Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-04-21
Many Seeking Information Re-
garding Recent Legislation
Some Important Bills
OPPOSITION TO DRAINAGE LAW
Attorneys for Large Railroad Interests
Claim That 1t is Unjust to Them -
Inquiry From Outside States as to
the Horse Docking BiI-BIydenbursh
Will Fight for Second Trial.

Des Moines, April 21--The demand
for some information in regard to the
new laws of the state has already
commenced Secretary of State Mar
Itin is almost daily In receipt of letters
asking for copies of new laws. In
some cases the printed bills were saved
and these may be sent out but in oth-
ers copies must b., made. There are
no printed copies Of the new general
drainage law to be had now. and as
the bill is only bill and not yet
law, the secretary OF state has no Off
ciul information as; to the contents of
the bill. Governol. Cummins has not
yet signed the bill, and will not do so
until he has returned to the state and
has had hearing on the bill. 1t was
known before the dill was passed that
there would be opposition to 1t, and the
Legislature took this into account. Tn
less Governor Cummins finds some fat
al defect in it OF that 1t Is in some
lway inimical to the public interest he
that as the bill was originally prepared
there would be some serious opposition
Ito it from the railroad companies, bit
the measure was modified to meet the
objections, and it received no opposi-
tion from this source in the legislature.
1t is now learned, however. that this
opposition still exists and that the at
tornays for large railroad interests fee.
Ifhat the bill is unjust in that 1t COM
pels railroad companies to bear a
large share Of the expense Of construc
ton OF bitches which touch the railroad
rights Of way. The big drainage BIZ.
ffs not ths Only ore for which there Is
much CALL bat also the little bill which
seeks to change tile rule of law in this
state as to the disposition Of surface
waters, treating such surface waters as
a common enemy. It is feared by large
land owners that this bill might prove
of greater importance than was in
tended.
Inquiry comes to the office of secre-
tary of state, chiefly from outside
states, in regard 20 the horse docking
bill, or law which forbfds the docking
of horses tails in Iowa. The bill was
hard fought and many bitter things
We're said about it, but the American
Humane Society succeeded in pushing
1t thru. The bill about which inquiries
come from farmers is the automobile
bill, which prohibits reckless use OF
steam. electric and gasolene vehicles
on the public highways in a manner
to endanger others using the highway
AS soon as Governor Cummins has
signifed what he will do with the
seven bills still In his hands for sigma
ture or rejection, the bills will go to
the state printer .'or publication of the
volume of session laws. IT will be at
least two months before this is print.
ed and ready for distribution.
asa
There are ten fire insurance compan.
les having home offices in Des Moines
two of them mutuals and each of ths
others having 100000 capital stock.
These ten companies. according to their
reports to the state auditor, had assets
the first of the year aggregating ST.
|921,4 They paid losses last year
amounting to s6S5,749. and wrote new
risks amounting to SOS, 1922. The
companies are the Hawkeye. the State,
Century, Anchor, Capital, Des Moines
Fidelity, Merchants and Bankers the
Atlas Mutual and the Mill Owners Mu-
tual.
The supreme court will be asked to
review the Blydelhburg case from Har-
din county, an appeal having been filed
In the case. e. S. Blydenburg was con-
victed of killing his wife by slow poison
process and he received sentence of
life Imprisonment for the same. The
papers filed in thu case indicate that a
hard fight will be made for a second
trial on all possible reasons which
might be assigned, that the instruc-
tions will be attacked and the testi-
mony and an effort to have declared
irregular the admission of much that
was given in evidence. Blydenburg is
already serving time.
f. r. Conaway secretary of the Iowa
commission on the Sit Louis exposi-
ton, has gone to st Louis where he Will
remain during the exposition. He ,wiIl
live in the Iowa building and his wife
will be matron of the building They
had planned to AXE a house near the
grounds, but it was found that someone
would have to be secured to live in the
ana De pIeSelNl dI ull llflleS |
for its care and protection. and it would
be cheaper il MI. and Mrs. Conaway
would consent to this The commits ,,
sion headquarters in the capital will be
kept open a short time in order that
correspondence may be attended to and
then closed.
Ex- Governor Horace Boies is the only
ex governor of Iowa making a special |
ty of fine stock on his farm. Response |
biity Mes between him and ex-Gov-
ernor Larrabee FOR mammoth horse
said to be on exhibition in Kansas
towns, claimed to be the largest horse
IN the world The animal weighs two
and a half tons and is called Jumbo"
Mrs. Anna Bradbury of Neodosha, |
Kas. has writer the Iowa commission J