The Oskaloosa herald., 1913-03-27
THE DIRT ROADS
BEING SETTLED
JOINT COMMIT ZEE BILL UP IN
HOUSE AS SPECIAL ORDER.
THE MOTION PICTURE CENSOR
House Kills the Burt Measure by Vote
Of SIS to 4s After a Long Discus
cussion and Much Wranglins
Over Amendments.

Des Moines, March 26--The fate of
Iowa dirt roads Is being settled In the
House to-day. The joint committees
good road bill which passed the SEN
ate a few days ago came up this morn
ing as a special order and is being dis.
cussed by the House membership with
considerable difference of opinion be-
ing expressed. 1t was predicted at
the outset by friends of the measure,
however, that when the roll was call
ed II would pass. Even those who
have been opposed to the measure
have settled down to the conviction
that while ii was not all they desired
lit Is start in the right direction
and that once started along the line
Iof better road building the state will
take rapid strides In advance. The
principle adheared to in the present
bill is That of the right of home rule,
the representatives from the various
counties claiming they have the right
to spend the money raised fron-taxes
in their county under their own SUI
pervision and not under the direction
of a state commission. This Is the
same spirit that holds true with
reference to the proposed creation of
Ia tax commission. Members from
the counties contend that inasmuch
as the states share of taxes raised
in their county Is but a small per
centage of the whole levy, they should
not be compelled to surrender con-
troll of the whole to a state commas
sion, but should be left to fix largely
their own basis of valuation and levy.
The state levy, 1t is pointed out, is
now less than four mills whereas the
total tax in counties varies from is
mills to sc mills. A state commission
therefore, would be merely appoint
ling some one to dictate how the cOun-
tiles should run their own business.
The discussion on this point has
brought prominently forward the
theory of enforcement of state and
probable that at this late stage of
the session the matter of adopting
laws along that line will be consider,
led.
While the subjects are different the
principle in those two bills is largely
1.-THE same, and during the argument
of the road bill in the House, the Sem
ate committee on ways and means
was holding a hearing on the pro-
posed Tax Commission and proposed
Railway Terminal Tax, which Is in
cluded in the Revenue bill.
- -. -
Public approval and disapproval
will be the only censor of moving
pictures in Iowa, for the House yes
terday killed the Burt Motion Picture
Censor bill after an extended discus.
sion which consisted principally in a
cross.eXamination of members by
each other as to what would effect
their sensibilities or shock their mod
Iesty IL they saw II protrayed on the
screen. When the bill reached con.
clusion of consideration Representa-
tive Whitney, of Sioux City, offered
an amendment to strike out all refer
ence to censor, leaving merely the
clause prohibiting the showing Of
pictures that shock the modesty and
senses of the public. This passed
and then the author of the bill pleaded
with the House to complete its work
of assassination and kill the whole
thing. They did it. The vote was 30
TO As.