The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1902-02-13
NOTES FROM THE CAPITAL
Des Moines. Feb 81. 1909.

Des Moines. Feb IL, 1902.
Custodian ]. ID. McGarraugh has
fled his last annual report with Gov
ernor Cummi1s. It is a lengthy doc
ument, covering the same points as
usual, the question of repairs and i'm
provements which have been made
on the building and about the offices,
containing an inventory of the states
furniture and equipment and other
matters of interest pertaining to the
states property.
Governor Cummins announced the
reappointment of Fletcher Howard on
the state pharmacy commission. Mr..
Towards re-appointment is not sur.
prise to those familiar with the situa-
ton. He was bitterly opposed by the
silver democrats on the ground that
he was not entitled to consideration
as a member of the democratic party.
Mr.. Howard proved, however, that he
had always voted the democratic
ticket and had always contributed to
the democratic campaign funds, al
though he was not 16-to-1 adherent.
Mr.. Howard is the only democratic
member of the board. The law does
not require that the board shall be
non-partisan. though by custom it has
been made so.
The State Grocers' association has
succeeded in getting it's bill intro
duced in the house. Representative
Head took charge of the measure. 1t
provides that 10 per cent of a mans
wages may at any time be subject to
punishment. The present law pro-
vides that a mans wages are not sub.
iect to garnishment unless they re.
main uncollected for a term of more
than three months. This bill will
meet with opposition from the labor
unions, although many of the labor
leaders are in favor of it.
II. H. Abrams is confident that his
bill for the establishment of an in
ebriate hospital will be passed by the
legislature this year. 1t has been in
troduced in both houses and he has
caDvassed the situation with consid-
cradle care. He believes that a ma
jority of the members are in favor of
1t. 1t is not the intention to establish
q separate hospital for inebriates, but
merely to have ward or cottage.
-
Auditor of State Merriman has is
sued an ultimatum to number of the
big foreign fire insurance companies
that have paid to the treasurer of
state the 81 per cent tax required by
law but have done SO under protest.
Unless their protests are withdrawn
the auditor has notified them they will
ha rnfJ1cn6 rs Two o@
business in Iowa for the current year.
The companies that are affected are.
the following, all companies organized
or Incorporated outside of the
United States: Liverpool and London
and Globe, Prussian National Insur-
ance company, North British and Mer-
camille Insurance company of London
and Edinburgh, London Assurance
corporation of London, the Imperial
Insurance company, limited, of Eng
land, Lion Fire Insurance company of
Hartford Omitted States branch),
Northern Assurance company, limited,
of London, Atlas Assurance company,
limited. of London, Scottish company,
Norwich Union Fire Insurance society
of England.
Representative Sweeley, of Wood
bury county, has decided to divide his
telephone BILL which met an unfavor-
able reception in the committee on
municipal corporations. IL will be
divided into three bills and he hopes
to be able to secure the passage of
one of them at least The first bill
will be for municipal ownership. The
second will give cities the right to
regulate prices charged for service.
This measure is likely to pass. Many
of the members of the committee who
opposed the other sections are in favor
of this one. A third bill will require
companies to connect with each other
for telephone service between towns.
1t is this part in which Mr.. Sweeley
is most interested and this is also the
portion that has met with the greatest
opposition from all the companies.
Mr.. Sweeley believes, however, that
he will be able to do more with the
different measures separated than
with them all embodied in one bill.
The most important measure of
railroad legislation which has been
introduced so far in this session is
the amendment to the present law Of
fered by Senator Hogue which in ef-
feet compels railroads to furnish as
many freight cars to shippers in this
state as they may demand Senator
Hogue declares that the purpose of
the bill is this very thing, that is. to
force the railroads to furnish cars to
every man who asks for them. This
is to'say that if the railroad has not
the cars demanded, it must procure
tIem. 1t means that refusal to
furnish cars cannot be made by rail
road company.
Senator Crossley's bill for primary
elections is attracting considerable at.
tention in the legislature and several
members of the committee on cleo
lions have expressed themselves as in
favor of leaving it optional as the law
istat present One great advantage
of the proposed law, however, is that
all political parties will be required
to hold their conventions the same
day.
The bill reported by the house com