Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1913-04-02
IOWA LEGISLATURE
NEARING the END
work Being Rapidly DISPOSE h
the Hope of Adjourning NexfSes. :
NEW ROAD BILL IMPLEMENTS
BILL PASSED LAST WEEK
Several Important Measures Passed
During the Week. Forecast of
Closing Week of Session.

Closing Week of Session.
The Iowa legislature is nearing the
close of busy and important session,
though as yet but little real legisla-
tion of particular value to all the
people of the state has been passed
The great mass of bills before them
has been steadily sifted out, and the
important measures have been so Jug
gled and garbled that in some cases
their authors have disowned and vot-
ed against them.
The house has passed the good
roads bill with minor amendments
and the measure now is ready for the
signature of Gov. Clarke since the
senate has concurred in the house
amendment. Prof. A. Marston, head
of the engineering department OF the
state college at Ames will be one OF
the members of the commission by
virtue of his position with the col
lege. Numerous others have applied
for the other two places on the com.
mission. Gov. Clarke Is not yet de-
cided upon his appointments.
The general assembly has taken no
final action in regard to the proposi-
tion to consolidate some of the de-
partments Of the educational insti-
tutions at Iowa City, Ames and Ced-
ar Falls.
The house has passed the Brock
way bill to prohibit the sale of liquor
by druggists. This measure provides
that only alcohol may be sold by drug
gists and that only upon physiciau'a 4
prescriltien. v
No action has been taken BY the
senate on any Of the liquor legisla-
tion pendingtssg;oass e1w .eglis a
The house xc6mmittees ON donstitu-
tion amendments has reported recon-
mending the amendment for con stitn-
tional prohtbStion for indefinite post.
ponement.
The senate has spent most of the
week ON the public utilities bill. I'M.
portant amendments have been plac.
ed in. the measure. One provides that
cities may withdraw municipality own.
ed utilities from the control CT the
proposed utilities commission upon o
vote by a majority of the electors
Another puts the power of taxing the
utilities in the hands of the commits
sion.
Still another amendment provides
that the physical valuation secured
by the commission shall be basis fol
taxation values. Senators from the
larger cities fought for three days fol
the amendment to give ~ IS the pow
er to withdraw from the rule of tho
commission.
The senate has passed the Savage
bill to make the ONCE Of state sup
erintendent Of public instruction ap
pointive and to increase the salary o.
that ofiicial from $4,000 to $4,000
The same bill provides for three In
spectors Of schools, instead of one
- at present, and for an increase o.
salaries for the position OF inspector
The house has the bill by its com
ni}ttee on municipal interpretations tt
6ive cities the right to pass ordinan
ces regulating the plumbing business
The house has passed the Pickfort
bill to provide that counties may vote
not to exceed $1,000 q year for no
more than ten consecutive years fol
the aiding of county fairs.
Passage Of the senate bill for tn,
reorganization Of the administrative
feature Of Iowa highway construction
repair and maintenance was the leg
islative feature of the past week
Next in Importance, so far as finish
ed product Is concerned. was the pas
sage of the Arney bill to include for
eign as we'll as domestic corporation
doing business in Iowa under tht
strict laws of the state as to Issue o
stock, capitalization on actual values
and subjection by state officials. Tn.
only other bill of general interest wal
the one to require that after stated
time there shall be taught in all thu
schools of the state the rudiments o.
agriculture, also domestic science ant
manual training. This with the bill
which is now finally passed to give
state aid to consolidated schools will
have material influence in the echoo
situation in rural districts.
OF the bills which were pas4ed II
one house or the other the pas. teek
but may or may not reach the gov
ernor, several are Of interest, Th'
. n. fN,tff -i<3 81 sl, rs III 4t.f n ~,