The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1902-02-27
RAILWAY TAX STATUTE
SUBCOMMITTEE PLAN BASED UP.
ON STOCKS AND BONDS.
Claim is Made That if Passed it Will
Materially Add to Revenue of
State From RAILWAYS,

State From Railways.
Des Moines, Feb. 20.-The senate
subcommittee appointed to draft. re-
form measure covering railroad tax
alton in Iowa completed it's work yes
terday and submitted it's report to the
senate ways and means committee as
a whole. The report embodies short
statement by the committee and the
draft of the two bills, one supplement
al to the other, embodying changes in
the present method of railroad taxa
ton in the state.
The bills as drawn by the sub-com-
mittee are not sensational in character,
although they cover the subject in
way which is believed will bring about
not only a more equitable system of
taxation of the railroads in Iowa, but
will also increase the revenue from
this source materially.
The senate subcommittee consists
of Senators Junkin, Healy, Lewis and
Porter. Much interest centered about
this report and information pertain
ing thereto was eagerly sought by the
members as soon as it was known
that it had been made public.
The@main bill embodies the stocks
and bonds test of valuations, allowing
discretion to be exercised by the eX-
ecutive council such as the committee
believes is necessary in order to in
sure the constitutionality of the mea-
sure. The other bill provides for the
appointment of a competent statisti-
clan by the governor to make an in
vestigation and report certain data
including the cost, present value and
other information respecting proper
ties assessed by the executive coun-
ell and especially pertaining to rail
road properties in the state. The first
report from this officer is to be made
by November /, 1908. and others at
such times as the governor may re-
quire.
In speaking of the measures which
were submitted to the ways and means
committee, leading member of the
today submitted by the subcommittee
on ways and means will reach the
senate, if at all, as committee bills
The full committee will go over the
bills section by section and perfect
them by means of amendments and
such alterations as to make them re-
fleet the views of the committee. In
this preparation thus far, very help
full suggestions have been made by
both Governor Cummins and Lieuten-
ant Governor Herriott. though it is
but fair to them to say that neither
has sought to influence the committee
as to any particular feature of the
bills, and to no one have the bills
been submitted before they We're fin
ally completed and copies typewriter
for the meeting OF the full committee"
COMPULSORY EDUCATION.
Dunham's Bill is Adopted by an
Enormous Majority.
Des Moines, Feb. 20.-By vote OF
81 to 9 the Durham compulsory educa-
tional bill passed the house yester-
day. The votes against the measure
do not necessarily mean personal
antagonism to compelling the attend
ance of children at schools, but rather
that the constituency of the opposing
legislators demanded that the bill not
pass because of the fear that it would
menance private or parochial institu-
tions. However, the bill has been
amended in an endeavor to meet
all such objections, and preclude the
possibility of petty tyranny or annoy
ance from over-zealous officers. The
opposition as recorded by the roll call
was as follows: Colclo, Cruikshank,
Dodds, Frudden, Hilsinger, Koontz,
Langan OF Crawford, Larrabee and
Marshall.
There were several amendments of
corrective character to the original
bill before it was put on it's passage.
Then the author spoke at some length
regarding the measure. Among other
LIZ. H. la 14L o..
that in Iowa there are between 700,-
600 and 100000 children between the
ages of and IA years affected by the
provisions of the bill. He further
stated that the number enrolled is
about 100000 and those regularly at
tending school only about 100000. He
then called attention to the fact that
the taxes paid for the support of the
school were annually about sixty per
cent of the entire amount paid in the
SO 100000. When this is taken into
consideration, said the speaker, it will
be readily seen that the people have
make good citizens of their children
by seeing that they are given an edu-
cation.
law made by Mr.. Durham, is that it
will obviate the necessity child
labor law for the reason that it gives
to the truant officers the right to visit
shops and factories and compel at
tendance at some school all employees
who come within the provisions. The
bill also provides for truant school
and the teaching of manual training
to all that can not be interested in
books.
Minnesota's Request Refused.
Washington, Feb 25.-The United
States supreme court delivered it's
opinion in the case Of Minnesota YER
sus the Northern Securities company
in application of the state to file
bill of complaint in that court. The
opinion was read by Justice Shiras and
the motion for leave to file the bill
was denied on the ground this court
was without Jurisdiction
Earths noblast thing-a woman
perfected.-Lowell.