Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-01-13
ATTORNEY GENERALS OFFICE
RENDER 1000 OPINIONS IN
ONE YEAR.
eIo DEMAND ron LAW
ENFORCEMENT NOTED
Attorney osrsr., cossen Makes Rec.
concentrations in Observation-Disclosures
Too Many Criminal cssss- Are Re.
vsrssd Dy ths Iowa Supreme Court
Would Simplify Practice.

Des tMoines, Jan. IA thousand
legal opinions in one term. That is
the record Of the office of attorney
general. A law business with $50 cases.
80 of them criminal cases. pending.
But more important than all this is
the big demand on the law depart
ment OF the state for aid in law en-
forcement all over the state. The le-
gal business for Iowa Is a big Dusi-
ness
Attorney General Cosson in his re-
port just completed, tells Of the heavy
work of his department, Of the anti
trust suits, the lake bed cases the
anti-pass case, the, concentrated food
case, the express and other rate cases,
the removal suits and the appeals to
the court at Washington. Out of all
this business, Mr.. Cosson makes rec
concentrations which he summarizes in
his report as follows:
I. The passage of law similar to
the law of Wisconsin and England
providing that not Judgment shall be
reversed or set aside or new trial
granted In any action or proceeding,
civil or criminal. on the ground Of
misdirection of the jury or the i'm
proper admission of evidence, or for
error as to any matter Of pleading
or procedure, unless in the opinion
Of the court to which the application
is made, after an examination of the
entire action or proceeding, it shall
affirmatively appear that the error
complained of has affected the sub
'stantial rights of the party seeking to
reverse or set aside the Judgment or to
secure new trial.
2. A better method of selecting
jurors.
8. A law similar to that Of Eng
land and Massachusetts providing that
when insanity is urged as a defense
in any criminal case that the jury
shall bring in special verdict show
ing as to whether the defendant COM
mitted the offense, as to his insanity,
and providing for his detention for
life In a hospital. unless released by
the executive authority or. proper tri-
bunal.
4. A provision in our law similar
to the law of England, giving the SUI
preme court the power Of substitution
of sentence in the event that the evil
dence shows the defndant was guilty
of crime of general nature of that
charged in the indictment and dis
tinguishable only by statutory re-
fnement.i
%. An amendment to the law where
by the county attorney may comment
upon the attitude of the defendant in
she event that the defendant does
not become witness in his own be-
half.
6. Limit the time Of appeals in
criminal cases to three months.
Z. The indeterminate sentence law
for felons and q limited indeterminate
sentence law for misdemeanants.
s. The abolition of justice courts in
the city and provision for municipal
courts. and an amendment to the con-
stitution giving municipal courts
power to inflict sentences for peiod
of at least one year in workhouse
or district farm.
9. A fundamental change in the Jail
and penitentiary system in accordance
with the report of the committee APP
pointed to investigate conditions at
Fort Madison filed with the governor
on the twenty-fifth day Of May, 1912
10. An amendment to our antitrust
laws by the passage of bill similar
to the Miller bill introduced in the
Thirty fourth general assembly. and
the Stipe bill, for the purpose of Sc
curing evidence, and the Cunningham
bill relating to unfair discrimination
or the Stipe bill for the same pur-
pose.
IL. A law prohibiting the carrying
| of revolvers or other dangerous weap-
| ons concealed except by person who
holds license from the proper tribu-
nal upon the giving Of bond, a vio-
lation of which is made an indictable
offense.
II. A special agent to secure evil
dence in cases similar to the Villisca
tragedy and evidence Of violations OF
the trust laws and other violations OF
law, with the same power as peace
officers to make arrests.
13. Sufficient funds to- gather data
for the trial of the rate cases now
| pending in the United States circuit
| court of appeals.
IA. A provision made for a physical
| valuation of the runk line railways OF
the state.
Is. The non-partisan election Of SUI
pervisors at large, requiring them ia
give their entire attention to the bust
ness of the county.
16. The non-partisan election Of the
judiciary.
II. The passage of a workmens
compensation act and blue sky law