Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1904-07-06
IOWA'S NEW LAWS.
Some of the Important Enactments Which
Went Into Effect Monday.

Out of the 222 laws passed by the
last Iowa legislature 125 went into
effect upon publication and the re-
naming 81 on Monday. July 4th.
Among the new laws which went
into effect Monday is the one which
makes an assault with intent to COM
NIT murder punishable by maximum
sentence Of thirty instead of ten years.
The juvenile court law is another
statute which went into effect July 4.
II provides for the administration of
the criminal code as to children under
16 years of age, within the discretion
of the district court. Heretofore
youthful offenders were tried and sent
to prison if found guilty. just as their
older brothers in crime. The new
law leaves something to the discretion
of the court if the juvenile offender is
under 16 and has not committed
murder. The court may allow him to
60, may put him in a new home, or
may place him in another state insti-
tuition.
Still another extremely important
law which became effective is that
which provides that all boards, COM
missions, Departments and officers of
state must turn into the state treasury
all the fees that they collect and to file
with the executive council statements
of expenses and per diem allowances
to DO paid by the state. This measure
will prevent boards from paying them
selves out of the fees they collect. but
will compel them to account to the
state treasury for all fees taken in,
and require them to draw their pay
from the state treasury. II was. thought
that this would afford much better
check on the state boards which col
lect fees. 1t does not apply to one or
two
The act regulating the use of auto
mobiles went into effect Monday. 1t
limits their speed to twenty miles an
hour in the country. The law requires
the owners of machines to register
them with the secretary of state and
get number and license. It is es-
timsted that there are a thousand of
them in the state. A large number
have registered their machines al
ready, but an additional hundred are
expected the coming week.
Three very important laws regulat-
ink the liquor tariff went into effect
July 4. One provides that liquor in
junction prosecutions cannot be dis.
missed on motion of the prosecuting
witness and without full explanation
to the court before dismissal is per-
mitted Another provides that the
auditor as we'll as the treasurer of each
county shall keep track of mulct tax
collections. This act originated with
Senator. Newberry. of Clayton county,
who had in mind the defaIcation of
some county treasurer and the dis
covery that his mulct accounts were
falsified. A third law defines boot.
logger. Heretofore the man who sold
liquor out of his boot was not amen
able to the law which relates to in
functions. as it was only possible to
enjoin place and person. This law
provides that an itinerant vendor may
be enjoined also.
The law prohibiting the docking of
horses tails went into effect July 4,
also. This law was passed after much
jockeying in the committees of the
legislature.
The act providing for the punish
ment for larceny of domestic fowl or
poultry from buildings, sheds. coops
or enclosed premises in the night time
also went into effect July 4.
The law providing drastic punish
ment for the posting of tobacco and
liquor advertisements within 400 feet
of school house went into effect at
the same time.