Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1902-11-07


a., It is purely taxing measure with
an incidental penalty. This, 1t is claim !
ed, makes. it unconstitutional and It
is attached on that ground.
May Levy Special Tax.
The sNpreme court has decided that
a city may enter into contract un-
der which it can levy a special tax for
the payment. of the cost OF erection
of a municipal water works plant, al
though the debt thus incurred, il con-
sidered a debt in the ordinary sense,
would be prohibited by the state con-
stitutiou. The constitution provides
that no municipality may incur an in
debtedness in excess of five per cent.
of Its assessed valuation. Under the
supreme court decision this applies to
ordinary debts and not to contracts
for the erection Of municipal plants.
Man lobbyist.
The woman suffragists are consider
ing the advisability of hiring a man
lobbyist to present their claims before
the next legislature. This has never
been done before. Heretofore women
have done the lobbying, but it has
been unsuccessful. Formerly Mrs.
Evelyn H. Belden was the most infu-
entail lobbyist, but she has gone to
Washington. Miss Daisy leighton, of
Shenandoah, then undertook the
work. She was in the last assembly,
but the movement there failed, also.
1t is possible that when the legis-
lature of 1904 meets man will be
asked to take charge of the work, and
to try to get through the legislature
resolution for the submission of the
woman suffrage amendment to the
constitution, to the people.
TeacherS' Wages Increased.
Reports from county superintend-
ents which the state superintendent
of schools is now receiving show that
there has been a general advance in
wages paid teachers in many of the
counties in Iowa, especially to male
teachers. There are now about 3d.
900 teachers in Iowa, of whom 1000 are
men. The proportion of men is low
because the average salaries paid have
been low. A better condition seems
now to be coming in. The average
salary for men heretofore has been
$40 month, and of women $50. This
is for nine months work. So they
receive, therefore, ON the average, for
/ years work: Men, $500; women,
$270.
Another Claim Case.
S. j. Lothrop, of Sioux City, who
was instrumental in the recovery Of n
war claim amounting to $456,0 and
which has been added to the United
States court of claims in another case
involving about $4,000, and which is
based on a claim for raid committed
| by the Indians about the time Of the
Custer massacre. Martin V. Boughton
| is the claimant. He was a cattle herder
in 1877 and lost a large number
through Indian depredations. The
question appealed is whether the In
dian war ended at the time shown by
the proclamation of the government,
OF before. If the depredations were
committed during the war Boughton
cannot recover.
New Publication.
The board of curators of the State
Historical society has decided to dis
continue the publication of the Iowa
Historical Record at Iowa City and
beginning in January the society will
issue quarterly pubIcatio to be
known as the Iowa Journal of His
tory and Politics. This will be de-
voted more to the progress Of the
state in political way, as an organ
ized community, while the Iowa An
nails, published at Des Moines by the
state historical department, of which
Hon. Charles Aldrich is the curator
will continue as the principal his
torical publication of the state.
Opened His once.
| Secretary F. r. Conway, of the St
Louis exposition commission fo1
Iowa, has established his, Offices at the
capitol building in Des' Moines, and
will proceed to take care of the bust
ness coming before the body from
this time forward. His salary is 81, SOC
q year. He has been informed that
one of tie features of the fair at st
Louis will be the establishment Of
hotels in their entirety, representing
the hotels of the different nations. Ii
former fairs inns and that sort Of
thing have been maintained in the
various villages of the different ma
tions, but never have hotels in theil
entirety been established on the ex
position grounds as they will be al
St. Louis. The plans for the Iowa ex
hibit have not yet been made.
Knew George Washington.
| Mrs. Alexander Blair, of this city
died the past week, aged SO years
She and her husband bore the distinc
ton, which no other couple in tn,
state enjoyed of having celebrated
their sdxty-eighth anniversary within
few weeks. She was born in Penn
sylvania. Six children were born t.
them. Her husbands grandfather
was we'll acquainted with George
Washington and married cousin O.
the father Of Senator Allison.
LEON BROWN.
FOURTH ANNIVERSARY.