Omaha daily bee., 1911-07-03
NEK IOWA LAWS IN EFFECT
Three Hundred Enactments Of Last
Legislature Become Laws.
TWENTY OF GENERAL INTEREST
Change In criminal Code Makes it
Possible for County Attorneys TO
Prosecute Offenders Upon
Information.

on Tuesday morning only about twenty Of
them are OF such general application that
all the people are interested. The last
general assembly passed a larger number
Of legalizing acts than usual and also had
a larger number ,of-the bills go into effect
by publication. The book OF the laws Is
printed and distribution win commence to-
morrow.
The most important change in any laws
relating to the criminal code was that
which lessons the Importance OF the grand
Jury by providing that a county attorney
may prosecute an offender upon informa-
ton as well as' on indictment, or really
that the indictment may me made by the
county attorney This does not do away
with the grand jury, which will continue
to meet and make original investigations,
but in all. cases that are plain and direct
the action In court will be without waiting
for the grand jury For one thing. this will
avoid long wait for some persons who
are thrown IN Jail during court recess. 1t
will have the effect of Fastening court
work.
But little else of importance was done
regarding the criminal code OF the state.
Provision Is made for having the state
authorities at the various institutions I'M
with a view to prevention Of the propaga-
ton of the undesirables. The law in re-
gard to exposing for sale Of vulgar and i'm
proper postal cards was amended so that
It is as inclusive as the postal laws re-
garding sending them through the mails.
Some changes were made as to penalties.
and judges may also issue paroles.
Automobile Tax Law.
The new automobile tax law really goes
into force July T. but work has already
commenced and many OF the auto owners
are paying their taxes. These taxes go
into the state treasury as other fees, and
out of the fund win be paid back to the
counties part to be used for road work,
The road dragging law was made more
drastic and II is provided that the county
surveyor will, in time, become obsolete
and his place be taken by q county drain
age or road engineer,
An important change was made in the
liquor laws as affecting druggists. in that
the druggist will be permitted to I'LL in GER
tain OF the blanks on the applications for
liquor to be signed up at drug stores. This
will be great help to them and avoid
much annoyance. IL IL also provided that
jobbers in drugs may sell liquor at whole
sale the same as wholesale liquor dealers
and with fewer restrictions than in the
past.
The state fire marshal law provides for
state fire marshal who Is to inquire into
all fire losses on behalf Of the Insurance
companies and to prosecute for arson
where deemed proper, all with a view to
lessening, the fire loss from incendiary
causes. @BH ~
Two commissions will begin work pre-
pairing for legislation next session. These
are the tax commission and the commission
to devise a law fer. workrneh's compensa-
t4on.
State aid for such high schools as will
include course in normal training will
commence promptly and It is believed this
will add to the number OF teachers In the
state. The law to permit transforming low
grade certificates into life certificates win
alsofhelp the. teachers. w
.4B shonts Divorce Surprise.
The announcement that divorce proceed
ings have been instituted in the family OF
T.. p. Shonts came as a surprise here Mr..
shonts has been president of the official
board Of Drake university and quite init
mately connected with that institutions
since the death Of his father-in-law, Gem
eral Drake. He has also been a contributor
feared his interest will now come to an end
State Treasury Condition.
At the close OF business at the end of
the fiscal period July the state treasury
had on hand in the general revenue fund
OF the state s.. 2s2.5S9. This is a substantial
increase over the funds available a year
ago and about on = par with the amount
on hand In the past. There had been n
loss in the amount OF cash in the Dies
Moines banks and II is expected that in
the next year the sum will again be re-
duced to a proper amount.
Foreign Horses at Fair.
Prof. Charles y. Curtiss head of the
horse department of the state fair. made
the announcement that this year there will
be 200 horses from French and English
stables entered in the Iowa horse fair. In
past years there have always been a few
foreign horses at the fair. but never have
there been as many as this year will see.
Prof. Curtiss says that there are about
Leg horses entered. and that It is not
known at this time how they will be cared
for as there Is not stable room for all of
them.
State Fire Tournament.
Ten paid fire department teams have
sent in their entries for the state firemen's
tournament on July Is. 20, q and e. Thirty
volunteer companies have entered for the
prizes. The meet promises to be the largest
held in Iowa. Benefits will 20 to fire
mems pension fund. Clinton, Sioux City
and Des Moines Will all have two paid
department teams in the races. Davenport,
Red Oak. Fort Dodge and Creston viii
enter one team each. Mason City may
enter q team.
Tax Ferrets May Fiskt.
While the new law forbidding employ
ment Of tax ferrets goes into effect at
once # Is possible that In many counties
OF the state the tax ferrets win continue
to do business for some time, as they had
long time contracts with various counties
and they hold that the Legislature could
not pass a law dspriving them of their
rights. In the past the tax ferrets have
brought many thousands OF dollars In taxes
to the state.
Work ON Machinery Hall.
The contractors are making great pros-
ress on the new machinery hall at the
state fair grounds and have the work
about half done. II will be the largest
machinery building in the country The
executive COMMITTEES Is also making many
other improvements. The program for the
state fair is nearing completion and the
preliminary correspondence indicates that
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