Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1904-07-22

was not so low as to fall entirely, but 1t
has not developed as it should. John
r. Sage, director of the Iowa weather
and crop service, made tour from Des
Moines to Sibley last week in special
observation car for the purpose of ex-
aiming the condition of the corn crop.
He examined 624 fields, and says that
only 1875 of them were in good condo
ton, that is, promising 40 to SO bushels
per acre; 247 were called fair, indicate
ing 80 to IS bushels per acre, and 252
were poor, likely to give not more than
15 to 80 bushels per acre. The northern
part of this territory, along the Rock
Island railway, is in much worse con-
ditfon than the southern part, from
Gowrie to Des Moines. Low land and
neglect of drainage in that section have
made corn raising most difficult in wet
years. Tile draining is being done on
large scale this year, however. Oats and
wheat are in the best of condition in the
sections where corn is not. The wheat
area is less than last year, when 1t was
$4,000 acres, but the yield is so much
better that the total crop of the state
is estimated to be from 10 500, 900 to H.
100000 bushels, an increase of from
100000 to 100000 bushels over last
year. Wheat raising is done chiefly IN
the northern part of the state, and the
wet, cool weather there has been IA
vorable to the crop. There is no rust,
the heads are filling satisfactorily, there
have been no hail or windstorms and
the grain is standing up beautifully,
while last year the conditions were al
most reversed. Now that warmer
weather has come, yet without excessive
heat, the prospect for all crops Is Of the
best.
Decision Affects Convicts.
To the surprise of Gov. Cummins and
other state officers interested, the SUI
preme court has decided that the good
time earned by convict in the peni-
Tertiary cannot be lost If the convict
is paroled, violates the parole and is
returned to the penitentiary to serve
out the remainder of his term. This af-
fects considerable number of cases,
among them that of the notorious dia-
mond robber, Frank Shercliffe, about
whom there has been so much talk late
ly. He was sentenced to II years for
his daring crime, and upon sufficient
showing, was paroled by Gov. Shaw. He
violated the conditions Of his parole
and Gov. Shaw ordered him returned
to the penitentiary to serve out the
rest Of his term, which he is now doing.
Both Gov. Shaw and Gov Cummins have
held that violation of parole forfeited
good time earned, and that a convict so
returned to the prison must serve the,
whole time for which he was sentenced,
less the time he has already served
The court holds that If the convict had
earned good time off his sentence before
he was paroled, that also must be al
lowed him; that it cannot be taken away
from him. Under this ruling Shercliffe
will be released in about six weeks.
Other convicts will profit by the de-
cision.
I. N. q. Camp Named.
Camp Croker is the name Of the new
permanent camp ground of the Iowa
national guard near Des Moines, adjoin-
ing the army post. It Is a tract of 100
acres and cost the state $40, 900, besides
the 81 800 which the business men of the
city Of Des Moines contributed to COM
plete the purchase. The location is the
most desirable to be had, convenient to
the city and the new army post, on the
street car line. The Fifty-fourth and
Fifty-sixth regiments of the Iowa ma
tional guard are now encamped on the
ground for the annual drill. The regi-
ments as at present constituted number
about 600 men each. The companies of
the Fifty-fourth regiment are from the
following places: Abba, Davenport,
Muscatine, Washington, Centerville,
Oskaloosa, Ottumwa, Burlinton, Iowa
City, Grinnell, Newton and Fairfield.
The companies Of the Fifty-sixth regi-
ment are from: Mason City, Ida Grove,
Webster City, Rock Rapids, Sheldon,
Algona, Fort Dodge, Sioux City, Boone,
Emmetsburg, second Sioux City COM
pany, and Sac City. Col. Frank w.
Bishop, Of Muscatine, commands the
Fifty-fourth, and Col. w. B. Humphrey,
Of Sioux City, commands the Fifty-sixth.
The camp was named in honor Of Gen.
Marcellus M. Croker, one Of the first SOL
diers to enlist in the civil war from Des
Moines.
Tangle in Voting Machine Case.
The legality of the use of the voting
machine has been discussed at great
length before Judge Brennan, in the
district court of Polk county. The city
has voted to use the machines and the
contest in the courts is between two rival
machines. One had been adopted and
the other seeks to defeat the adoption
on the ground that 1t does not cast q le-
gal ballot. The question Is, what is a
ballot under the constitution? One ma
chine drops ball every time a vote is
registered, while the other one merely
makes the count, like cash register.
1t is commended that the latter is not
constitutional, because 1t is not Wis
ible, tangible evidence Of ballot. It is
also contended that one Of the machines
does not give the Independent voter an
opportunity to vote for whom he pleases
to the extent contemplated by the law.
The decision on these points will be i'm
portant, defining what a voting machine
in Iowa must be. Whatever the decision
of the lower court, the case will be car
ried to the supreme court for final adj
Indication.
Personal Property Tax Less.
The taxable value Of personal prop
erty In Iowa this year, as reported to the
executive council from all counties. Is