent on making trouble. There
were two cases arising from the baggage
man OF the Bostonians erroneOusly receiv'
ing at Denver a few years ago two trunks
owned by a commercial traveller namet
Lawrence Holmes. The trunks remained
In the private baggage car Of the compan,
J until Omaha Was reached. when one wal