Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1913-04-18
ASSEMBLY DOES
SOME BIG THINGS
legislative Fame TO Rest on Few
important Acts
THECAPlroL EXTENSION LEADS
Iowa To Have Finest State House
Grounds in Union-Better
Sehools-Non-Partisan
judiciary. Is,
(By George Gallarno.)

(By George Gallarno.)
Des Moines, Iowa, April 15.-The
fame Of the Thirty fifth general as
sembly of Iowa, which will adjourn
Thursday of the present week, will
rest on the bits of legislation out
lined herewith. History will show
that much of the criticism which has
been piled on the assembly was un-
deserved, and men competent to judge
say the assembly will be reckoned in
future years as one Of the most earn
est and far-seeing body of men ever
gathered as legislators for Iowa. The
capitol extension improvement law.
as noted elsewhere in this letter, will
give Iowa the finest state house
grounds of any state in the union.
Only the capitol grounds at Washing
ton will exceed the Iowa grounds in
area. The better schools legislation,
which has been a dream of many edu-
Gators for years, means . complete
reformation Of the common schools Of
Iowa. It provides for teaching Of ag-
riculture in all schools, for domestic
science and manual training, for state
aid to consolidated rural schools and
for the removal of the state superin-
tendent and all county superintend-
ents from political influence, the state
superintendent being made appomtive
by the governor for 3 period Of six
years, and the county superintendent
to be named by county boards. Good
roads legislation, while not going -
far Is some Of the enthusiasts had
hoped at the opening Of the sessioh.
has laid the foundation for advance
ment that will be taken care. ct, ny
future assemblies. Direct vote on
preference Of the people for president
Of the United States is provided and
also direct vote for delegates to ma
tional political conventions. Reform
in the judiciary of the state hass.re-
ceived big impetus by the passage
Of the bill making for non-partisan
nominations for the bench. Governor
Clarke has already recognized this
forward movement by selecting .
democrat for his first judicial ap-
pointment, Judge Jepson of Sioux
City. ~ /
Big Measures Out. ha,g.,s
Three matters of much, more than
ordinary Importance which have been
before the assembly are apparently
destined to 60 over to some future
legislature for action. They are the
permanent tax commission, the public
utilities measure and the workmen's
compensation act. There has been
opposition Of wide extent to all Of
these proposed laws, but that against
the creation of a permanent tax COM.
mission has been the most determined
and persistent. Although bill vas
introduced several weeks ago for the
creation Of this commission there has
been no movement to get it out of the,
hands of the ways and means COM
mittee. The public utilities bill was
passed by the senate after consider
able debate, but the house tore the
measure to shreds and for several
days it has been in the hands of .
conference committee, the senate re-
fusing to agree to the house amend
ments. The workmen's compensation
act may pull through, but it will be
much modified from the form pre-
scented by the commission, headed by
Senator GARRISON, which spent two
years in investigating the matter.
Capitol Extension.
One of the most important pieces
Of legislation ever put through gen.
eral assembly in Iowa, carrying with
it appropriations that will eventually
total several millions of dollars, and
which at the outset makes arrange
ments for the collection of taxes
reaching the sum Of two millions Of
dollars, is the capitol extension bill,
which was passed last week and which
has received the approval of Governor
Clarke. The passage of the measure
formed a record in. quick work for.
the present assembly. It was called
up in the house at the morning ses-
sion, and after q few words Of ex-
PLANTATION was adopted without opposi-
ton. The same day it was messaged
over to the senate, the rules were
suspended and the vote taken which
made it law. All of the actual work
of passing the bill up to the governor
was accomplished in less than two
hours after the measure had reached
the floor of the house for discussion.
The bill provides for the purchase Of
twenty-four blocks of ground sur
rounding the state house. The larger
part of the ground to be purchased
lies to the south of the capitol, and
all that is owned there now is the
small square on which is standing the
soldiers monument. This will be- en-
larged to take in all the land between
Ninth and Eleventh streets and slop-.
ing down to the tracks of the Des
Moines Union railway. 1t is an ideal
plat for parking purposes, and will