Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-08-10
AttorneE Generals Opinion on
the Census Question From
Th'h 1t City Important
CHANCE
GIVES I SALONS
Executive Council Has No Right to Go
Behind the Census Returns It is
Claim ed, and Sufficient Signatures
Based on Census Give Chance to
EstaIP lsh Saloons.
] to Times Republican

SpeeiaJ to Times Republican
Des Moines, Aug. 10.--The attorney
general of the state has decided that
The executive council has no power to
GA bel}ind the census returns forward
ed to At by the auditors OF the differ
ent counties to whom the local assess
ors f,irnfsh the returns The federal
census gave the town of Atlantic over
{. 600 population. This enabled the
liberals there to secure saloons because
hhey could never get SO per cent Of the
VOTERS to consent. The temperance
people tried to cut down the population
below 5000. If it We're below
THAT figure the petitions would have
/ to have IS per cent of the voters sig
natures. The assessor there counted
5.1Sd people The temperance people
charged padding and insisted that the
council receive evidence to test the
correctness of the returns and count
ther1 accordingly. The question was
referred to the attorney general. He
has decided that the council is power
less The courts may be invoked but
no other power can recount the cen
sus' as taken by the local officers.
Moreover If any community feels 1t
has not had fair census it must hold
its local officers responsible for the
executive council can do nothing.
The council recently sent out letters
toI the $500 census enumerators ask
ing them why the population in rural
communities is falling off. The replies
uniformly said that the expansion of
the farms of the state was responsible.
Iowa farmers have been acquiring
their neighbors land and this has left
vacant farm houses. 1t is estimated
that the population of the state will
show falling off of about 100000. This
Isl a liberal figure, however 1t is the
best census ever taken in Iowa, by all
Odds.
Herriott's Committees.
There are rumors that Lieutenant
Governor John Herriott will change
mis- committees in the next session OF
the legislature The same members of
1.-THE legislature return for the session
next winter who were here last winter
Z The biennial elections amendment cor
tinued the office and gave them an eX-
ira session. 1t had been assumed un-
til recently that the lieutenant COVER
nor would allow the same committees
to stand in the senate next winter that
dill business in the session of 1904; and
also that Speaker Clarke who is cer-
tain of reelection would not change the
committees.
Now it is understood that Governor
Herriott has it in mind to readjust his
committees in the senate. He is given
the right to name them by the senate
itself, which might, like the United
States senate select it's own commit
tees if it saw Ait. 1t is supposed that
no effort will be made to take the pow
err away from him If he does try to re-
adjust the committee cnairmanships.
Mr.. Herriott is rapidly recovering
his strength and will be a candidate
for governor in the republican conven-
ton next spring.
Equalizing Assessment.
The equalization of the assessment
of property in Iowa for 1905 and the
assessment of railroad property re-
Gently arrived at by the Iowa executive
council is being highly endorsed all
over the state. The increase in the
railroad assessment coupled with the
reduction of the taxable value of the
farm lands in the sum of about $780,
100000 has left these two classes of
property at an equality which will
form the basis for future assessments,
unless land continues to go down. The
reduction in land values by the coun-
Gil was equivalent to an immense in
crease in railroad values. The work
Of the council in these respects was
most conscientiously done, and the
members are gratitied that the results
have been approved in the state gen.
orally.
State Center Base Ball.
Special 10 Times
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