Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1910-10-05
news VS. OF THE STATE
Items of Statewide Interest Reported
by j. s. WOOdhouse.
THE BOARD OF EDUCATION
Board of Parole, Chicago Rate Hear.
ing, VindicatiOn of Gov. Carroll
and Other Matters of
q Public Interest.

Public Interest.
L7Fa~i
Des Moines, Ia, Oct. 4.-In the
first biennial report filed with the
governor Saturday the new State
Board OF Education asks that the
legislature this winter increase the
support fund for the three state
educational institutions-at Iowa
City. Ames and Cedar T4E
$4O6,45O. The board further
that the millage tax be contin, Z
another five years to provide meaA
whereby to construct new buildings
for the schools. Plans and specifi-
cations for the following new build
ings will be presented the legisla-
ture this winter, it Is stated:
At the State University-Woman's
Building, Botany and Geology
Building. Library. Gymnasium and
Chemistry building.
At the College of Agriculture,
Ames-Addition to Margaret Hall,
Chemistry building, Library. Physics
building. Mechanical labratory. Au-
ditorium, and other buildings of
minor Importance.
At the State Teachers College. Ce-
dar Falls-Completion of the Train
ing School building, Vocal Teachers
Training School building, Music and
Public Speaking building, Hospital.
Green House and enlargement of
heating plant.
The State Board of Parole is this
week visiting the two penal institu-
tions-at Anamosa and Fort Madi-
son-and listening to the petitions
of those seeking parole. At both
places there are 222 prisoners seek
ing their liberty on good behaviour.
OF this number 121 are at Anamosa
and 101 at Fort Madison. An in
teresting case is that of L. r. Van
Tassel. from Chickasaw county. He
was sentenced for numbering his
wife's sister. He sought q pardon
once Of the. state legislature but has
never before asked a parole. His
health is said to be failing rapidly.
Since his Incarceration he has been
virtually the head of the educational
system at AnamOsa.
Medical inspections of schools and
the training of teachers for country
schools are to be the two most i'm
portant problems discussed by the
educational council of the Iowa
State Teachers convention which
meets here in November.
Dwight N. Lewis of the Iowa
Board of Railroad Commissioners.
who with Commissioners Palmer,
Eaton and Ketchum attended several
days sessions of the rate hearing in
Chicago last week and who had to
return home on account of the work
in the ofiice. says that the hearing
there 'is developing some very in
teresting information with reference
to operation of railroads. The gen.
eral public. however. does not fully
understand what is being brought
out in this Investigation. The par
ticular rates, themselves. are not
being made the subject of any in
quiry. The question at issue is
whether or not the railroad COM
panies are earning sufficient net
revenues to pay fixed charges. I. e..
interest on bonds or other indebted
ness. etc., and above this amount
make sufficient to pay reasonable
return on the capital invested, as
well as provide sufficient amount of
money for betterments and surplxs.
OF course. into all this discussion
enters the question whether the
capital stock of the railway company
is bona fide or watered.
Some interesting discussions were
had with reference to the surplus
that might be necessary to tide rail-
way company over the proverbial
"rainy day" that may come at any
time. Then the question of the
amount of earnings that should be
permitted on the investment was
constantly the subject of expert
opinion. There was great deal of
talk about actual valuations and 1t
10 probable that the public will not
be satisfied until a physical valua-
tion Of the railroads of the United
States is made by government auth
ority. What this valuation may ac-
complish is probably not clear in
the minds of those who are demand
ing It. but nevertheless It seems to
be the popular thing just now. and