Omaha daily bee., 1909-02-18
BILL FOR SIMPLER BALLOT
Opposition to Circle, However, is Pro-
nounced in the Senate.
TwO MORE CONTESTS DECIDED
Belief that Examinations of Teachers
IL Too Academic Leads to bill
70 Change Examining
Board.
From a staff Correspondent

DIES MONIES, Feb. 1L-(Special)-Th,
senate went on record for a simpler ballo.
and made 1t plain there will be no goinr
back to the discarded plan Of having 8
circle on the ballot as a sop TO the ignorant
voters.
Tn Peterson bill to remove the optior
OF having the names of president and vice.
president placed on the ballots was passed
BY a vote of 20 to H. Senator Peterson
in presenting the measure stated that II
was due to this fact that all the contest.
had come in Iowa and all the trouble over
badly marked ballots. The voters had in.
sisted upon placing squares IN front OF
the candidates for president and vice-presi-
dent and these were clearly in violation OF
the law.
The opposition was led by Adams, Savage.
Saunders and Mccullough, who talked
chiefly about restoring the circle to the
ballot and complained that the bill to re-
store the circle had not yet been reported.
The vote of 30 to IA proves conclusively
that 1t will be impossible to get through
the senate a bill to restore the circle. A
great many petitions have come in for res
t~oration OF the circle, but it was not re-
commended In the message of the governor
and is not desired by a majority OF the
senators.
Direct Inheritance Taxes.
The senate passed without. change the
bill to require payment of a direct inheri-
lance tax. 1t provides for a tax on all
inheritances. graduated so that an estate
lof $4,000 will be exempt and all over $50,
900 will be charged 8 per cent. The sur
viving spouse will not have to nay any
part of the tax.
| The senate also passed the following.
DIN - .N--,tN - - -
vote tax upon their member or persons in
terested in libraries and hospitals.
Bill to permit a 3-mill fire tax levy in
second class cities, and in cities over 10000
Bill. to admit dependant fathers to the
Soldiers home.
Bill to increase state aid for county and
Bill to pay inaugural expenses.
Bill to Civ Jurors sa6o a day instead of
Bill to revise the law as to Jail breaking.
House Wants No Probing.
The house decided against probing today
by laying on the table a resolution by
Inman to provide a joint committee to in
vestigate the quarantine troubles and the
acts of the State Board of Health.
The house passed a bill to revise the law
as to motor vehicles and also a bill to per-
NIT cities to pay for preliminaries in the
preparation for building w~aterworks.
New state Building.
In the house Representative Dewey in
troduced a bill to authorize the expenditure
of $4,000 for additional ground near the
state house and also 10000 for the erec-
ton of an office building near the capitol
for the housing Of many subsidiary offices.
In the senate Cosson introduced a bill
to revise the law,aas to remarriage after
divorce so as to punish for living together
as man and wife at any place within one
year after a divorce has been granted.
COhtests Decided.
Two more OF the contests in the house
came to a head today when the commit
tees counting votes in Marion and
Buchanan counties finished. In each
county the incumbent retains the seat. In
Marion county it was found that Crozier,
democrat, had a larger majority by four
or five than had been shown in the can
vass; and In Buchanan county, Stoddard,
republican, had twenty majority over
Springer instead of the two tina had been
given him. One other contest remains to
be decided.
Tax Revision Discussion.
A large body OF men from cities OF the
state where there are large financial
centers appeared today before committees
on the matter of tax revision and espe-
clally to urge exemption OF mortgage from
taxation.
A hearing was given In committees today
on the proposal to make 1t unlawful for
the large concentration creamery companies
to indulge in cut-throat competition in
order to drive the co-operatives out of
business.
Examinations Too Academic.
\ A bill which will probably be passed in
the legislature this week will result in
busting from the State, Board OF Education
college presidents, who under the present
school law possess the balance of power.
Laymen are to be put in control. following
general dissatisfaction with the State Edu-
cational Board of Examiners on the theory
that the issuing of Qualifications lie hedged
about with too many arbitrary and
academic provisions. In the board of five
now In existence three of the members are
the presidents OF the State university and
the state normal schools. The new boaIS
is to be composed OF seven members A
majority of the committee today went on
record in favor of the county unit, with
control OF local matters still left TO a town
ship board of three members, and a county
board to be composed of the head OF each
township board. These ideas will be en-
bodied in the second Of the two substitute
bills 10 be drafted. The county superin-
tendents of schools is to be elected at the
March election instead of being appointed
as at present. Al least three first class busl-
ness men are to be made members OF the
educational board with a view to keeping
the control Of educational affairs closer
to the people.
A bill to prohibit the marriage OF cousins
within the state of Iowa, will be introduced