Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1904-02-03
GR|SI Of BILLS BEGINS.
Large Number Introduced in
Both Houses of Legislature.
MOVEMENT FOR GOOD ROADS.
Bill Introduced to Give State Highway
Commissioner General Supervision.
Knoxville May Get Hospital for In.
ebriates-Amending Railroad Laws.

Notwithstanding Railroad Laws.
Des Moines, Feb. 2.-The past week
has been busy one in the legislature
Although not as large a number of
bills have been introduced as was
usual, yet number of considerable
Importance are now before the vari-
Gus committees.
AS was expected, bills for primary
election laws have been introduced
by number of members in both sen.
ate and house. Polk county mem.
bers have introduced such bills and
they have also come from other sec
tions Of the state. These bills are
quite lengthy and go at considerable
length into details of plans to protect
primary elections and enable the pres
ent law on that subject to be made
of some utility. Some Of these bills
retain the delegate convention plan
and in this they follow the suggestion
of Governor Cummins' message that
delegates be selected if in any case
one candidate does not receive a ma
Jority of the votes in the district for
which he seeks to be nominated An
effort will be made to combine the
features of several of these bills in
committee and thus arrive at COM
mittee bill which, it is hoped, will
cover all the points necessary
Drastic Railroad Measure.
Next in general interest perhaps,
to these election bills are the bills
which have been introduced seeking
to amend the railroad laws. Several
of these bills are aimed at the recent
agreement of the railroads to refuse
transportation to stock shippers. The
most drastic of these measures was
one introduced by Mr.. DeLano OF
Cass. In addition to requiring the
railroads to issue free transportation
with stock shipments, his bill pro-
vides that the railroads shall forward
such shipments to their destination at
rate of not less than twenty miles
per hour; that cars shall be furnished
to shippers without discrimination
and at any siding where it is proposed
OF the company shall count the stock
as it is shipped and the company shall
be responsible for the number thus
counted; that the company shall pro-
vide comfortable caboose, with
toilet room. for each stock train; that
such caboose shall be placed at the
rear of the train and also that in the
making up of passenger trains the
local and day coaches shall be placed
In the rear of the Pullman and other
cars of the train
Mr. Sankey of Decatur introduced
bill to amend section 2O22 of the code,
providing that in case a railroad runs
through farm the owner may re-
quire the company to maintain and
keep in good repair "cattle guards
and causeways." or other adequate
means of crossing "at such reasonable
places" as may be designated by the
owner
Mr.. Offill of Jasper introduced bill
providing that in farms of eighty
aces or more through which a rail-
road runs the owner may require the
company to put in an under crossing,
to be suitably fenced, so that cattle
may pass through, in case the grade
permits.
Mr.. Stanbery of Cerro Gordo intro
duced bill providing that no rail
road company shall refuse the request
of any person or firm for location for
a. elevator on their right of way at
any siding or railroad yard or other
place if the parties can agree. In case
of non-agreement between the COM
pany and the person or persons desir-
ing the location for the elevator. the
railroad commissioners are empow-
cred to investigate and assign loca-
ton, which must be between the out
side switches of such yard or siding.
Movement for Good Roads.
Mr.. Weeks of Guthrie introduced a
ing upon the question Of better roads.
II provides for the establishment of
state highway department The
governor is authorized to appoint
state highway commissioner, who is
required to have knowledge of the
best methods of constructing and
maintaining highways and locating
and constructing bridges. He is re-
quired to give bond of $4,000 and
his salary is fixed at $1,000 a year.
He is authorized to employ an assist.
ant at 500 and clerk at SOS per month.
His duties require him to keep in
touch with the best methods of high
way and bridge construction and he
is required to act in conjunction.
whenever requested, with boards of
supervisors and other officers charged
with road construction.
Senator Smith of Mitchell county IN
troduced a bill appropriating 100000
to convert the buildings at Knoxville,
which were formerly used as an in
dustrial institution for the blind, into
hospital for the inebriates. 1t is
understood that this bill Is endorsed
by the state board of control. II pro-
vides for sending all male dipsomani-
acs, inebriates. users Of morphine. CO.
caine and all persons addicted to the
eycaSsiva uca NJ narcotics m Know