Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-03-25

~sA
J system will quickly disclose all about
any combine and then destroy 1t Dy
force of a competition that cannot be
stopped To have continued the sys.
tenn of having advertised bids for all
bridge work and requiring by law that
the contracts be let on these bios
would have been just the thing the
bridge men wanted"
But the bridge lobby Is playing the
game the other way and has demon.
STRAIT ID it's ability to gain the ear or
the public. 1t is asserted the 81 i
book lobby is playing the same game
successfully. The probe into loppy
methods is to be continued this week
and it is promised there will be some
interesting developments as to lobby
methods.
Expect Another Vote.
The important feature OF the Dill
which the house discussed for need.
lessly long time on Saturday, and left
hanging in the air with the vote taken
but not announced and call OF the
house" pending to fetch IN absent
members, is not that the salary OF the
superintendent of public instruction Is
increased and the term heightened, but
that there is such general reorganiza-
ton of the department as to convert
| it into working organization for me
advancement of the public schools OF
Iowa. Several changes are made IN
the department to secure greater
efficiency and the house bill provides
for not to exceed five inspectors. This
is to meet the suggestion embodied In
! the report to the last state teachers
association for inspection OF the high
schools, rural schools, normal work,
and other departments, so that the
state department will be In closer
touch with the entire school system OF
Iowa. The administration bilP' as 1t
is called, is the key to the whole
scheme of reform and betterment or
the schools of the state and every
vote cast against it will be distinct
ly reactionary in character. Owing to
the absence of a number OF members
Saturday the full vote could not be Sc
cured in the house in favor of the bill.
Undoubtedly another vote will be TAX
en- on it.
The Chase bill to provide way by
which STRAW vote" may be taken
among the women who care to be thus
polled, as to their preference in the
matter of votes for women, has been
recommended to the house by COM
mittee. vote of seven to Ave. Thus
the life preserver" is likely to be
passed and the Grinnell experiment
may be repeated on large scale IN
Iowa next year.
The senate passed the bill to relieve
building and loan associations of the
legal duty of reporting to the county
officials for assessment the names OF
all stockholders. The law has never
been observed and this bill makes
legal that which is common custom.
But it is a peculiar fact that In the
bill for the state tax, commission while
there is provision exempting all banks
organized under state law from the
necessity of telling the assessors who
are depositors in said banks there is
also clause which provides that Of
ficers of building and loan associations
must report who are their depositors.
The Inheritance Tax.
The new bill to provide a direct in
heritance tax would bring quite an adj
dition to the general fund of the state
each year. 1t gives collateral in
heritance tax and a direct inheritance
tax, but they are different. When the
passes from the decedent to
a husband or wife the tax is one per
cent on any sum in excess Of $4,000
up to $4,000; thence graded up to
four per cent on 100000 or over.
When the property passes to a direct
heir the tax starts at one per cent on
$4,000 and runs up to five per cent on
$4,000 and beyond. When the prop
erty goes to collateral heir 1t starts
off at five per cent on any amount up
to 100000, six per cent in amounts up
to 100000 and seven per cent on all
sums in excess of 100000
The Crist public utilities bill Is
make special order in the senate for
1t therefore, follows the
highway bill as one of the items OF
the program for decision. There is
now wide difference between the house
and senate bills on public utilities, but
this will not be SO great after the SEN
ate amendments are adopted
The senate will also pass the bill to
authorize the state to become party
to suits involving the alleged exclusive
rights Of certain inventors to the max
ing of concrete culverts and bridges.
The house has passed the bill. The
senate has favorable recommends
ton for the same