Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-01-26
SENATOR GILLILAND INTRO
DUcEs RESOLUTION FAVOR
ING RUssEY'S PIECE.
MANY NEW BILLS FILED
Developments Today Indicate That
Visiting Committees May Not be
Appointed This Session. =
Legislative Notes.
Des Moines Bureau OF
Tho Ottnmwa Courier

In the senate today Gilliland Of
fered a concurrent resolution declar-
ing the song, Iowa, Beautiful Iowa,
written by Tao Hussey to be the state
song Of Iowa. The senate passed
bill by Proudfoot to give the courts
right to waive having inventories
made in estate settlements. The SEN
ate considered the Gilliland bill to
protect brick and cement crossings
from traction engines, but did
not finish consideration. The new
bills follow:
Cosson-Limiting the time for ap-
peals in criminal cases to six months.
Hunter-Providing two mill tax
for health purposes in cities; also to
tax the cost of sewer repairs to prop
erty; also giving control of their road
taxes.
Burgess-To require all doors Of
public buildings to open outward; al
SO to relieve persons from liability for
newspapers not ordered or sent after
the time is up.
Allen-Highway and weed commits
sion.
Dodds-Providing for s1OO reward
for horse or cattle thieves.
Schulte-Making insurance notes
not collectable unless the company has
complied with the Iowa laws.
Grier-To transfer the banking and
municipal accounting departments
from the state auditors Office.
Whire-Car service or demurrage
bill
The two houses disagree as to nee
essity for visiting committees and this
morning the house took back its reso-
luton for an adjournment this week
and naming visiting committees. OPP
position had developed in the senate
and the members are waiting to see if
an agreement can be reached. There
may be no visiting committees.
School Bill Filed.
The bill for codification and revis
ion OF school laws, introduced in the
house by Holmes of Kossuth, prom
ises to be one Of the most important
of the session. 1t provides for a com
plete revision of all school laws re
ferring to the public schools of the
state. In addition it proposes an en-
tirely new plan of school organiza
ton.
The bill embodies the recommends
tons of the commission appointed b!
the last session of the general assem-
bly,. 1t makes the county a unit in thu
matter of school organization and pro
vides for a county board of three
members elected at large from th'
county, only one member of which
may come from any city or from an,
fru in Tho cho11 hou
charge of the rural schools Of th'
county and limited authority over tn
city schools. Each township shall hav'
three trustees, acting under this coun
ty board.
Does Away With District Treasurers
The bill abolishes the office of dis
trict school treasurer and provide
that the school funds shall go into til
hands of the county treasurer and b
by him deposited in banks in the cour
ty were orders, properly authentica
ed, shall be paid. The school money
are to draw interest as other publ
funds
The bill further provides that n
school shall be maintained with an a
tendance Of six pupils or less, all
where schools are discontinued tn
pupils are to be furnished transport;
tion to the nearest school, If tw
miles or more from their residence
The bill is strongly endorsed by Stat
Supt Riggs. In speaking Of it he said
statistics I have gathered sho
there are today in this state full
$500 schools in operation with an a
tendance for each school Of ten p,
pills or less. The bill will discontinu
all schools with an attendance Of 81
or less. This will cut down the nun
Der Of schools and provide for MOI
successful ones. In my opinion tt
only proper organization is on tt
county unit line. or course there pro
ably will be opposition to doing ava
with the little four-cornered district
but If they are abolished and moder
methods introduced in the conduct
the schools I. think better results wi
be attained"
Legislative Notes.
Senator De Armand states that
was not opposed to making Lincoln
birthday a holiday, but he does thir
there are already too many holida,
and that the tendency to increase Il
number detracts from the significan
Of all of them. He thought New Year
day might be cut out since it com
near to Christmas. The bill, WIFI
passed, was written by Representa-
= Moore Of Linn. 1t will undoubte
ly be the first bill signed by &C
Carroll
The Bonwell bill for state aid
highways places the matter large
in the hands of the college at Am
and appropriates 100000 to be us
as bonus for good roads to be 6
en- out upon reports from county 70
supervisors appointed by the COLES
A graded scale for the payment
the bonuses is provided from $50
$1,000 a mile.
The bill by Senator Francis to
off some of the palpable weakness
of a judicial system which perm
criminals to escape on technicaliti
provides in regard to reversal
criminal cases that "the suprel
court shall not enter any judgme