Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1909-02-04
LEGISLATIVE WORK
SHAPES up WELL
Visiting Committees Will Be
Under Direction of Commit
tees on Appropriation.

Dcs Moines. la. Feb. 3.-Notwith-
4 standing some evidence of disposition
on the part of members of the general
asscnly to be IA little more deliberate
than seems necessary the record shows
that the legislature has really made a
| good start toward disposing of the
| work before it. The only disturbin.,
matter is that. at least on the part Of
| the older members. there is plainly a
/ plan to hold back most important mat
! the session. But it may be that there
are no sensational measures to be
| sprung.
The third week closes with about 80
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 etluca-
| tona and other institutions h;yve been
presented by the friends of the respec-
I tive institutions. 1T would be Just as
we'll not to have these bills presented
at all, for the appropriations commit
| tees In fact ignore them and make llp
budget in accordance with the rev
enues of the state and after comparing
the needs of the various institutions
There have been thus far Very few bills
calling for large expenditures other
than for the various state institutions
1t is the belief of nearly Ill that the
matter of visiting the state institu-
possible condition. There Will be
created n joint committee OF three from
each house, and this committee will be
under the direction of the two appro-
priations committees acting Jointly.
and the visiting squad can be sent all
/ or in part to any or all of the inStitu-
tions. The plan is To have the whole
committee SO TO the three state colleges
and possibly To some others. and then
part of the committee can be sent
elsewhere. Perhaps some of the insti
buttons will not be visited al all In
come cases one member may be sent to
look into Just one or two small mat
tiers upon which the appropriations
committees desire embellishments In
this way the visitation viii not inter
fcrc in amy way with the work of the
session.
There is feeling among members
that a special committee ought to be
sent To the state pnuitentiary To report
upon that institution especially in view
of the onslaught which has been made
upon the board OF control for having
made Il change in the head of the
/ prison great many OF the members
| believe that a report from such a com
mittee approved by the legislature
would greatly strengthen the hands of
the board and tend to firmly establish
for Iowa modern methods In prison
discipline.
State House. Des Moines, Ia. Feb
3-As q supplement to the bill giving
sheriffs additional duties With regard
To enforcement of the laws passed last
week. the senate passed unanimously
the bin to give additional duties and
responsibilities to the county attorneys.
There was little discussion and it was
explained that the sole purpose of the
bill was to require that county attor-
neys prosecute all offenders against the
law, and in case they fail to do so there
viii be grounds for their removal.
The senate also passed the bill TO
require the placing out at interest OF
county funds in the hands Of the
county
The house passed the bill to exempt
dentists from jury service and the bill
to give $50 for burial expenses of old
soldiers
In the house Stillman introduced n
resolution for Il select committee to
prepare changes i'll the drainage laws
to conform To the constitutional
amendment adopted last year.
Alfred introduced a resolution To for
bid members of the house from giving
tlictation to strnpgraphers while they
(thc members have their feet on the
desks or are engaged ia siinokng and
requiring members To do their smoking
Ia the cloak rooms.