The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1911-09-14

! T. B. Perry, Abba, Iowa.
diligent support to the law reducing
the legal interest from ten to eisht
per cent, and for the Australian bal
lot.
| Mr.. Perry was a holdover in the
senate of the Twenty-fifth general as
sembly, which had changed its politi
cal status, the republicans having IL
of the $50 members, seventy-eight in
the house and thirty-four in the sen
ate. He was appointed on the stand
ing committees on judiciary, congress
sional and judicial districts, schools
cities and towns, public lands (chair
NAM and mines and mining The
most important subject before the
senate was again the Catch bill
which had failed in the Twenty-third
and Twenty-fOurth general assemblys
After a contest extending to near the
close of the session, it was passed
and became what is known as the
"mulct tax law" and is now the es
| tablished policy of the state. Mr.
| Perry did not agree with all its pro
visions, but he voted for it. Public
schools were also special objects OF
his best endeavCr. which is reflected
in the laws passed to furnish school
books free to INDECENT pupils; to au
thorize towns and villages of less
than 100 inhabitants to become indie.
pendent school districts and to give
women the right to vote at school
! elections. He was always alert and
diligent in Investigations of subjects
before The senate. and always broad
minded in his actions.
Socially, Mr.. Perry is genial, affa,
BILE, courteous to everybody, unosten.
tatious, public spirited, ever ready to
aid in any effort to uplift the moral
educational or social condition of the
people, and a true friend of the com.
mon people. He was a charter mem
Der of Royal Arch Mason lodge at
Abba, but from advanced age has
! lost interest in it, He finds his great.
est enjoyment in reunions of pion'
GERS. He is a member of the Pioneer
Law Makers association. composed
of old-time law makers, and takes an
active part i'll it's biennial sessions
was elected its vice president in 1900
president in 1904 and served two
years in each place under the rotation
rules of the association. From cher
| icb al
Polk county. he very regularly attends
the reunions of their association and
! also those of the octogenarians. As
a citizen, his high character and eX
emplaTy life for more than sixty
years has given him an influence foI
good rarely equalled. Beginning life
q, poor boy, by economy, industry and
| thrift he has acquired a competency
which makes him the largest taxpay
err in his county. As a lawyer he Is
thoroughly grounded in the princi
pies of the law, and deems the prac
tice of it one of the highest profes
sions in civic life. He always abiur
ed teChnicalities, preferring to stand
or fall upon the inertia OF his case.
Religiously, Mr.. Perry is an Episco
palian. When a member of the board
of education, during It's sessions he
roomed with the first judge of the SUI
preme court Charles Mason, also q
member of the board, and with him
attended the Episcopal church, o.
which Rev. Edward w. Peet was the
rector and pioneer of that denomina
ton in Des Moines. The church ser
vices were held in small frame
building on the west side of Seventh
street, between Walnut and Locust
In 1867 Mr.. Perry assisted in organ
izing the Episcopl church in Abba, ar
event of which only he and one Other
are the survivors.
Politically, Mr.. Perry is democra
of the Jeffersonian type, but not {
politician nor office seeker. He would
make a poor showing OF the game OF
politics if he attempted to play it.