Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-01-26
TRYING To MAKE
BOTH ENDS meet
LEGISLATURE ENDEAVoRlNG TO
FIGURE OUT PROBLEM OF
MAKING APPROPRIATIONS.
Des Moines Bureau of
The Ottumwa Courier,

Des Moines, Jan. 25.
Already the men who do things in
the legislature are trying to figure out
the problem of fitting appropriations
to revenues Thus far the problem
seems simple. A rough statement pre-
pared shows as follows:
Funds available, CAROLS
estimate ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 81 ,50O,O0O
Fifteen state institutions -. 405,S50
8 educational institutions ;. 1.090,1
Total needed 81, 1855
Not appropriated ........ 1850
In addition there are to be bills for
many other items, such as the fol
lowing:
Farm for epileptics ..........$ $1,000
Historical building .......... $4,000
Highway bonus ............. 100000
Improving state grounds $3.50. 100000
Land at State University. -. 100000
The askings for the three state edu
cational institutions are divided be-
tween them as follows:
State University ...........$5 $3.50, 900
State college 4b9,50O
State Normal College .. $4,000
This is in addition to the millage
taxes for building purposes for the
three educational institutions, which
millage taxes will bring to them
about $72O,000 in the period. This is,
of course, all appropriated
The askings for the board of con-
troll institutions would indicate that
the end is near for very heavy sask-
ings for these institutions, and thai
hereafter the main items of the b:-
o1 mil La y
for small buildings to complete -
plants already owned. No very
buildings are now wanted at r"
these Is institutions.
The askings for the colleges wouid
indicate that the building up process
is but fairly commenced, for in the
items are several for extensive ex-
penditures in new buildings and
equipment aside from the millage
taxes.
If the legislature should appropriate
all that Is asked for and needed at the
eighteen state institutions which in
cludes colleges, hospitals, reformator-
les and honest would just take the
money which the state aduitor has es
timated will be available for extraor-
binary appropriations.
Legislation IN Other states.
The state law library through IFS
legislative reference department, is
doing a great deal to aid the members
of the legislature in finding out the
trend Of legislation in other states
The library is now receiving regularly
copies Of the bills introduced In the
legislatures of several other states
Among the bills Just received from
California is a bill to give that state
direct primary law for making nom
nations, and it Is patterned very
closely after the Iowa law Some time
ago representative secured on ap,
plication to Gov. Garst a copy Of the
Iowa law for this express purpose.
though indicating he had little hone
of getting such reform through so
long as the Southern Pacific owns the
state Another bill provides for plac-
ing names Of judicial candidates on
the ballot without party designation.
Another Is for compulsory vaccina
ton, and another is very strict bill
against gambling.
A Maine bill just received shows
that Maine is also catching up with
the procession, bill being to provide
booths for the voters while they mark
their ballots. There is also Maine
bill for many improvements in the
ballot system. A bill provides for a
Estate police force" consisting of
chief and three deputies. In the Maine
| legislature they have joint commit
tees which consider all bills so that
members of each house get together
on legislation.
A South Dakota bill would punish
for desecrating the United States flag
or the state flag of South Dakota,
which reminds us that there is no
state flag in Iowa. Another bill pro-
vides uniform text books, another
| forbids sales Of merchandise stocks
in bulk except upon notice and anoth-
err makes material improvements in