Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-01-30
IOWA LEGISLATURE
DOING REAL WORK
Has Accomplished Considerable
in the Way of Disposing Of
Work on Hand
TWO HUNDRED FIFTY BILLS
Two Houses Have Received Large
Number Of Measures, Many Of Which
Are Duplicates = MiIlase Tax for
Educational institutions an Import
ant Problem.
Special to Times Republican.

/ Special to Times -RepubllCan.
Des Moines Jan 30.-Notwithstand-
ing some evidence of a disposition on
sembly to be little more deliberate
than seems necessary the record shows
that the legislature has really made
good start toward disposing of the
work before it, The only disturbing
matter is that, at least on the part OF
the older members, there is plainly a
plan to hold back most important mat
ters and not to get them up early IN
the session. But it may be that there
sprung.
The third week closes with about ESQ
bills introduced in the two houses, or
really about half that number, for they
are largely duplicates. Nearly all the
appropriation bills for the state educa-
tional and other institutions have been
presented by the friends of the re-
spective institutions. 1t would be just
at all, for the appropriations commit
tees in fact ignore them and make up
budget in accordance with the reve-
nues of the state and after comparing
the need of the various institutions.
There have been thus far very few bllls
calling for large expenditures other
than for the various state institutions
have an important matter to CONSIDER
in the demand on the part of the edu-
kcational institutions of millage tax
for support and to fix definite sup
| port and contingency fund. also the
proposal for a millage tax to support
/ the proposed agricultural and manual
training academies The inheritance
tax~proposal is also one of the things
| these committees must dispose of. Rep
resentative Lee has introduced the Dill
for a direct inheritance tax IN the eX-
act form of two years ago. the Gill;
land bill exempting real estate, which
would be an encouragement TO wealthy
people to tie up their property In real
estate But none of these propositions
are as vet in such form that the ways
and means committees can take hold
of them.
| II is the belief of nearly all that the
matter of visiting the state institutions
has been left in about the best possl-
BILE condition. There will be created
ioint committee of three from each
house. and this committee will be un-
der the direction of the two appropria-
tions committees acting Jointly, and
the visiting squad can be sent all or IN
part to any or all Of the institutions.
The plan is to have the whole commit
tee go to the three state colleges and
possibly to some others, and then a
part of the committee be sent else
where. Perhaps some of the 1nstltu-
tions will not be visited at all. In some
cases one member may be sent to look
into Just one or two small matters up
on which the appropriations commit
tees desire enlightenment In this way
the visitation will not interfere In any
way with the work of the session.
Senator Bruce says he will introduce
bill to provide for committee or
commission to examine into and report
upon the conduct of the institutions
generally, not because of any possible
bad management, but on the theory
that the legislature is entitled to moro
definite information as to how the
money of the state is being spent ana
as to whether or not the general plans
of the board Of control and of the
board of regents and trustees are all
right. He wanted the visiting commit
tees to 70 into this matter to some
extent.
There is a feeling among members
that a special committee ought to be
sent to the state penitentiary to report
upon that institution, especially in view
of the onslaught which has been made
upon the board Of control for having
made a change in the head OF the pris-
on. A great many OF the members
believe that report from such a COM
mittee approved by the legislature
would greatly strengthen the hands OF
the board and tend to firmly estab-
lish for Iowa modern methods in prison
discipline.
Perhaps the most important OF the
bills recently introduced is that TOR the
establishmen Of four agricultural ana
mechanical high schools dividing the
state into four districts. This bill was
originally written by Lieutenant Gov
ernor Garst two years ago as COM
promise for the many bills on that SUBJ
ject. and to it has been added the
plan Of organization largely as worked
out by Justice Deemer. Such schooi
can be established when the city bid
ding for it is ready to donate l6O acres
or more of land. The first school to
be established would probably be at
Red Ooak and the second at Mount
Pleasant These schools would be IN
line for the federal aid contemplated
by congress.
Practically every committee of both
houses has been at work the past week,