Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1913-02-20
LEGISLATORS PUSH
PARTY MEASURES.
MUNICIPAL PRIMARY LAW FOR
ST. LOUIS ENAcTED-APPRo-
PRIATloN BILLS PASSED.
HOUSE is WORKING RAPIDLY
Working Mems Compensation ard
Utilities Commission Bills Are
Advaneed-other Legis-
latfve News Notes.

Jefferson City.-The Missouri legis-
lature has during the past week
passed three big appropriation bills
and enacted a municipal primary law
for st. Louis which can be used in
the making of nominations for mayor
and other municipal offices this
spring.
Final hearings were held on the bill
to create a public service commission
and that measure was reported favor
ably Wednesday with certain amend
ments. 1t will reach a vote in the two
bodies early this week.
Although the workingmen's compen-
bill is still in committee, IN
lengthy hearing upon the bill has been
held. This measure will be reported
out by the COMMITTEES tau come before
the legislature for consideration prob
ably the latter part Of this week.
The administration measures, in
Guiding the two cited, have been adj
vanced as fast as could be expected.
One proposed amendment providing
for the simplification Of court pro-
cedure and of murder indictments has
been passed by the house and is pend
ing before the senate for engrossment.
Work Done in House.
A bill to create a department OF i'm
migration to exploit the u~ndeveloped
of Missouri has been re.
ported ~favorably by Chairman Mo-
roney of the committee on immigra-
ton.
The house has passed the county
unit measure, one abolishing common
law marriages, a bill repeating the law
giving the Insurance superintendent
power to supervise the rates Of fire
insurance companies, a bill to take the
eleemosynary institutions out of poll.
tics and several other measures of
more or less Importance.
A number of bills affecting local.
ties of state have been passed.
The senate passed a measure by
Senator Wilson prohibiting the killing
of quail for five years and a bill by
Senator Carter providing for the equal
distribution Of the good roads moneys.
1t defeated a bill giving women the
right to serve as school directors.
That body passed a resolution for
the appointment of a commission to
investigate fire rates and to recon-
mend needful legislation in that re
gard.
The Democrats have eaucused upon
home rule for st. Louis, and tina
proposition may be put through the
legislature as a caucus measure. This
is an old legislative stumbling block
which is apparently nearer solution
than at any previous session.
The committee on appropriations, o.
which Representative Swearingen o
Jackson county and Senator Lysogh'
of Buchanan are chairmen, aftel
lengthy hearings have drafted and in
troduced into the house the measurt
carrying the appropriations for thu
el~eemosynary and penal institutions
The educational budget for the uni
versity and the state, normal schools
is about ready for introduction.
The house and senate committee
on penitentiary and reform school
have made some progress in the ulti
mate solution Of the convict problem
which is considered the gravest cor
fronting this legislature. The appal
ent plan is to extend the contracts fo
a period of two years OF more, Will
the state makes some arrangement t
take the ~convicts into its own en-
ployment.
The last Legislature enacted a la
abolishing the contract system an
providing that when present contract
expire the state should supply emplo,
ment for the convicts. This law CT
ated a serious crisis for the state b
cause of the lack Of revenues and ii
threatened loss Of the earnings OF tt
~convicts.