The Oskaloosa herald., 1913-05-29
WHAT Of THE NEXT
GEN'L ASSEMBLY
WILL 1T cEaTRALlzE EFFORTS
TO MAKE BETTER CITIZENS?
RECENT BODY AN AESTHETIC ONE
I Appropriated Money for Enlarsing
and 6eautlfyins Capitol Grounds
and State Fair; Turns Down
Health and Morals.


Des Moines. May 26.-Political stu
dents here Analysing the situation be-
lieve the next Iowa legislature will be
one to focus its energy in enactment
of laws for the elevation and correc-
ton of morals. The recent legislature
il is urged can justly be claimed an
aesthetic body. 1t appropriated mon
ey for enlargement and Identification
of the capitol grounds, provided an
appropriation for erection of beau
tiful woman's building at the state
fair grounds, passed a law to regulate
the planting of shade trees, gave ad-
ditional powers to park commission
ers and river levee commissions.
Economic questions of importance
it failed to enact such as public
utilities commission or revenue reform
laws. 1t did pass a working mems
compensation bill but one that is not
mandatory and becomes in operation
merely experimental.
The question of public health and
morals made but slight impression on
the assembly. Adjustment of con-
tract labor in prisons was not provid-
ed; the appeal to permit paroling of
good behavior was unlistened to, APP
peal to provide such pay as would in
sure more efficient guards was given
but slight consideration, suggestion
to provide care for innocent families
deprived of support by Imprisonment
of the provider brought no delibera-
ton. True, a tax was voted to pro-
vide an additional custodial farm and
woman's reformatory, but, as
against this, some fifty new crimes
were created to help populate these.
The appeal to block the progress of
the black plague" resulted in only
law that will help gather statistics of
the rapidly increasing social menace,
but do nothing in a corrective way.
True, saloons were abolished from the
city where is located the state uni
versity, but the brewery was permit
ted to continue its making liquor. The
legislature cut an hour off each end
of the day that saloons may operate,
but il failed to consider the question
whether or not the sale should be en-
tirely abolished.
The composite mind of the last as
sembly was turned to the beautiful
chitecture, horticulture, history zap
propriating $4,000 for the Historical
society to print books, etc. Even
the awful death struggle of Junkin in
the penitentiary prison yard would
not arouse consideration of abolish
ing the death penalty, even the assur-
ance of the scientist who examined
that criminals brain that the man
was morally irresponsible, diseased
rather than criminal, could not awak-
en- consideration to a law to provide
medical inspection in schools to dis
close such predispositiOns and per-
NIT elimination by special training.
But these are matters, it is believed,
will be given serious consideration by
the next assembly-nOt because of
the theory legislation as many other
things move in cycles, but because of
the universal agitation of the sub
jects throughout the state by wOmen's
clubs, physicians, public omcials, etc.
II is quite certain the next legisla-
ture will not duplicate the action of
the last in aesthetic extension and de-
velopment: direct election of the
United States senator will eliminate
a political deadlock such as two years
ago inteTfered with legislation. Fail-
ure of the last session to appoint COM
missions to study economic PROPOSE
tions and suggest laws will eliminate
much definite consideration along
that line. So it is believed in view of
the present agitation for better pris-
on methods, more scientific treat
ment of persons accused of crime,
better methods of developing chill
dren to good citizenship, better
methods of correcting evils of those
already grown, that the next general
assembly will centralize its efforts
along the line of making better Citi-
gems, hence better government.