Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1908-12-24
Unique Reforms at r.. Madison.

Unique Reforms at r.. Madison.
Fifty prisoners at the state peni-
Tertiary at Fort Madison sleep with
the doors of their cells unlocked.
These same fifty frequently work be-
yond the walls Of the PRISON without
chain and sbackle during the six
months the system he's been IN vogue.
This is one Of the reforms warden
Sanders is trying to institute at the
penitentiary. In the course of year
each one of the inmates of the insti,
tuition will have laundered shirts and
suits made by tailors on the grounds.
some of them inmates CT the prison.
Each man will have to arpe1r with
his shoes shined, a startling dcpar.
-ture from the usual prison routine.
Sanders was selected by the state
BOARD of control to establish new
ideas at the penitentiary. and han
succeeded so far that even The mem
bers of the boards sometimes look
askance when his reforms are pre-
scented to them. AS soon as possible
Sanders will abolish solitar, confine-
AN4NAN NhN Wa u " 6lfC CeCh Ou0 III
the men conditions which will make
him better, and teach him to live bet
ter when he leaves the prison.
May Ask Primary Change.
Changes in the state wide primary
law which will permit the people to
nominate the district court Judges
along with the other candidates for
Offices are being considered by some
of the judges of the Polk county
courts 1t is not urlitelv that the
Polk representatives in the Iegisia-
ture will be asked to introduce an
amendment looking towards this end
at the coming session OF the fegisla.
ture.
The primary law at present FRO
vides that district judges are not to
be nominated by the people 1T the
primary but instead by the convention
which meets later ON to ratify the
choice of the primary. The idea OF
the legislators was to make it un-
necessary for the judges to make a
political campaign which is not deem.
ed in accordance with the dignity that
should attach to the occupant OF the
bench.
Assessment is Affirmed.
The supreme court affirmed The as
sessment and taxation of $500.
worth CT property of A. Slimmer in
case appealed by him from Chicka-
saw county. An agent for him freely
listed the property for taxation and
no complaint was made of the assess
ment except in some minor details,
which were promptly adjusted. dur
ing several years. Then this suit
was brought to recover the taxes so
paid by the agent acting for Slim
mer The supreme court affirmed the
decision Of the lower court, holding
that there was no estoppel OF CON-
PLANT against the assessment, the
taxes having been collected fer sev-
eral years without any protest what.
ever being made.
Nal. Clmsted Urges Reforms.
The report of the inspection Of
the Iowa National guard which was
made by Major Olmsted, makes a
number Of imrortant recommends
tons. He urges that the honors of
the national guard be passed around.
He claims that the governor should
select his staff on the grounds Of
military worth, taking his members
from active participants in the af-
fairs of the guard. The Iowa Nation
al guard was fifth In point OF IN.
crease OF strength in the list five
years, seventh in regard to rifle prac-
tice and fourteenth in regard to mem.
bership 1t is above the average In
Points of excellence.
Sheriffs Worried over Mileage.
A report has gone broadcast over
Iowa that the supreme court he's held
that sheriffs cannot collect at the end
of the year for the mileage they have
net received in the rast twelve
months. Sheriff Kimmer frem In
dianc.a and Sheriff Culver from West
Union have been in the city consult
ing with Sheriff Lopez about the prop
osition. They say 1t means a COM
plete loss to every sheriff Of sums Of
money that have been expended in
carrying on the work of the Office and
for which the sheriff should not be
held accountable.
Draft Law for Good Roads.
A tentative form of the state good
reads law which the Greater Des
Moines committee will make an effort
to have passed at the next legisla-
ture will be drafted by Attorney
General Byers and Thomas McDon-
aid, engineer of the state highway
commission, to be ready for read
ing at the meeting of the good roads
committee to be held soon.
Brindley VIII Aid Law Makers.
That Prof. Benz F. Shambaugh, the
newly appointed curator CT the his
torical department, Is maturing PLANS
which will enlarge the scope and &C.
tivities of the department and give
practical value to historical research
as carried on In this state. was made
eviden by the appointment OF John
E. Brindley as the curator's hgis-
lative reference assistant. II is un-
derstood that by the first OF January
Mr.. Rrindley will be prepared to
serve the members of the general as
sembly in collecting End compiling
data for their use during the coming
session of the state legislature.