Evening times-Republican., 1909-05-27
LABOR AEN ACTIVE
STATE FEDERATION AT DUBUQUE
NEXT MONTH TO DISCUSS
LEGISLATION.
PENSIONS FOR WORKERS
ARE GENERALLY FAVORED
Senator cummins' Stand for Income
Tax Generally Approved-conven
tion to Be in Session Several Days
State Employees lnocuIated With
Baseball Germ.

Special to Times Republican
Des Moines, May 27.- Considerable in-
terest attaches to the annual conven-
ito nof the State Federation of Labor
to be held in Dubuque June s. At that
time the Legislative committee will re-
port on its work at the Thirty-third
general assembly and will make sug-
gestions for laws that should be urged
before the next general assembly. Of
ficers of the state federation were
quite generally satisfied with the con-
cessions made by the last legislature
but want much more two years hence.
1t is very likely that the question of
/ pensions will be freely discussed by
the labor interests. The last assembly
passed laws permitting the pensioning
of firemen and policemen of cities. 1t
Is urged by some that penusions should
be provided generally for working men
when they have attained a certain age
or become enfeebled To establish a
fund from which to pay such pensions,
however, would require some contin-
uous income. BY some it is suggested
that ar income tax might provide such
fund.
Labor men generally are pleased
with the stand Senator Cummins has
taken in congress for an income tax.
Ex-Governor Garst in an address at
Iowa City before assuming the duties
of governor made a strong argument
in favor of an income tax.
The convention will probably be in
session four or five days. The basis
of representation in the convention is:
From local trade and federal labor
unions, one delegate and one additional
delegate for each additional one hun
dred members or major fraction there
of over and above the first one hun
Iidred; from state craft organizations,
city centrals, building trades councils,
allied printing trades councils, three
/ local unions affiliated with building
trades, ct al trades and printing
trades councils, in order to be entitled
10 representation shall also be affilli-
ated with the city central body where
one exists.
State mouse employees are inoculat-
ed with a germ. 1t is the baseball
germ. An enterprising sporting goods
house, evidently to advertise its publi-
cations and goods. sent to every office
at the state capitol an annual "Offic-
ial Baseball Guide Employees have
4 been reading this with interest. Some
already are attacked by the fever and
stories of sick aunts, headaches and
the like are in preparation for the sun
4 shiny baseball days.
The state board of control is Just
| completing its tour of inspection of the
state institutions The board will
meet here soon and decide upon any
changes to be made at the institution
/ and discuss any new features to be
taken up. At that meeting will prob
ably be definitely settled the question
( of removal of superintendent Fitz-
gerald of the Mitchellville Girls Indus
I trial School, against whom charges of
misconduct were recently made Evil
dence against him was taken and he
was given opportunity by the board to
refute this. His reply it is understood
and evidence is with the board and
final action will soon be taken.
Iowa's insane population has almost
doubled in the past eleven years, ac-
cording to the latest statistical table
completed yesterday by the state
board Of control. There are now ALI
men and women in the four state hos
pitals for the insane, whereas in 1898,
when the board took charge, there
were only 2,645. at the home for feeble
minded at Glenwood the number OF
inmates has increased from 6o7 in 1898
to 1,179 in 1909.
Most of the increase is attributed by
members Of the board to the improve
ment in the state institutions. They
are now called Hospitals" and are
managed by experts in nervous dis
eases who give to the inmates all the
benefits of scientific treatment that
they would receive in a private hos
pital.
People now have confidence in the
state hospitals and do not hesitate tc
send their relatives and friends in the
incipient stages" said Chairman John
Cownie. Many well to do families who
twenty years ago would not think OF
sending their relatives to state
asylum now do so without fear of mis-
treatment"
The table shows an increase of more
than 100, or about 12 per cent, in the
population of the penitentiaries since
year ago. At Anamosa and For
Madison there are now s96 convicts
Last May there were only 794. The
financial depression of 1907 and 1908
which threw thousands Of laborers ou
of work, is suggested as a possible
cause for the increase by members o.
the board. Since the board took charge
the population Of the prisons has de.
creased from 1852 in 1898 to S9e il
1909
Two Former Boone People Die.
Special to Republican.
Boone, May 27-Messages received