Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1911-06-28
new LAWS JULY 4TH
Radical Change i'm Iowa Statutes on
independence Day.
EDUCATION RECEIVES BOOST
Whitney Law Which Gives County
Attorney Power of Indictment is
Important Measure.

The advent of July will mark the
going into effect of many of the i'm.
portant laws passed by the Thirty.
fourth general assembly. AS a gen.
eral proposition these laws mark a
step forward by the people of Iowa
in governmental affairs. Education
particularly that pertaining to the
rural districts, will receive a new
boost when these laws become ef-
fective. Legislation, such as the
fire marshal law, which has been de-
sired for years, will become effective
on that date. Probably the most
radical of the new laws is the Per-
kins unsexing law, which passed both
houses of the last legislature without
opposition. Varied interests are af-
fected by the new laws, as we'll as by
those which went into effect upon
their publication in The Des Moines
Capital
Three important educational laws
become effective on that date. They
are the Adams normal training law,
which provides for normal training
for teachers in high schools. This
system of having a teachers train
ing course in the high schools of the
state has proved most effective in
New York and other eastern states.
Another law of vital Importance, in
that it gives the rural boy and girl
opportunity for better education, is
the Shane free tuition law. This
provides that the district shall pay
the tuition for a four-year course,
for any boy or girl of the district,
the student to take that course in
the nearest high school Offering a
four-year course. The last of this
trio of educational bills is the much
discussed and little understood Cow
les-Ritter law, which provides for the
validation for life of teachers cer-
tificates. This law is now in the
hands of Attorney General Cosson
for Interpretation. There were 9TH
er important educational bills, but
they became effective by publication
in The Des Moines Capital
Some Business Laws.
Two important laws affecting the
strictly business side of life are the
Grout bulk sales law and the uni
form bill of lading law. The Grout
bulk sales bill had stormy career
before it became law. Rejected in
the house at first by a narrow mar
gin, it was called up on reconsid-
GRAFTON and finally passed. This is
piece of legislation which has long
been desired by the business inter-
ests of the state. The uniform bin
of lading law is another piece of
good legislation which finally won
its way through the legislature.
In the field of insurance probably
the most important bill to become a
law Is the Harding fire marshal bill.
1t creates the Office of state fire mar
shall with deputies. Governor Car,
roll has appointed Ole o. Roe, of Des
MOines, as state fire marshal. An
other important insurance law is
that which amends some fifteen sec
tions of the insurance laws of the
state, and known as the omnibus in
surance bill. This bill contains
some Inconsistencies, and was not
signed by Governor Carroll until af-
ter he and State Auditor Bleakly had
reached an agreement on the inter-
probation of several amendments
made by the legislature.
Power of Indictment.
The criminal laws of the state
were not materially changed by the
last legislature, although there is
one law of vital Importance which
becomes effective July 4. That is
the Whitney law, which gives county
attorneys the power of indictment,
with the approval Of the district
judge, during the vacation of the
grand jury. 1t is designed to re-
move some of the sharp criticism of
the slowness of American justice. An'
other new law, which is quasi-crimi-
nal in its nature, is that which pro-
hibits the exhibition in Iowa of alb
normal idiotic, imbecile, and de-
formed persons. This will do away
with freaks in side shows and at
county and state fairs. Gambling re-
ceives hard blow when the Whit
ney anti-gambling law becomes ef-
fective. This is one OF the most
drastic anti-gambling laws OF the
middle west 1t prohibits the pos
session Of faro banks, Klondyke
wheels, poker chips and tables, keno
tables, roulette wheels. and author
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