Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-03-28
Effort to Pass Indeterminate
Sentence Law in Iowa
Has Failed
THE COMMITTEE FAVORED 1T
Men Who Investigated the Subject and
Drew the Bill Were Anxious to Have
the Measure Passed-Employers Of
Convict Labor Were opposed-Les-
isIative News.
Special to Times-Repuplican.

DeS Moines March 3S.-Partly thru
the influence of the lobbying of Deputy
United States District Attorney Stew
art the indeterminate sentence law
was killed in the senate yesterday Rel
atives of Stewart are owners of the
Fort Madison Tool Company which.
employees the convicts of the peniten-
tiary. The Fort Madison Tool Com
pany was opposed to the indeterminate
sentence bill because it provided that
none but the hardened criminals Of
over thirty years of age should be kept
at Fort Madison and the Fort Madison
Tool Company's experience is that the
short term prisoners or younger men
make better workmen than the old
hardened criminals. For this reason
they were opposed to the measure.
Senator Saunders the author of the
bill and one of the members of the
commission that investigated the prob
lens of prison reform made an excel
lent presentation Of the arguments in
favor of the bill. He was ably sup
ported by Senator Garst, Senator
Brooks and others. They were able
to show that the indeterminate sem
tence idea was in line with the pro-
gress of other states, that it had the
endorsement Of the best informed pub
lie men who have studied the subject
and the support of practically all the
wardens of penitentiaries where it Is
tried, but they could not deny that 4
number of police judges and city po-
ioar VIC Senator
Saunders showed that in Illinois the
average. length of the term served by
criminals is ten months more under
the indeterminate sentence law than
under the old definite term sentence
laws. He showed that the same thing
was. true. in a general way in other
states and that in New York which is
receiving hordes of the worst classes
from Europe, annually and is increas-
ing i'll population rapidly is practically
at standstill as to the amount of
crime and convictions and sentences.
Two years ago the bill passed in the
senate 2S to 10 but failed in the house
and commission was appointed TO
Investigate the problem before any
change should be made in the law.
The committee was composed OF
Saunders of the senate and Temple
and Jones of the house, three of the
most able men in the legislature and
they reported in favor of the indeter-
inmate sentence law and reported that
the trend oflegislation was all in favor
of the reform. But the bill this year
was killed in the senate Is to IS. Dep
uty United States District Attorney
Stewart has been in the city and
about the legislative halls for the last
week or two working in opposition to
the bill.
L The senate yesterday passed the
Brooks bill prohibiting delegates at
the state agricultural convention from
having more than one vote. There was
already law which prevents the proxy
system at the state meetings, but del
egates were frequently elected dele
gates from more than one society and
insisted on one vote for each society
which they represented. The Brooks
bill prohibits this. The bill has the
favor of the department of agriculture
and large number connected with it.
The Smith, of Mitchell BILL which
amends the code so that the front plat
forms of street cars in all cities must
winter months, beginning in Novem-
Der. 1908. was passed by the senate
yesterday.
A bill was introduced in the senate
yesterday requiring that all skinned
milk shall be pasteurized before deliv-
cry to patrons.
The senate yesterday passed the
Wyland house bill authorizing the
bringing of actions against certain
kinds of bonds in the county, only, in
which the bond 10 filed and approved.
There is already some speculation as
to who will compose the insurance
commission that shall this summer in
vestigate the insurance problems. The
bill was up on special order today for
discussion in the senate, and the dis
cussion of the personnel of the COM
mission was discussed yesterday. The
freedom Of the discussion leads to the
supposition that the bill will become
law. 1t is conceded that Senator
Whipple. who made such an excellent
reputation investigating the board of
control proposition and showed his
ability to go to the bottom of prob
lens. stands a good chance of being
named as one of the members of the
senate if he wants the place, just from
the prestige of being chairman of the
insurance committee in the senate.
Emory English, chairman of the house
committee stands a good chance, also,
if he wants the place. 1t is probable
that a democratic senator and dem
ocratic house member will be named il
the bill passes. It is absolutely true,
however, that the persons who will
make the appointment If the bill passes
both houses have given the subject of
whom they will appoint no considera-
ton thus far.
good deal of nervousness was
started by the Introduction of the bill
to require inspection Of cattle brought
into Iowa for breeding or feeding pur-
poses From the western part of the
state came big shout of disapproval
Especially would this be undesirable
at the live stock markets. 1t is be-
lieved they will be able to kill the
bill in committee
The Chassell bill to require that
railroads shall sell mileage books for
2 cents mile straight and that these