Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1902-02-28

ing $1,000, and to the loss OF his cef-
tificate. It is provided also that
treasurers of political committees
shall be required to file sworn state
ments stating how the money is ex-
pended.
OF Interest to Labor.
Among the most important meas
ures which have been called to the
attention of the legislature is that
introduced by Senator Maytag, of
Jasper county, enlarging the powers
of the state labor commissioner and
establishing a system of factory in
spection in Iowa. 1t is proposed by
Senator Maytag that the labor COM
missioner be given full power over
the establishment of proper sanitary
requirements in factories in this
state. At present he has no powers
except those of recommendation.
The new law would give him power
to compel proper methods of SANTA
ton for laboring people, and in case
OF failure on the part of factory
owners and managers to carry out
his recommendations they will be
subject to prosecution by the county
attorney. The present explicit terms
OF the law relating to the reports
from employers of labor to the state
labor bureau are to be repealed by
the new law, and the commissioner
is to be given large discretionary
power with respect to the informa-
ton he shall elicit from these en-
ployers for statistical purposes. He
is given power to enforce his inquir-
les also, and to make them effective.
Petition for Pardon.
The only pardon of general inter-
est before the legislative committees
is that petitioned for by Wesley Ell
kins, of Clay county. Ell<ins killed
his father and stepmother on the day
before he was IL years old, and has
been incarcerated in the penitentiary
for about IL years. He is reported
to the committee as model pris-
NiASAS ebA0 %
that he repents and desires chance
to lead correct life. Petitions from
1,70o Clayton county people protest
ing against his pardon have been filed
with the legislature. A large number
OF prominent people from the COM
munity where he committed the
crime have appeared before the com
mittee of the legislature to object
to the issuance of a pardon to him.
They profess to fear that if he is let
out of prison he will return to the
community from which he was TAX
en- to avenge himself upon the peo-
pie.
VIII Recover War Claims.
Assurances have been received by
the members of the assembly from
Senator Allison and Secretary of the
Treasury Shaw that Iowa will re-
cover her war claim Immediately. She
has claimed $456,0OO from the feder-
al government on account of inter-
est on funds advanced by her to
equip troops for the civil war. All of
the points in the Iowa case have been
settled by the court except one or
two items, and these disputed points
amount in all to not exceed $4,000.
Secretary Shaw and Senator Allison
have both written to the legislature
and to the governor that the remain
ing 100000 will be paid to the state
before the end of the present session
OF congress. On this basis the APP
committees are consid-
ering the expenditure of this money,
for they understand there is GER
tainty of its recovery. The ways and
means committee of the legislature
have estimated that the estimate of
the available funds by the treasurer
and auditor of state have been ex-
tremely conservative, and that in
stead of being 100000 it will APP
proximate $S25,OO0. So that the APP
committees feel them
selves justified in considering the
funds available for appropriation to
be in the neighborhood of $1,25O,o0o.
An effort will be made to keep the
appropriations within $2,OOO,0OO, and
if this is done there will be no ne
cessity for a material increase in the
state levy.
Life Sentence for Kidnapers.
The house of representatives has
passed the bill making it an offense
punishable by life imprisonment to
kidnap children. This bill has been
proposed in the senate and will be
passed by that body. The present
law provides for only short SEN
tence upon conviction of person of
kidnapping. The legislation was in
dorsed by the mothers congress and
other women's organizations of the
state, and is regarded as response
to the Cudahy kidnapping difficulty in
Omaha last year.
Compulsory Education.
The victory for compulsory educa-
ton in the house of representatives
has led State Superintendent Barrett
to believe that the measure will pass
the senate without material opposi-
ton. 1t requires all children under IA
years of age to attend the public
schools certain period during each
year. -
No Increase in Salaries.
The practical defeat of the bill to
raise the salaries of the supreme
judges from $4,000 to $4,000 has dis
couraged all who are interested in
the increasing of public officers sal