Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-04-14

THE PRIMARY ELECTION SYSTEM
It's Beginning One of the Most I'm
portant Thing. Done by tho LesisIa-
ture - Recommendations Extremely
Varied = cummins Ha. Departed
FOR indiana sanitarium.
Special to Times Republican.

Special to Times Republican,
Des Moines April 14.-Gov. A. B.
Cumunins put in a day signing bills and
| departed last evening for a sanitarium
in Indiana where he will rest for a
few weeks and try to recover from his
|illness which has kept him from work
nearly all the winter past. He lost
1 40 pounds in weight thru his Illness and
Is in hourly danger of breaking down
! II he attempts any work. He will not
4 return until near the time for the re-
| publican state convention and he may
not be able to come to that even in
the middle of May
II regard the work of the Thirtieth
| general assembly" he said last evening
| as he laid aside his pen. 'sas OF a very
| high order and entirely satisfactory.
| The bills that have been passed and
have come to M, have been conserva-
| tive and sensible. Nothing radical or
unusual has been attempted, but
| think that we will find that all the leg
| isiation has been good and in the di-
rection of better laws. The appropri-
atfons have been liberal, but SO far as
have been able tn look them over,
there was no money appropriated in
extraordinary way or where it was un-
necessary.
| II regard the beginning OF the pfi-
mary election system in the state as
| one OF the most important things done
| by the legislature. The bill passed was
| not as general as had hoped. as dt Is
| sanfined In IT'S operations IN Polk eean-
| ", but it is step in the right di
rection. We can give 1t test here
and show its value and this may lead
TO a general law for the state.
The resolution referring to a COM
mission for investigation and report on
the indetermina;e sentence and parole
system, was an important thing. We
should have had the plan adopted at
once, for II Is Inevitable and Iowa
should catch up with other states in
this respect. but as that could not be
the next best thing was to have the
commission named for investigation
and report. have no doubt that great
good viii come from this step.
THE law establishing the juvenile
court in this sta te is an important one.
1t is mething entirely new with US,
bu. not at all an experiment. and this
bill was reform step worthy OF the
legislature.
The establishment OF the inebriacy
asylum was something much needed.
II relieves the governors office OF much
annoyance, but in general IT makes the
whole law harmonious and workable
and we can now give the subject real
test. Under the old law it was not pos
slble to do much; now we may accom-
pIsh a great deal In the treatment of
the ,lnfortunates.
Then regard as one of the most
important of the things done by the
legislature the revision of the laws re-
lating to insurance matters and the in
surance department. These laws are
such as were agreed upon by the state
auditor and myself and referred to in
my biennial message. They effect what
regard as marvellous Improvement
in our insurance laws They provide
for an insurance actuary for examining
companies to BE- paid by the state and
the state to get what fees are coming.
There is a commission of three, the
governor, attorney general and state
auditor, who must approve all forms
of life insurance policies before they
can be used in the state. In fact, the
whole system Is improved materially.
But" said the governor, Il am only
mentioning these things as Illustrating
the work OF the general assembly.
There are great many other bills that
have much merit. l have not been able
to follow the legislation closely at the
end, but believe it will all be found
good"
No governor OF Iowa has ever made
such varied recommendations to a
state legislature and has come SO near
to having every one followed. A sim
pie list of the headings of topics on
which the governor suggested legisla
ton shows how nearly the Legislature
followed Governor Cummins. He made
recommendations on the following:
Insurance. paroles, juvenile court. in
ebriate asylum, primary elections, state
survey for good raods, census, labor
commissioner 10 cooperate with ma
tiona department, control of public
documents, libarality for state educa
tional institutions, factory inspector, OIL
inspection reform, roster of Iowa sol
diers. completion. of historical build
ing state arsenal, drainage laws and
revision of law as to corporations. The
only place he lost out was on the state
arsenal and on the corporation law 1t
is more than probable, however, tha,
had the governor been at his desk the
last few weeks of the spssion the thor
ough bill for the coilc .on law ques
tion would have found It's way out oe
the senate committee where it was bur
led. On every other subject the legis-
lature acted along the line of the gov
ernors recommendations. The provis- |
ion for the securing Of roster of the
Iowa soldiers living now. was included |
in the census bill, which was made |
as broad as possible, and will include
much that has never before been un-
dertaken. The good roads question ]