Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1909-03-16
STATE Commission
CONSERVATION MEASURE IN.
DoRsED BY HOUSE.
IMPORTANT WORK is PLANNED
Bill Creates Office Of Secretary To
superIntend Conserving of lowa's
Natural Resources.

Natural Resources.
Des Moines.-Iowa's movement to
conserve her natural resources re-
ceived substantial boost when the
new standing house committee on
conservation of resources and water
power Endorsed q committee bill Gre
ating a state conservation commits
sion Of seven men.
The commission is to survey at
least one Iowa river, for che purpose
of locating power dam sites. to In
vestigate drainage conditions. to
study the best means of preserving
forests and lakes, to investigate the
states mineral resources, and to CO.
operate with the United States sur
ey authorized at the recent session
of congress.
A Full Report.
A full report shall be submitted to
the governor before the converting OF
the Thirty-fourth general assembly,
and the. commission is to begin work
by July 1, 1909.
A secretary at salary of $1,000
and $1,000 year for his expenses
and all other costs are to be paid
from an annual appropriation Of $5.-
900. The small sum required and the
important results hoped for by Repre-
sentative Anderson, chairman of the
committee, and others, make 1t likely
that the legislature will approve the
plan.
To Appoint Geologlst.
AS members Of the commission the
governor is to appoint a competent
geologist, preferably the state geolo.
gist; a competent botanist. preferably
the head professor at Iowa City; the
geologist in charge of the ground
water survey of Iowa for the United
States geological survey; an expert
in the conservation of soils, prefer.
ably the head professor Of soils at
the state college at Ames;, a person
competent to Investigate drainage
conditions, and person competent
to consider questions of economical
financing and administration of vari-
GUS development projects.
In the main the bill follows the
measure drafted by the temporary
commission appointed by Governor
Cummins. 1t has been amended by
Chairman Anderson and subcom.
mittee. and Incorporates In modi
fed form. Representative Moore's bill
for a survey of three Iowa rivers.
viii Be Investigated.
Representative Brandes' move
ment now under way for an inevstiga.
ton Of the charges of cruelty to
patients in state hospitals for insane
has resulted In q sentiment among
some members of the general as
sembly that an investigation Of at
fairs at the Fort Madison state peni
tentary should be taken up also be
fore the adjournment of this session
Warden Sanders has expressed him
self as welcoming legislative in
vestigation, and in view of this 8
resolution Introduced might not be
opposed.
Charges with reference to the con
duct at the penitentiery are the op
posite of those being Investigated rel
]. alive to the hospitals for insane. In
stead of cruelty being alleged, len
iency is said to prevail in too grea
an extent In treatment of criminals
who have given much trouble to ofl
!, GERS In the process Of landing then
behind the bars.
The committee investigating tn,
hospitals for insane consists solel!
of members Of the house of repre-
sentatives. and whether the sentiment
with reference to the penitentiar,
will take definite form In the same
branch or will break out in the sen
ate, which has no investigating com
mittee. will not be determined unit
the members reconvene.
Premiums for State Fair.
Premium totals to be paid out TO
all classes Of exhibits at the BIZ
fair next fall, as announced by Sec
!, rotary Simpson, reach a grand tota
Of $56.672, or about $4,000 NOR
than was paid out last fall. Fo
races $15,500 in purses will be pu
up. Much, of the additional none.
will be given for work in the import
ant new departments of poultry
work of children, educational exhibi
of farm crops and as prizes for stocl
Judging and cooking by young me-
and women. These last will be PAL
with scholarship at the state co
lege at Ames. The total premium
for each class follow: Horses. 1926
cattle. $l2,192; swine, 1929; sheer
$2.268; poultry. 1882; agriculture
$2,973.50; pantry and kitchen, 1858
apiary, S2O5; dairy products. 1857
horticulture, 1867; Horticulture. 1925
fine arts. $1,S0e; work of children
$3.50; Iowa state college scholar
ships. $1,000; educational exhibit G
farm crops, $4,000; exhibits of proc
ucts Of agricultural college, $1,000
seed department, $15.500.
School Legislation Gets Death Blow.
Efforts by the special state educ,
tional commission and State Superb
tendent Riggs to Improve the rurs
schools Of Iowa BY legislation at thi
session Of the legislature have r
suited in unqualified and absolut
failure. BY defeating compromis
plan for rural school improvement
agreed upon by their subcommittee {
eight. a plan which was far less rad
cal and revolutionary than the con
mission bill, the schools committee {
the house of representatives sounde
the death knell of any and all schot
legislation at this session.