The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1902-02-14
RAILROADS 70 THE FRONT
Legislation Concerning Them Is of
More Interest Than Any Other
Before the Legislature.
SUBJECT ALWAYS CREATES EXCITEMENT
state Fair Management Wants a Pa
vilion for Stock Show-Measure to
Legnlize Transfers of Title =
Changes in Salaries of Officials
Proposed-Other Notes.
Especial Correspondence

Especial Correspondence
Des Moines, Ia, Feb. 10.-A deeper
and more general interest is felt in
the subject of railroad legislation than
an any other with which the present
legislature will have to deal. Owing
to the prominence which the railroad
taxation question assumed in recent
political campaigns the mention of
the subject in the legislative halls at
once creates furry of excitement or
interest. The first time it was brought
forward was when Chairman L. D..
Healy, of the judiciary committee,
moved in the ways and means commit
tee of the senate that subcommittee
to investigate the railroad taxation
question be appointed. Chairman j..
NJ. Junkin was made chairman of the
subcommittee and Senators Healey,
T.. W. Lewis and Claude Porter were
appointed upon it. This committee
is holding frequent meetings to dis
cuss the subject. The second time
that the attention of the legislators
was called to the railroad situation
was when Senator E. II. Hubbard
introduced bill authorizing Iowa rail-
road corporations to own stock in
other railroads in other states. This is
measure designed to legalize the So
called merger of the Burlington
railroad with the Northern Pacific
properties in Wyoming and other
western states. The Burlington is
an Iowa corporation and the law does
not give it authority to own stock in
other roads in other states, except
those adjacent to Iowa. The third
time that the railroad question was
brought forward was when Senator
J. A. Smith and Representative Emory
English introduced a bill requiring the
railroads doing business in Iowa to
keep uniform accounts and report de-
tails and net earnings on each ship
ment to the executive council, to en-
able it to tax intelligently. This bill
has the sanction of Gov. Cummins.
Wants n Pavilion.
The management of the state fair
mas asked the legislature to approprl-
ate $4,000 for the erection of stock
show and stock sale pavilion on the
fair grounds in Des Moines. Plans for
"a permanent and fre-proof structure
have been made. The building will
have show ring 200 by 17a feet in size
and three herds and all horses shown
to a halter can be shown in it at once.
1t will seat $500 people. 1t will be SO
enclosed that it can be heated and used
for sales in the winter. The principal
argument used by the directors of the
fair to the legislature is that the cree
ton of the building will result in the
holding of stock sales in Iowa, which
are now held in Chicago, Kansas City,
Minneapolis and Omaha, to which
Iowa stock men ship their animals,
and from which Iowa buyers ship back
into Iowa so per cent. of the stock
sent from this state to the outside
shows. The state fair management
has decided not to mine the coal under
the fair grounds at present. 1t has
decided to give finer night attractions
during the fair the last week of Aug
ust this year than have ever been at
tempted.
To Destroy Liquor.
II. H. Abrams, who has charge of the
campaign for temperance legislation,
will ask for change in the law so
that officers who arrest persons for
The illegal sale of liquor can seize
their contraband goods and destroy
them without warrant of search and
trial. He proposes that the illegal
liquor business be placed on the same
basis as illegal fishing, the law now
providing that illegal fishing utensils
can be seized where found and de-
stroyed without warrant. Mr.. A. Il.
Flickinger, of Fonda, has proposed a
change in the mulct law relating to
liquor traffic in Iowa, to require sa-
loon men to renew their petitions of
consent every five years. This propo-
sition will be fought bitterly by the Ii
quor interests.
Appropriation Bill Passed.
The first large appropriation bill
passed by the legislature was for
$13s,ooo for completing the Cherokee
insane hospital. The board of control
hopes to occupy the institution with
500 patients transferred from the
oUnef nOSplIalS, Wnlcn are crowded.
on or before July 1.
Ask an Increase.
Both the state university and the
state agricultural college have asked
for an increase of their building tax
levy from one-tenth to two-tenths oil
mill. This would yield each institu
ton about $4,000 year for build
ing purposes, and would avoid the
necessity of asking for special appro
priations to cover losses by fire, sucl
as those suffered during the last two
years.
Treatment of DrunLards.
A proposal has been made by bill.
introduced in the assembly to estab
fish wards in the state insane hospi
tails for the treatment of drunkards
inebriates and those given to overin
diligence in narcotics. 1t is proposed
to adjudge this class of people just as
insane people are adjudged insane
according to their condition, and com
NIT them for scientific treatment anC