Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-04-09
crimes are the result of accident of en-
vironment or circumstance.
MUNICIPAL. REFORMS.

crimes are the result of accident of en-
vironment or circumstance
MUNICIPAL. REFORMS.
In the matter Of providing for re-
form In municipal government the leg
islature has taken a long step for
ward. The most important of the bills
came from the Iowa League of Munici-
palities. Some of the bills improve the
law as to assessments for improve
ments. The big bill of the league con-
centrates the duties of various Off
Gals in cities of the second class and
makes very clear and distinct the con-
stitutional requirement as to dlvis-
ion of legislative and executive author
ity. giving the mayor power to appoint
policemen and firemen and street COM
missioners and similar officers without
asking the council The number OF
wards and aldermen are reduced in cit
les of the second class. In towns the
mayors are no longer members of the
council. In some cities assessors and
solicitors are appointed. In another
very important bill the present law as
to putting police and fire forces on the
merit system is made to apply 10
number of the larger cities of the state.
so that political influences will be re-
moved.
The bill providing for the establish
ment of the commission system, mod
eled somewhat after the Galveston
plan, is regarded as TO the most dras-
tic and revolutionary measure which
passed 1t destroys the old idea of
representative government and places
all legislative and executive power in
the hands of board OF five members
elected at large, one being called the
mayor and each being nominally head
Of q department. This board has abb
solute and autocratic power with re-
gard to all business matters of the city
and it appoints judges, treasurers
cleiNs. superintendent. etc. In this
connection there have been embodied
the new fads of the initiative and the
referendum together with the recall.
This gives the voters an opportunity TO
pass ordinances by direct vote and
to recall an election under certain cir
cumstances. This is regarded by rad
ical reformers as the greatest victory
for them Of the session, as the bil,
tho it can apply to only few OF the
cities of the state. affords opportunity
for trying out some of the new fads ana
making an entering wedge thru which
it is hoped to effect a complete revolt
ton of our present system of stale
and city government. But in cities that
adopt the system there can be no
doubt that the present corrupt forces
which are in control will be for the
time eliminated.
PURITY BILLS AND TEMPERANCE.
The purity bills, so-called, or bills
against fraud and deception In vari-
Gus forms, have taken up great deal
of the valuable rime Of the legislature.
These are in the main amendments TO
or additions to the laws previously en-
acted. Senator Newberry has made a
speciality of these various bills. One
of these passed provides for an
amendment to the present law defining
the labels for foods, compounds and
blends and requiring the naming of
the ingredients with quantity or pro-
portion of each one. Another relates
to labelling extracts and fixing STAN
dard. Another relates to paints and
oils and requires the name of ingred-
tents and an analysis, also the net
weight or measure of each package.
In regard to stock foods and Seeds the
farmers made a great gain in a law
which will require the name of each
ingredient of all the concentrated
stock foods, which includes 80 per cent
of all sold. In regard to the condi-
mental or medical stock foods, the
name of the dilutant or base is re-
NIFTY, IN N
thereof. The national pure drug law
was adopted, with some slight changes.
In regard to seeds and grains, a law
has been enacted intended to put a
stop to the scattering Of weed seed
all over the state in grains SOLID for
seed. Certain seeds named are pro-
hib1ed, and If they are. found in seed
sold somebody is subject to punish
ment. Then there was added to a list
of prohibited drugs a number which
have evil use. The binder Irvine bill
is another of the NeWberry bills of
great Importance. 1t requires not only
the name of the maker or importer of
the Irvine, but the length per pound to
be on every ball of the goods.
In the matter of temperance legis-
lation most of it appears as defeated.
A bill to eliminate the bum" element
at the inebriate hospital is regarded
as important. A bill to prevent sale
of liquor nearer than one mile of the
army POST at Des Moines was passed
The express G. o. D. bills were killed,
also the state marshal bill, the bill to
provide for removal of delinquent
county attorneys, the anti-treating
hill lnanufactl1rerS' hill and tha hill
requiring notice before consent pc
tition is circulated. The threatened
introduction of resolution looking to
constitutional prohibition failed of ma
terialization, tho members declare that
it is a coming issue and must be met
at an early day.
CORPORATIONS AND INSURANCE.
The legislation relating to corpora
tons has been important. The bill
to forbid corporations giving to polit-
ical committees or participating, as
corporations, in political matters, and
forbidding any candidates or any po-
litical committee, from accepting any
contribution of any kind from a COR
poration or from anyone acting for a
corporation, will greatly reduce the
campaign funds available in some
quarters. There has been honest fear
on the part Of many persons that this
law is so framed that it will be a
danger and that blackmail and injus-
tice will result, but Senator Peterson
is confident this will not be true. The
bill requiring corporations to make an
annual report is also of great import
nrto,