Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1904-01-08
IOWA rs FIFTY.SEVEN YEARS OLD.
Fact Not Generally Recalled by Many Who
Knew It-Removal of Deaf anl Dumb
Institute Agitated-Laws to Be Con-
sidered-Other News of Interest.

Des Moines, Ia, Jan. 4.-The fact
that the state of Iowa was 81 years of age
on December % was not known to many
people, and not recalled by many who
knew it. 1t passed by without any refer
ence to it and no attempt to observe or
celebrate the anniversary. Even at the
state house there was 10 excitement or
felicitatiOn concerning the event. One
state officer mentioned it. 1t was on
December Is, 1S46, that Iowa was ush-.
cred into the world. 1t came in with
governor, Ansel Briggs, who was demo-
crat. Formerly it has been customary to
observe the states birthday, but as time
goes forward less attention is paid to the
past in the hurry OF living in the pres
ent for the future.
Seek Removal.
The deaf and dumb in every city in the
state have organized to effect the re-
moval of the institution for their people
located point. Thu deaf mutes of Des
Moines and Fort Dodge have organized
with view to securing the removal of
the institution to one of those cities.
The legislature is being bcmbarded with
petitions; that is tbs individual members
are now, and the deaf mutes will appear
in body during the session. They claim
that their people are unable to attend the
school at Council Bluffs in large numbers
for the reason that is at one end Of
the state. With compulsory education
law in view to requirelall deaf mutes
to attend school, they insist that the in
stitution ought to be located in an avail
able spot.
Scholars Are Less.
1t is a remarkable fact that though
the state has compulsory education
law, the school attendance in Iowa Is
constantly falling Off The state super
| intendent has called attention to the
| fact that the number of persons of school
| age in Iowa has been reduced about 49,
000 since 1900, comparing the present
school census with the federal census
then. The school attendance law was
passed two years ago and most of the
cities have truant officers who endeavor
| to enforce it. Nevertheless the attend
| ance falls off at greater rate even than
the falling off in the census. Four
changes have been proposed in this law.
They are: Requiring the pupil to attend
school the entire year instead of IL
weeks; compelling attendance to begin
at certain fixed date; Increasing the
maximum age of the children affected to
IA instead of IL years, and providing for
the more stringent enforcement Of the
act.
Motive Power on Farms.
A movement has been set on foot at
the State Agricultural college at Ames
for the study of the value and cost OF
motive power used on farms. Tests and
observations will be made and take n or
farms with all kinds of motive power
gasoline engines, tread mills operated
4 by animals, steam engines, etc. An eff
fort is also about to be made to int resi-
the Iowa farmers in the sorting Of theil
yield of their fields from Is to 20 per cent
The college management is experiment
4 ing on a kernel sorting machine whose
Introduction it is believed will make the
corn kernels Of such uniform size that
| their planting by elaborated mechines
will largely increase the yield.
Laws Suggested.
Among the laws which have been sug.
gested for legislative consideration al
the session this winter are the
following: Governing primary elec-
tons; giving state aid to high
schools; establishing state con.
stabulary to enforce the liquor laws;
authorizing the deposit OF state funds
at interest; to prohibit the writing of In,
surance by companies not authorized tt
do business within the state; compelling
railroads to grant elevator sites on de,
| mand of shippers and to maintain side
tracks thereto; putting ditch building or
the same basis as other public improve,
ments, permitting boards of supervisors
i to order them constructed and to assess
portion of the cost to benefited prop.
cry owners; repeating the law passed II
1902 which requires road taxes to be PAID
In cash instead of work; to effect tht
| ing boards of supervisors to order theil
construction, assessing part of the cos
to AUDITING property and providing fol
the payment OF the remainder by tn,
township, county and state treasures
placing the three state educational insti
buttons under single board of regents
Of state control; authorizing spe:
cial tag for the maintenance 81
fire departments; to prohibit re-
insurance. thus preventing insAr:
ance companies from merging; es
tablishing a state archaeological labora
tory at Des Meines or Iowa City; effect
Ing the consolidation of school districts
Furnishing wife desertion; amending tn,
fire escape law to make 1t valid: authoriz
ing the state board Of medical examiner
to recognize the certificates to practic,
medicine issued in other states; compel
ling railroads to report the details OF &C
cidents to the state board of railroad
commissioners; requiring doctors anl
midwives to report all births to the state
as they now do all deaths; providing
for the taxation of mortgages and max
ing them ceableunless stamped
Taxes Paid" eliminating the 21s pei
cent. tax on the premiums Of outsideIn.
| surance. companies doing business ii
1 Iowa; erecting monument to the unior
soldiers from Iowa who suffered In An
4 Jacksonville prison; placing three-yea,
| fime lipit pm the force and effect of
petition permitting The operation aof
saloon; authorizing Q river improve
ment commission Tor Des MONIES; 8iVing