Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1902-02-12
suiIding Fund for Ames.

blk was presented in the senate
by Kirkpatrick to give the Iowa State
college at Ames permanent building
fund raised by tax levy of one-fifth
mill on all the assessable property of
the state. This is to meet the demands
of the State university for an increase
in the university building tax to the
same amount.--The State college peo-.
pie are asking that their institution be.
placed on an equality with the one at
Iowa City. President MacLean of the
State, university. appeared before the
senate committee on ways and means
and made an argument in favor of the
tax levy increase. He represents that.
on account of the fires the university
is in pressing need of more buildings,
and that there is not sufficient coming
in on the one-tenth mill levy. The
university is actually in, need of build
ings now, not considering the proba-
BILE growth of the institution, costing
more than 81 100000. i'}' ' F'''
7 Lacey's Swamp Land Measure. :"
= The house Endorsed Congressman
Lacey's swamp land bill by the adop-
ltion, after spirited discussion, of a
resolution 3by Clark memorializingi
congress to- pass the measure. ! The
resolution was introduced at the re-
quest of the Iowa delegation in con-,
gress for the purpose of giving moral
gain strength for it among western
members of congress. The Lacey bill
RECEIVERS to the state of Iowa all mon.
eys received by the United States gov
eminent for sales of swamp lands
given to the state by act of congress
in 1850 and which act was made in
effective by an error on the part of the
secretary of the interior in failing TO
withdraw such lands from sale. The
senate took up the resolution and sub
stituted therefor a milder resolution
of the same tenor, which was referred
to the committee on federal relations.
Taxation of Railroads. It
A bill which is intended to assist
the executive council in ascertaining
the earnings of the railroads in the
state was introduced in the senate by
Smith and in the house by English.
The bill embodies the views of Gov
ernor Cummins in relation to the add
tional information required by the
state executive council in order to
make fair assessment of the rail
roads 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 railroad companies own
ing or operating line or lines of rail-
way partly within this state and partly
within another state or other states or
territory, upon their line or lines
within this state, shall be ascertained
and reported by said railway compan-
les as follows, towit:tl ~ s.sirl
Business originating and terminal
ing within this state shall be separate
ly reported. with the full earnings
thereon Business originating in this
state and terminating elsewhere, bust
ness originating elsewhere and termi-
mating in this state and bushes;
neither originating nor terminating In
this state, but carried or done over the
lire or lines in this state, or over some
part thereof. shall be reported, separ-
ating the three classes last above men
toned, with the full earnings thereon
in this state. the earnings in this state
being computed upon the basis of the
length of haul or carriage elsewhere,
1t being hereby declared that for the
purpose of making reports looking to
the assessment of railway property for
taxation the gross earnings or bust
ness done or carried partly within the
state and partly in another state or
territory 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 power ito prescribe such rules and
regulations with respect to the keeping
of accounts by the railway companies
doing business in this state as will in
sure the accurate division of earnings
as aforesaid and uniformity in report
ing the same to the executive council"
It is expected that this bill will re-
ceive strong support by the friends of
the present state administration, and
II will be urged in lieu of other bills
which are being prepared providing
for more radical innovations in the
matter of railroad assessments.
New Bills Proposed.
Senate Bills-Griswold, to appropri-
ate $685. 200 for the insane hospital at
Independence; Young. to require that
special charter cities shall accept the
assessments of the township assess
ors; Young. to reduce the compensa-
tion of county treasurers in collecting
town and city taxes from "a to IA per
cent; COPYRIGHT. giving farmers in
stitutes 800 each, instead of $50; Ho-
bart, to create a complete new sys-
TEN of working roads, making the
county the unit: Hopkins, to repeal
the law on teaching music in public
schools.
House Bills-Moore. increasing mill
tary appropriation from $50,200 to
$50, 900 and allowing $3.50, instead OF
$3.50 for rent of armories; Keagey