Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1904-04-19

ture has passed q Juvenile court bill. This
measure gives the courts of the state as
now constituted the power to act as
charged with offenses of one kind and
another. without committing them to
Jail or to the penitentiaries or to the
reform schools. At present, If child
is charged with an offense, the law re-
quires him to be sent to Jail. The judges
are given no discretion. The act which
has just been passed permits the courts
to watch over them as guardians and to
try to save them from ruin. The bill
means no additional expense to the
state, but merely conforms the penal
laws to the modern conditions of So
ciety and the more progressive ideas Of
dealing with offenders.
Regulates Speed Of Autos.
The legislature has passed very in
teresting law which prohibits the driv-
ers of automobiles and other horseless
vehicles from going at greater rate Of
speed than 20 miles an hour in the coun-
try. Each machine must be registered
at the office of the secretary of state
and must carry large number which
may be seen easily. Thus, if farmer
suffers damage or injury or his team
runs away he can identify the machine
whose fast running causes it, finding out
from the number.
Educational Bill Failed.
The lower house of the Iowa legis-
lature defeated the proposition to place
the educational institutions of the state
under single board of control. This
was a surprise to every one connected
with the legislature 1t was not believed
that 1t would be possible to defeat the
measure in the house after it had passed
the senate by so large margin as 1t
had, and without debate OF considera-
ton. The house instead of adopting the
measure referred it to a committee,
which brought out recommendation
in place Of the bill, that commission be
appointed to investigate the subject dur
ing the next two years and report to
the next general assembly the advis-
ability of placing the institutions under
such a board with carefully considered
! bill to that end. 1t is commonly be-
lieved that the proposition will go
through the next legislature.
Defeat for Woman Suffrage.
Woman suffrage again met defeat in
the Iowa legislature The house did
not 60 to the usual extent of passing
the measure SO that the second house
might kill 1t. In former years three
houses have passed it and left the fourth
to kill 1t. This year the house did the
business without sentiment or flowers
The senate committee first postponed
the bill; then the house committee re-
ported it for postponement. A minor
lily Of the house committee reported for
Its passage and the house substituted
the minority for the majority report.
But on the vote on the measure, it failed
Of constitutional majority Some OF
the members who opposed woman suf-
frage voted to submit the question, ex-
planning this by saying that they be-
lieved it would be the quickest way to
get the question settled.
No Primary Legislation.
: The legislature turned down all prop
ositions looking to the enactment of Q
law governing or establishing primary
elections throughout the state. A bill
was passed giving drastic primary Law
to Polk county alone, by its terms being
applied only to counties of more thar
$4,000 population. The law compels
primaries Of all parties to be held on the
first Monday in May of each year. AL
parties must hold their primaries tn,
same day. Different colored ballots ar,
10 be furnished to each party's partisans
Persons who participate must have reg
istered their party af1iliation prior tt
the time they enter the primary, SO tina
the practice so often followed in De-
Moines of voting at the primaries o
all parties may be avoided. The cleo
ton will be conducted by the genera
officers, as under the present genera
election laws, and violations of the pri
mary law will be punished by the sam,
penalties as are prescribed for violation
of the general election statutes.
To Make Damage Laws Effective.
The constitutional amendment relativ
to the exercise of the right Of domain il
constructing bitches in Iowa has BEEF
endorsed by this general assembly, with
out opposition. 1t will now go to tn
next assembly. It is regarded as es
sential to make effective the drainag
laws which were drafted for passag
by the legislature. 1t was offered b.
Mahlon Head, Of Greene county, and t,
his surprise aroused no opposition l
provides that the state legislature ma
pass laws which will make it possibl
TO construct bitches across the land o
any person in this state, the cost t
be assessed along with the benefits t
the AUDITING and benefited property
At present the only way in which sue
, bitches and drains can be constructs
across the land of persons who object
is to declare it public necessity t
preserve the health of the people. Thi
is such slim excuse that the amend
ment is very much needed.
Sixteen Weeks Of School.
The compulsory education law ha
been so amended that children petwee
the ages of Z and 16 must attend schoo