Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1902-07-22

this feature OF the law to which the
concerns object. They believe that
such a requirement. from them consti-
tute class legislation, and it is on this
basis that they are fighting the law.
To Abolish Grand Jury.
AT meeting of the county attor-
neys of Iowa in Des Moines July IS
and 20 the question of asking the COM
ing legislature to amend the law and
abolish the grand jury, which is now
a portion of the court machinery in
every county in the state, will be dis
cussed. Many Of the county attorneys
favor the abolishment of the grand
jury with its secretinquisitions and its
enormous cost. The plan proposed to
take the place of the grand jury in the
matter of returning indictments Is to
allow the county attorney to file an in
formation with transcripts OF what he
expects to prove by them and try the
accused person on this basis instead OF
on an indictment returned by the
seven members OF the grand jury. tits
argued that In this way better evil
dence could be procured, the county
attorney would not be called upon to
prosecute some Indictment which he
cannot indorse and which may be il
legal, and the expense would become
minimum. U. g. Whitney, of Wood
bury county, will deliver an address
before the county attorneys In favor
OF the proposition. d. w. Telford, OF
Mason City, il president OF the assoc
citation and John McLennan, OF Des
Noines, Is secretary.
Insane ON the Increase.
An inorease Of 1875 inmates of the in
sane hospitals Of the state has been re-
ported by the state board OF control
In statistical review Of the past year.
This rate OF increaxe is regarded by
| the board as extraordinary. 1t is not
| the plan of the board to ask the state
for additional insane hospitals, there
being one in each corner of the state,
but as more room is required the pres
| emit institutions will be enlarged.
Care of Opportunities.
| A law requiring the board of control
| to set aside ward at one or more of
| the state insene hospitals for the care
and cure Of Opportunities and those
! addicted to the excessive use of drugs
| and narcotics went into effect July 4.
The board has begun the work OF ar
ranging for the esta blishment of the
dipsomaniae yard. 1t has received
hundreds of letters of inquiry since
the law passed in the recent legis-
lature asking for information relative
to the measure. 1t gives the courts OF
the state the power to commit persons
of the kind described to the ward re-
ferred to.
Camp Abandoned.
i The national guard camp at Fonda
had to be abandoned on account of the
floods this year. Adjt. Gen. Byers
hopes that ting legislature Of 1904 will
see to it that the state owRs Hts pMp
central camp grounds, where the IA
tional guard regimental camps may be
held annually. He has recommended
this in several reports, but the legis
lature never has acted on the sugges.
ton. He now proposes that the camp
be located alongside OF the Dee
MONIES army post, GROUND TOT Hhacn
was broken the past week. This would
furnish an invaluable object lesson fol
the young soldiers. The expense II
the state would be very greatly lesi
! in the long run.
Damage to Corn.
Director Sage, of the crop service
believes that the damage to corn from
the high water, and q large quantit.
of It is irreparable, amounts now t.
more than the increased acreage
which was more than 100000 acres
The damage to the small grain ha!
been large also. The injury has beer
more on account of the inability tt
!, take care of the fields than anything
: else. The condition of the differen
crops this year and last in the frs
: week in July is given by Director Sag
rs follows