Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-02-05
BILLS TO STRENGTHEN ADMIN.
IsTRATIoN or lNsrIru.
TONS PRESENTED.
ONE SEEKS TO PREVENT
ABUSES sY COURT OFFICIALS
Another Fixes Puntshment for Entie-
ing Any Ward Of State to Leave In.
stitution-Effort to Be Made to Make
Knoxville inebriate Asylum Of Real
Value to State.
Special to Tines-Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines, Feb 5.-Three board of
control bills introduced yesterday by
Senator Francis are intended to rem
edy weak spots in the law. For in
stance last summer a judge in north
eastern Iowa hailed the superintendent
Of the Mount Pleasant hospital haIf
across the state to defend habeas
corpus case TO see whether the judge
or the superintendent is the one
clothed with authority to decloe
whether an insane patient Is cureo.
The law appeared to contemplate that
a habeas corpus case must be orouSht
in the court nearest the institution.
The bin now introduced makes TINS
plain and VIII prevent such cases being
dragged across the state. Another plii
fixes punishment for enticing any Waro
of the state to leave the institution.
Still another makes it a crime to break
out Of prison or from any farm or gar
den, connected with the prison, ana
states it this way:
In order to constitute an escape I'M
der the provisions Of this act it is not
necessary that the prisoner be within
any walls or enclosure nor that there
shall De any actual breaking nor that
he be in the presence or actual custody
OF any officer or other person."
This is intended to prevent repe-
tition of the experience Of the board
a year or so ago when a convict at
Fort Madison, trusty. merely walked
away and when he was taken up IN
Sioux City the Judge held he had not
broken out" OF prison at all.
The Perkins bill for reform In the
management Of the state institution at
Knoxville follows the line OF recon-
mendations Of Superintendent Dona-
hoe, who has given the inebriate hos
pital for the first time some real value
to the state. It provides for GUS
| todial department" which - to include
in fact the incurables and worst cases,
and to be kept separate from the other
I department. The habitual inebriates
shall DE Kept ana provided 4cr IN 2
building or apartments separate from
all other patients OF the hospital and
shall not be allowed to mingie with
them unless 1t be necessary in the per-
Torrance Of their duties. Those who
are transferred to the 'custodial de-
partment" must remain three years. II
is also provided in the Perkins bill
that patients at Knoxville who work
, shall be allowed 20 cents a day for
their labor and Of this 20 cents Is to be
held back to be for dependents or to
be given the patient when he leaves.
The initiative and referendum
amendment to the state constitution
proposed by Senator Clarkson provides
that the legislature may fix the per-
centage of voters necessary to start
the initiative or to compel the referen-
dunn, but until the legislature has acted
| 1t will take Is per cent of the voters to
start things either for Law or an
amendment Of the constitution. The
limit for the initiative. when fixed by
the legislature, will be between IL and
to 20 per cent. OF course a majority
vote is required to adopt laws BY d.
rect vote of the people.
The committee on schools gave a
| hearing yesterday afternoon on the bill
| to extend the benefits Of the high
school normal law 10 all the high
schools of the state. Ex-Governor
| Garst, Senator Newberry, Arthur
| Springer and Senator Hammill APP
peared on behalf of the better schools
commission to explain what it Is for.
| The present appropriation makes 1t
possible to have about ninety OF these
/ schools; but there are great many
/ excellent high schools where normal
courses, might be maintained II they
| were encouraged. It is proposed that
| all high schools that come UP to the
standard shall have = the state aid.
which is to be increasde from $500 to
$3.50 a year. 1t was declared that most
i exceilen, results nave followed The III
auguration of the system.
Cities where the mulct law brings in
! a considerable revenue vii! not be
| called upon to divide with the state
The Brockway bill to divide the mulct
license for saloons into three parts, 1of
| the city, county and state, was dis-
cussed In the house ways and means
committee and It will be reported out
! for indefinite postponement. Oppose
ton came from representatives OF cit
| les.
80
The senate side had hearing on the
crow bill to forbid the marriage OF
whites and blacks. similar to the Miller
bill which is on the calendar OF the
house without Recommendation. Sen
ator Crow was present but did not de-
fend the bill. Opposition to the bill
]