Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1909-04-07
LAW MAKERS
LAST WEEK.
THE IOWA LEGISLATURE WILL
CLOSE FRIDAY.
Much Important Legislation Con-
templated Will Not Go Through.
DOings of the Past Week.

ticipation of the closing OF the
thirty-third session of the Iowa legis-
lature next Friday. every bill that
WAS, not considered absolutely neces-
sary to the public veal and which
was not on the calendar met a sad
fate at the hands of ruthless COM
mittees.
But the killing was not done by
committees entirely. In fact the
general work of both the senate and
house the past week was a work Of
determination rather than construc-
ton.
To enumerate all of the measures
that were laid in the legislative
morgue the past week is not possible
here. But the important demises in
the senate and house chambers with
in the past six days. briefly summar-
lied, are as follows:
Meredith's joint resolution for re-
submission to the people of the pro-
hibitory amendment.
Sammis and Smith measures pro-
viding for utility commission or for
enlargement of the railroad commits
sion power to include state wide
utilities.
Rankin state marshal bill, placing
liquor control in the hands of state
officers named for that purpose only.
Van Laws bill for investigation by
city councils of books of corpora
tions.
Frudden's bill for non-partisan
municipal elections.
McManus measures for giving
democrats one or more places on
state supreme court.
All bill for state commerce coun-
sci TO assist attorney general in
prosecuting corporation cases.
Swift's bill to compel railroads to
obey the orders of the state railroad
commissioners under penalty of $50
per day for noncompliance.
Darrah's bill for guaranteed bank
deposits.
Daubney's bill for a monument for
Wilson A. Scott, one of the men who
furnished the land where the state
house now stands.
Bonwell's bill for state highway
authorized to offer re-
wards for good roads building.
Fox bill prohibiting absolutely the
sale of intoxicating liquors by drug
gists.
Jones bill attaching Lee county
on to the Sixth judicial district.
Hunters bill to oust DR.. Thomas,
secretary of the state board of
health.
Stillman's bill to abolish school
treasurers and place school funds i'm
the hands of the county treasurer.
klay bill restoring the circle to
the Australian ballot.
Grier bill transferring state bank
ing department from auditor of state
to treasurer of state.
Miller of Dubuque, bill to permit
city councils to assess cost of tree
to property owner Mo-
tiOn to reconsider on file.
DeWOlfe bulk sales bill cOmpell-
ing notification of creditors before
stock of goods in bulk is sold
From the standpoint of debate, the
past week has been a shining ex-
ample of what Iowa's solons are able
to do along this line. The debate on
the public utility commission bill
In the senate was the most interest
ing of these forensix displays. The
debates on the prohibition question
attracted large crowds to the senate
chamber and the discussion of the
counsel bill was interest
ing.
In the house of representatives,
he discussion of the Darrah bill for
of bank deposits ives per-
laps the liveliest. The bill lost only
by six votes. There was much dis
,ussion Of the Holmes bill prohibit
ng free transportation to the rail-
road commissioners. And other
measures caused not a little talk be-
fore disposed Of.
The committee to investigate
charges of cruelty in the insane asyl-
lms examined witnesses and brought
put many instances of abuse IL the
evidence is to be believed. The CON-
mittee to examine the methods of
Warden Sanders of the Fort Madi-
son penitentiary, will take the evil
ience next week and the insanity
committee expects to
report about the same. time.