Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1902-03-19
STATE LEGISLATURE
EDUCATIONAL MEASURE ARoUsEs
DISCUSSION OF A WIDE RANGE.
Fate of the Railway Assessment Bill
Still Hangs in the Balance-Defeat
for Woman Suffrage-Other Matters
of State Interest.

fi0nal legislation has become one Of
the great question before the assem-
ly and has assumed an Importance at
This session that has been unknown
in recent years. The introduction Of
the measure framed by Temple, Hurn,
and Payne in the house for an educa-
tfonal board of managers has aroused
discussion of wide range. 1t has
stirred up thoroughly the present au-
thorities of the institutions at Iowa
City, Ames and Cedar Falls and they
are pronouncedly against it. 1t has
brought to Des Moines large num-
Der of trustees and regents and others
interested in the three great educa-
tional institutions, all of them being
here to work tooth and nail against
the bill. 1t is apparent that If the bill
passes, 1t will have to be modified
materially. A provision of the BILL
as introduced, was that the three
members of the board should each re
ceive salary of $1,000 year. This
is one of the features of the measure
that has been attacked most heavily,
it being maintained that it is not pos
sible to obtain men of sufficient cali
Der to manage the vast interests of the
educational institutions for such a
meager salary.
Larrabee's Joint Resolution.
To add to the agitation, Larrabee
of Fasette has introduced in the house
a joint resolution proposing to submit
an amendment to the constitution Of
the state striking out that provision
that now requires the state university
shall be located at Iowa City. If pos
sible, this has aroused the university
following more radically than the
measure for an educational board OF
managers. 1t Is realized that If the
constitution permitted there would be
a tremendous movement inaugurated
at once for the removal of the uni
versity to Des Moines. President Mac
Lean, in an interview, says he de-
plores the introduction of the resolu-
tion and that it, with the bill for a
state board of educational managers,
will retard the growth of the univer-
sity In explanation of the resolution,
Mr.. Larrabee, who is the son Of ex-
Governor Larrabee, and who was for
six years a student of the university,
says it is introduced in good faith and
that he hopes to see it pass. He says
Iowa City has never done what 1t
should for the university, that if the
city had taken the steps it should have
taken, the grounds Of the university
would not be limited and confined as
they now are and that there are the
strongest reasons why the university
should be removed to the capital,
where he is confident it will be given
the greatest possible impetus toward
becoming one of the leading educa-
tional institutions in the Mississippi
valley.
Building Bills Get Much Attention.
Then, the bills for special building
fund levies for the educational insti-
buttons are receiving much attention.
These bills provide for one-fifth Of a
mill each for Ames and Iowa City and
one-tenth of mill for Cedar Falls.
All are to extend over period of five
years. The senate has passed the bills
for Ames and Iowa City, and the house
ways and means committee has re-
<pOrted out for passage all three OF the
bills. The committee was not unit
In this action and there will be con-
test on the floor over them. The
house has already defeated the house
bill for a one-fifth mill building fund
levy for Iowa City, but the struggle
that ensued then will be repeated
when the senate bill is considered. The
large import of these measures can
be better comprehended when 1t is re-
fiected that in the next five years
these levies would raise not far from
q million and a half dollars for the
educational institutions for building
purposes alone, and exclusive Of large
regular appropriations for support and
for buildings. There is no provision
in the bills that the funds raised by
the special levies shall be in lieu of
other appropriations for building pur-
poses.
There are numerous educational
bills affecting the common schools yet
to be disposed of, including the Dun
ham compulsory education bill, which
is not yet disposed Of by the senate.
Superintendent Barrett has presented
to the assembly communication In
which he calls attention to the fact
there is needed for the common
schools over $a,000,000 annually,
nearly four times the amount ex-
pended on the higher educational in
stitutions, and that for financial rea-
sons alone the legislature should ex-
crcise the wisest judgment and care
in legislation for the common schools.
The house has gone on record against
consolidation Of districts and transpor-
: tation of pupils by defeating the Pow
ers bill relating to these matters.
The Railway Assessment Bill.
The fate of the railway assessment
bill prepared by the subcommittee OF
the senate ways and means commit
tee still hangs in the balance. The
senate passed this bill by a heavy
majority after one Of the most excit-
ing debates of the session. Efforts
were made to amend the bill and make
it more radical Senator Porter, the
Democratic member of the sub-com-
mittee that prepared the BILL intro
duced the most important amendment
that was proposed. but it was defeat
ed. Senator Lewis of the Page-Fre-
mont district, made particularly able
exposition of the inequalities in rail-
way assessments from the sub-commit-
tees viewpoint The bill has been
messaged to the house and referred
TO the ways and means committee.
There is little question the majority
report of that committee will be for
the indefinite postponement of the bill
and that q minority report for its pas
~. hn tl.ne hrfx "A m,