The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1902-03-13
NOTES FROM THE CAPITAL
Des Moines, March 10, 1902.

lies MONIES, March 1O, 1902.
The house committee on suppression
OF intemperance is drafting substi-
ute for the Lyman bill, limiting mulct
petitions Of consent to five years. This
Dill will be recommended for passage
as soon as it is completed and will no
doubt crea1e considerable discussion
If it ever actually comes before the
house.
H. F. 81, by Furry, providing for the
enforcement of bonds given by saloon
keepers, and providing for perpetual
injunctions for maintaining nuis-
ance, was recommended for passage.
The senate committee on judiciary
decided to recommend for passage the
Harper bill, to prevent the sale of
stocks of goods in fraud of creditors.
The bill making it crime to sell prop.
erty on which there is a landlords
lien, without the written consent of
the landlord, was also recommended
for passage.
The house committee on elections
decided to recommend for passage the
Crossley primary election bill. This
bill provides that primary election
shall be held by all parties the first
Tuesday in June to be governed by
the same laws as the general election.
Each party is to vote for it's candidates
on separate ballots.
State Auditor Frank F. Merriam has
announced to friends that he is not a
candidate for third term and will not
go before the republican state conven-
ton asking Tor a denomination. This
statement is made in answer to rum
ors that have been prevalent to the
effect that Merriam is contemplating
entering the race this summer for a
third term. 1t is also stated that Mr..
Merriam isl not a candidate for the
office of I'M urance commission of the
state of Iowa if that Office is establish
ed by the present legislature.
The house committee on horticulture
voted to recommend for passage a sub
stitute for the Secor forest reserve
bill. This is the measure providing for
the exemption from taxation of forest
and fruit tree reserves, and is endors-
ed by the state forestry association.
Fruit tree reservations are to be ex-
empt for five years and forest tree re-
serves as long as they are maintained,
providing there are at least 200 trees
to the acre ana the property is used
for no other purpose, such as pastur-
age.
The senate committee on appsopria-
tons passed a resolution to the effect
that it was the sense of the committee
that not more than $4,000 should be
appropriated for an exhibit at the st.
Exposition in 1903. The matter was
discussed at some length by the COM
hnittee and $4,000 was agreed upon as
yabout the proper amount, in view of
4 the other demands on the treasury.
Some members of the committee sug-
gested 100000 and $125,000, but both
of these motions were voted down
The appropriation for monuments in
memory of the Iowa regiments that
fought at Lookout Mountain was dis
cussed by the committee. The bill
calls for an Appropriation of $35,O0O
!, and although this amount will not be
given, it was practically decided to
/, make some appropriation for this pur.
pose.
Members of the legislature who
watched the campaign in Polk county
are of the opinion that the result will
be an increase in the sentiment in
favor of the primary election bill now
pending in both houses. This bill was
introduced by Senator Crossley, with a
view of restricting the primaries to
each party, and for this purpose it is
provided that all OF the parties shall
hold their primaries on the same day
1t has been amended to some extent
by the committee and has been recon
mended for passage in the house.
Among the bills acted on by the
house committee on agriculture last
week was one by Caldwell intend
ed to give each farmers institute the
right to send a delegate to the annua
state convention. 1t was recommended
for passage. 1t is expected the bill
will encounter some opposition on the
floor for the reason it contemplates
an important change in the compost
tion of the agriculture convention
Some of the farmers hold the conven
ton is too largely under the sway o
the politicians. If this bill goe.
vention delegates from farmers insti
tutes from sixty or more counties il
the state. One of the objections urged
to the bill is that it will enable in
stitutes to organized suddenly il
order to hurry delegates to the con
vention in the interest of some person
or measure. In order to prevent thi!
the bill has been amended so as tt
provide that in order for an institute
to be eligible to select delegate i
must have been organized a year
Another amendment provides for al
annual report to the secretary of agri
culture November Is. At the presen
time farmers Institutes are not repre-
sented in the annual agricultural con
vention. Each county and district fai
association is entitled to a delegate
and in counties where no delegate il
sent from fair association the boart