Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1903-08-21

The Northwestern Iowa and Upper
Des Moines Editorial associations have
gone on record in favor of number of
important legislative reforms. Among
these is the amendment of the obsolete
libel law of the state which compels
newspapers to prove their innocence of
charges of libel and which have been
preserved at the instance Of politicians
and lawyers for half a century in their
old form. Another reform sadly needed
in the state is the publication of the laws
as fast as passed by the legislature in all
of the newspapers instead of one or two.
These matters will be presented to the
legislature the coming winter.
Almost Forgotten.
The newspapers Of the state are ex-
plotting the almost forgotten fact that
the capital of Iowa was once located at a
point midway between the towns of Pra-
irie City and Monroe, in Jasper county.
The first general assembly passed law
appointing commissioners to locate the
capital and to sell lots. The commits
sioners located the capital at the point
mentioned and sold about 400 lots. One
of them was charged with secretly MAX
ing public the location so that his friends
could get in on the ground floor for specu-
lative purposes, and the second general
assembly abandoned the site which they
had selected, called Monroe City, while
the legislature of 1865 located the capital
In Des Moines.
Nearly Completed.
The new roof on the capitol is almost
completed and is very satisfactory to the
capitol improvement commission. It is
of tile and will last Indefinitely. The
severe wind storms which the state had
year ago last winter ripped much of
the slate of of the statehouse, due to
the fact that it never had been repaired
since 1t was first put on. The erection
of the stone warehouse has been delayed
somewhat by the nonarrival of ma
terials. The elevators are about to be
put into the building and they will be
ready for use during the state fair week.
To Be Lay Delegate.
The Des Moines conference Of the
Methodist church, which meets in In
dianola September 2, will select Secre-
tary Of the Treasury L. M. Shaw as one
Of the lay delegates to the general con-
ference of the church which meets in
Los Angeles in May, 1904. He has re-
tanned his membership in this confer
ence and 1t is not supposed that he will
object to his selection. He has repre-
sented the district ever since the general
conference was opened to lay delegates.
Travelling Men Interested.
Iowa travelling men are much inter-
ested in the statement that the Great
Western railroad expects to put on sale
1,O0O-mile ticket irrevocable and trans
ferrable at two cents straight per mile.
They believe it will give them what they
have been seeking for long time, and
that is two cent fare milage book which
may be transferred. It is predicted that
the adoption of such system by the
railroad would double the travel. The
movement is said to be due to the en-
croachments on the regular railroad
traffic by the interurban lines built.
building and projecting in this state.
Interesting Questions.
Interesting questions have been raised
in the statement Of the estate Of John
Hanline, who died in Des Moines two
months ago. He had no family. He has
half brother in Nebraska and several
sisters and brothers in Sweden. The
Iowa law provided that aliens who are
nonresident cannot inherit real estate.
The question is whether the property
can go to the half brother in Nebraska,
the law of Inheritance seeming to re-
quire him to inherit from the parents
who died as nonresidents and aliens,
Since they could not inherit it is thought
impossible for the half brother, though
resident here, to inherit. The property
left by Hanline was in Iowa and Ne
braska real estate. If the half brother
cannot inherit will the Nebraska land
escheat to Nebraska or to Iowa? Unin-
herited property, of course, goes to the
state under the laws. These questions
are now being considered by the at
torneys for the administrator. Hanline
left a considerable fortune
Made Professor.
John Craig. who was at the head of the
horticultural department of the State
Agricultural college in this state for sew
eral years and who went to Cornell uni
versity as instructor. has been made the
professor of horticulture in that insti-
tuition. He is graduate of the Iowa
Agricultural college and for ten years
was connected with the Canadian gov
eminent experiment station at Ottawa.
Preparing to Celebrate.
A number of the counties of Iowa are
preparing for semi-centennial celebra-
lions, having been organized slightly in
excess of SO years. Franklin county has
fixed upon September Is as the date for
this celebration. A number of men
prominent in the affairs of the state
and nation who have moved away from
Franklin county will be invited to re-
turn and make speeches. Among these
is William Peter Hepburn, congressman
from the Eighth Iowa district.
LEON BROWN.
SUSTAINS MERCHANTS.
Judge Upholds Contention of South