Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-04-13
Des Moines Bureau OF
The Ottumwa Courier


computation, to figure to the cent on
the total of appropriations for the
biennial period, but Senator Maytag
who had been entrusted with the duty
of making the final computations, stat
ed at the close of the session yester.
day that the total was few dollars IN.
der the S1,500O00 mark which had
been set by the state treasurer. A few
minor bills which were considered
Just at the close would have run the
total over the mark, but the senators
believe they have avoided this.
& The legislative order to the execu-
tive council is to make tax levy next
July which will bring to the general
revenues of the state from direct taxa
ton $2,300,000. This is just $4,000
more than the order of two years ago,
and this represents not an increased
expenditure but desire to- have just
a little more leeway.
4 The state tax levy will therefor re-
main as at present, or at not more
than 3.4 mills on the dollar of the as
sessed valuation of the property of the
state. The increased revenue demand
will be matched by at least an equal
increase in the assessed valuation of
the state, unless there should be a
material reduction in the railroad
taxes next July.
In view of the enormous increase of
askings, which fairly represent real
needs of the state the members of the
Thirty-third general assembly feel
that they are entitled to much credit
for SO handling matters as to keep the
appropriations down The pressure for
additions to the running expenses OF
the state is always strong and never
more SO than at this session.
Despite such effort to inject poll
tics into the session and the sparring
for fractional advantage which was
only half concealed there was really
little of politics in the session and only
In the closing days was there any feel
ing reorganization of the departments
and enabling wholesale changes to be
made all went by the board. The con-
troversy over the board of control
place did not cause any i'll feeling, as
it was accepted practically on all
hands that by the action taken there
would be no change in the board I'M
til after the opening of the next legis-
lature. and this is entirely satisfactory
to most of the members.
The important Bills.
In the list of bills passed by the leg
islature it will be found that the board
of education stands prominently as
the greatest of the new measures.
This will stand out as the one great
achievement of the session. Along
witk tbs was the law enforcement
measure which on the whole were in
tended to strengthen the present laws
rather than to bring about some new
legislation. These laws relate to the
office of attorney general, the county
attorney and the sheriff, the Offices
that have to do with the enforcement
of the ordinary statutes of the state.
The law to effect removal of persons
who are derelict in duty was not pass
ed in the form in which it was propos-
ed but changed to give the courts the
task of deciding whether an officer
should be removed.
Some of the time of the legislature
was consumed in having laws of the
state which were enacted in recent
years dressed up and perfected-such
as the primary election law, the pure
food law, the laws for railroad regula-
ton, anti-pass child labor and regard
ing labor matters. A great deal of
this is new legislation for Iowa and
was necessarily imperfect at the out
set
Some good legislation in criminal
matters was taken up, as for instance
the bucketshop law, cigarettes. con-
tributory dependency, forbidding
ri MI Inc Two
ing at the social evil
The anti-saloon legislation relates to
: matters of regulation of the traffic and
can hardly be considered important,
though of course the defeat of the
prohibitory amendment was bv far
the most important matter of the SEES
sion.
There was really much that failed
of passage thatsmight easily have gone
through. A great many bills were pro-
posed for the purpose of effecting ma
tertal changes in the departments, and
these were nearly all disposed of ad-
versely.
The road legislation was moderate
In character and there was practically
no school legislation. The travelling
men are pleased over the provision for
greater safety of the hotels and in
spection.
All The Bills Passed.
Following is a complete list of the
bills passed by the legislature.
General Enactments.
Creating state board of education OF
9 members and finance committee OF
three on $4,000 salary, to govern state
educational institutions
Creating Office of state hotel inspec
tor and requiring freproof construc
HERE is RELIEF FOR WOMEN.
If you have pains in the back Uniary
Bladder or Kidney trouble anu want {