The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1913-03-06
Legislative Letter.

N. "a
duties after q weeks vacation and
will tackle the solution OF some OF
the real big social. economic and po-
litical problems before it. So far
the actual law making of the assem-
bly, has been limited to the follow
ing:
Resolution memorializing congress
for direct election of United States
Senator's legalizing an election at
Carroll; providing husband or wife
shall be responsible for spouse's
reasonable" debts only; giving
cities and towns power to elect three
park missioners; providing
towns may enlarge corporation limits
by posting notices where no news
papers are printed; permitting ap-
pointment of civilian as officer at Old
Soldiers Home at MarshalltoWn;
giving park boards right to levy ad-
ditional one mill tax to beautify
parks; providing unplatted land in
cities and towns may be taxed for
library purposes; abolishing sheriff's
fees for feeding prisoners and requir-
ing supervisors to feed them at cost
to county; permitting city councils
to supply vacancies until next fol-
lowing election; bill relating to re-
leases and satisfaction of mortgages;
permitting special charter cities to
levy tax to erect city halls; legaliz-
ing flood protection ordinance in Des
Moines; donating Otter Island to the
City of Burlington. 1t is, located in
the Mississippi river; legalzing an
election at Jewell Junction.
The good roads bill has been
agreed upon and will be before the
assembly the latter part Of this
week for consideration.
The public utilities bill has been
drafted and introduced in the senate.
Its chief features are to permit mu-
nicipal ownership, with the right Of
citizens to appeal to the state COM
mission; and to provide the 'indeter-
inmate" franchise.
The tax reform bill has been draft
ed by the sub committee of the Ways
and Means committee and will be
reported out this week. 1t provides
for a permanent tax commission, to
adjust taxable values and leaves the
tax on moneys and credits at five
mills. There is we'll developed OPP
position to the proposed reform,
which will probably be led in the
upper house by Senators Chase, Dor
an and Wilson. Statistics have been
gathered to show that commissions
in other states have failed to adjust
differences, have increased the bur
den on the farmer and are expensive
machinery.
Greenville NJ Dodge, of Council
Bluffs, the only living Brigadier Gen
eral who commanded an army in the
civil war, has been selected COM
mander of the semi-centennial re-
union of soldiers in Des Moines June
9 to IA. He has assumed charge
and in his first general order has
designated the camp as Kirkwood
Camp in honor of the war governor
of Iowa. 1t is expected several
thousand old soldiers will assemble.
The legislature is being asked for
$4,000 to help in the celebration.
An interesting situation develop
ed in the house committee on text
books, relative to the ''compulsory"
uniformity of text books bill by
Craig Twelve members, whose own
counties have by popular election
adopted uniformity, voted for the bill
to compel uniformity in the forty
five counties which are open and
have voted down compulsory unifor-
nifty Three democrats have filed
minority report, and will fight the
adoption of the report favorable to
the Craig bill, on the ground it is
destructive to popular government,
taking away from the people the
right to decide for themselves.
The senate judiciary committee
has appointed subcommittee of
three to draft Workingmen's Com
pensation bill, and that committee
will commence it's work at once.
The house finally passed a bill
providing the courses and policies
of the state educational institutions
remain as now, unless otherwise di-
rected by vote of of the 9 mem
bers of the State Board of Educa-
ton. 1t was by such vote the CO.
ever, opponents to the boards action
think they have effected a coup as
one member who voted the change,
A. B. Funk, is i'll in California. The
governor has four new members of
the board to appoint before the pres
ent session adjourns. The senate
will have the house bill up for con-
sideration the latter part of this
week or next week:
The house has up the Initiative
and Referendum resolution for spec
ial order this week, and the senate
the Woman's Suffrage resolution.
The Five-mile Limit bill, prohibit
ing saloons within five mills of any
state educational institution, is on
the house calendar.
Representative Thayer of Frank
lin county, died suddenly Saturday of
kidney trouble. BY strange coinci-
dence he was one Of the legislative
committee which attended the fun
eral of Senator Gates, who died since
the converting of the assembly. Gov
ernor Clarke will probably call a
special election at once for Franklin
county to select successor to Mr..
Thayer.
Librarian Small of the legislative
reference department, during the va
cation period, has cross-indexed all
of the measures that have so far
been introduced in the present gen