The Oskaloosa herald., 1913-02-20
REVOLUTION IN
CITY GOVERNMENT
DIVIDED BETWEEN LEGISLATIVE
AND EXECUTIVE.
PREFERRED TO COMMISSION FORM
Representative Huff, of Hardin Coun.
ty, Has a Measure Furnishing
one-Man Government in Cit.
les of 1000 and Less.

I
Des Moines, Feb. 1S.-Reyolution
n the form OF municipal government
$ provided in a measure that has
been introduced in the Iowa legisla-
ture by Representative Huff, of Edo
a. This provides cities of 1000 popu-
alton and under may submit to the
voters their choice of two forms OF
| overnment, the Commission plan or
! the mayorality plan. 1t is the latter
plan that offers decided innovation
in Iowa. This provides, if it is &C
cepted, that the city shall proceed to
eject a mayor and city council. The
government is then distinctly divid-
ed as between legislative and execu-
tive. The council is merely a legisla-
tive body to pass ordinances and
Ivy taxes. The mayor becomes the
| ole and supreme executive power. To
him is givn the appointment of all
Executive officers, including clerk,
auditor. city attorney, etc. All pre-
lvious laws providing the election of
such officials by the people are wiped
out. 1t furnishes a One-mah govern
ment Off the cities. A salary is pro
vided for the mayor, such as will
energy to the office.
Mr.. Huff believes this form of gov
rnment would be acceptable to many
small cities in preference to the COM
mission form as adopted in DeS
MOines and some other cities over
5000, and now proposed in bill al
eady introduced for cities of 5000
nd over who may wish it. The eX-
,pense of the mayOrality plan, it is
urged by Mr.. Huff, would be less,
nd of necessity there could not be
he jaugling over executive manage
ment of affairs that is now making
the commission government in the
city of Des Moines unsatisfactory and
threatens to be the cause of reverting
u the old form when the proposition
is automatically re-submitted to the
people a year from next March.
- - -
Judges in districts courts will have
to submit their jury instructions to
attorneys on both sides of the cOntro-
ver5y of a litigation before reading
them to the jury and give the attOr-
neys the right to make formal objeC-
ton to any specific instruction, accord
ing to a bill by klay that passed the
house and has been meSSaged to the
senate for consideration. Under the
law as it now stands attorneys on
both sides may write out and present
the court suggestions for instruc-
tions, but he incorporates such of
these as he sees fit and is not bound
to submit his instructions to the law
yerS before reading them. Attorneys
now may appeal case on some in
struction given the court. Under the
proposed new practice if the court
submits his instructions neither side
can appeal on the ground of any I'M
fair instruction, unless exception is
then noted in court prior to the read
ing of such instructions to the jury.
=: - -
Direct Inheritance tax is provided in
a bill by Representative Kingland, of
Winnebago county. Under his meas
ure the only Inheritance exempted
from taxation is $1,000 received from
a spouse or $4,000 received as a par
ent or lineal descendant. His
schedule of tax proposed above these
follows:
TO husband or Wife
l per cent on first $4,000,
2 per cent over this and up to $751;
600.
3 per cent over this and up to $4O,-
900.
) per cent on all amounts over $780,
900.
To Parent or Lineal Descendant
IL per cent on first $4,000.
M n tn
600
4 per cent on all amounts over $780,
600.
No inheritance tax is provided when
property passes to educational OF re-
ligious institutions, public libraries
and public art galleries in the state.
The tax is also removed from Gene
terry associations and hospitals not
operated for gain.
The proposed law provides the di-
rect tax shall be paid into the state
treasurer within eighteen months az
ter the death.
Representative Dawson introduced
In the house this morning joint reso-
luton to prohibit the manufacturing
and selling of intoxicating liquors in
the state. The resolution will provide
for an amendment to the constitution
Two consecutive legislatures must
pass It and then 1t will be up to the
people for a vote before the constitu-
ton can be changed. 1t is the first
step In this Legislature to make Iowa
dry.
Senator Smith on schools has re
ported favorably on the Savage bill
for the appointment of state superin-
tendent by the governor at salary
of $4,000 year.
Representative Jainison, of Burllng-
ton. mas introduced a bill that will
set political corporations aid tax pay
ers OF the state thinking. 1t pro-
vides that whenever the state, coun-
ty. city, school district, or other tax
ing body shall issue any interest bear
Ing bonds or other evidence of debt,
they shall at the same time be made
TO make levy OF taxes sufficient TO
cancel the same by fun payment
thereof In period not TO exceed for
ty years, provided. however, that in
pvput of "A change I'm the value of the