Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-06-12

Des Moines, June 12.-New laws to
the number Of 200, enacted by the last
legislature, will become effective in
three weeks. The date is July 4. Then
every measure which did not become
effective as soon as it was published
during the session Of the assembly will
become operative.
OF this grist Of 200 measures, not
more than twenty are Of general public
interest. The others are appropriation
measures. legalizing acts, or laws hav-
Ing to do with technical subjects or
certain state departments and in which
there Is no particular interest.
One measure which becomes effective
July and is causing considerable STIR
ring around is the auto license act, the
bill ia thered in the legislature by Rep
resentative Kulp, Of Palo Alto. This act
provides for horse power tax OH
motor vehicles, to be in lieu Of all 9TH
er taxation. Cars Of twenty horse
power or less pay 50 and cars Of more
power pay an additional 40 cents for
each horse power over twenty. Electric
cars pay IS and motorcycles 80. Eighty
five per cent of the fund thus created
Is divided equally among the counties
for good roads purposes. The other
Is per cent Is to be used to defray the
expenses Of the state in issuing IL
censes and the like Every car in the
state must be relicensed under this
act.
Radical Liquor Laws.
Persons who traffic in liquor will get
but little comfort out Of the new laws
becoming effective July 4, affecting
their business.
Under the provisions Of the bill re-
quiring county attorneys to secure and
publish the list OF federal license hold
ers. energetic "drys" claim they can
close up practically all club and pri-
vate bars. Some apprehension is felt
in wet" circles over this act. The
holding Of a federal license is con-
sidered evidence Of illegal sale Of IL
quors. With the county attorney in
possession Of the full list Of federal Ii
cense holders, the "drys" claim they
can force him to prosecute such hold
ers on pain OF being removed from
office under the Cosson law.
Druggists who handle liquor fare well
under the one law affecting them. 1t
Is known as the Fletcher act and per-
mits druggists to fill out the blanks in
the applications for liquor. Under the
existing law the applicant must fill out
the score or more of blanks himself.
Often errors were made and druggists
convicted Of Illegal sale of liquor. Now
all an applicant has to do is to sign his
name to the blank prepared by the
druggist.
AS to courts and criminals there are
several acts Of great Importance.
The Perkins bill, which provides for
surgical operations to prevent the pro-
creation of criminals, idiots, imbeciles
and feeble minded persons. the state
takes a long step forward in the move-
ment to check crime. The state board
Of control. the superintendents Of state
institutions and the surgeons in these
institutions determine when the oper-
board Of control is taking steps now to
begin the enforcement of this act.
Quick Court Action.
In the law fathered by Representative
Whitney Of Woodbury., quick action in
the courts against criminals can be
had This measure provides that with
out the intervention Of the grand jury,
the county attorney can file inform
alton against persons when the crime
charged carries with it a fine of more
than 500 or Jail sentence Of more
than thirty days. All such informations
filed by the county attorney have the
same weight and effect as indictments.
There are several laws in the number
which are Of benefit to cities.
There Is the Hamilton law, which
gives cities the right, upon consent Of
majority Of the voters, to establish
publicity and development bureaus and
to make a special levy to maintain
such bureau.
act, whereby cities Of $4,000 popula-
ton or more can pass ordinances reg
ulating the emission of smoke from
land Of Polk county fathered this
act
The airbrake law, secured thru the
efforts of Senator Sullivan of Polk
county. will cause changes in street
cars in many cities Of the state. The
law requires all cars over thirty feet
in length to be equipped with airbrakes
and rail sanding devises other than
hand.
A. to School Laws.
Two laws relative to schools are of
particular interest.
One is the act fathered by Repre-
sentative Shane Of Wapello, and which
permits students living in a district
where there IL no accredited high
school to attend an accredited high
school in another district and at the
expense Of their home district.
The Senator Cowles bill permitting
the issuance Of life certificates to
e e