Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-04-05
lew a tax and build and maintain CT
public hospitals.

| QuDllc nOSplldlS.
|
A bill was passed in the senate yes
terday to encourage the planting OF
| fruit and forest trees. The bill had
| previously passed the house and now
| goes to the governor for his signature
1t privides exemption for taxes under
certain circumstances and conditions
on land on which is planted fruit or
| forest trees. 1t was asked by the
Forestry Association of the state and
passed largely because they recon-
| mended it.
| Because of the fact that the election
ballot will be twice as large hereafter,
| the election being only once in two
years instead of once year, a bill has
| been passed by the senate doubling
the amount to be paid for the publica-
ton of the ballot in newspapers.
The MilIaee Tax
The house yesterday refused to ac-
cept the senate amendment to the mill
age tax bills requiring that all plans
and specifications and estimates of cost
of new buildings be submitted to the
legislature for its approval before COM
mencing the building and the senate
refused to recede from its position.
The matter therefore went to confer
ence committee. Senator Dowell was
in the chair in the senate and he APP
pointed Lewis. Lambert Newberry and
Whipple as the committee on the part
of the senate The matter is one of
Importance as unless some action is
taken no new buildings can be started
this year. 1t is thought by some that
this is the intent Of the author of the
amendment to the bill, Senator Lewis.
Those favoring the enactment of a
board Of regents bill are not averse in
some ways to the amendment remain
ing in the bills. 1t is nearly certain that
the board of regents matter will come up
again next year at the meeting of the
legislature and this is but nine months
away. The bill as it passed the senate
prevents any new buildings being
erected till passed upon by the legis-
lature. The idea appeals to some that
the state educational institutions WILL
unless this provision is made in the bill
rush at the erection of new buildings
in the fear that a board of control may
decide differently. With this provision
in the bill nothing can be done except
to complete the old buildings and the
next legislature will have an oppor-
tunity to enact a board of regents bill
before the new buildings can be start
ed.
Senator Lewis pointed out at once
that this could not be the case for the
reason that the millage tax under the
1oy, Jo11
to the educational institutions till April
1908. Senator Ericsson, who is trying
to get the amendment changes, points
out that the State College at Ames pro-
poses to build an agricultural hall, the
foundation for which they propose to
lay this summer and which will not be
completed till 1908 or after and some of
the money to be used from the new
milage law will be wanted for the
completion of this building. but cannot
be under this law unless the legislature
approves the plans, and this the legis-
lature may refuse to do.
The office of the state superintendent
of public instruction probably got more
laws passed at this session than any
other department of state. Superin-
tendent Riggs recommended seven
measures, four Of which were quite inn
portant, and three of lesser Importance.
The Legislature has acted on the four
important measures, passing them all.
These are the uniform system of ex-
aiming teachers with a state certifi-
cate only; the change in the time for
receiving the secretarys and treasur-
ers reports; the change in the
boundary of school districts so as to
facilitate the consolidation of rural
schools; and the requiring of the
supervisors to audit the expense ac-
counts of the county superintendent
All Of these passed. There is now no
county or township limit to the school
district. 1t has long been claimed that
the school district should not be
compelled to follow those boundaries