The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1913-05-01
Des MOines Letter.

Des MOines, April 28.-GOvernOr
Clarke is authority for the statement
that the extension of the capitol
grounds will cost under two million
dollars. Before the bill was submit
ted to the legislature the assessed
value of every foot Of land was Sc
cured and the actual value estimat-
ed The cost fell nearly 100000
below the two million. The claim of
uniformed that the expense will
cost the state far into the millions
is absolutely unfounded.
The farmer is about the only en-
ployer of labor not worrying about
the operation of the new working
mems compensation law He was
specifically exempted from the pro-
visions of the new law. 1t is discov-
cred that the employers are required
to take out insurance for employees
July 4, but the liability feature does
not become effective before January
l. Employers are wondering to what
extent. they are liable between July
and January
Following the epoch of legisla-
ton the state is now undergoing a
period of reorganization. AS re-
suit of laws the state department of
education, the state department of
health and the Supreme Court are to
be completely reorganized. The
executive council has been given en-
larged powers relative to fixing tax
able values, the railroad commission
has been given extended authority
and additional responsibilities have
been added to the secretary of state.
Then the retrenchment and reform
committee composed of six republi-
cans and four democrats, is to be in
continuous session to reorganiZe
state offices along the line of bust
ness economics. The first meeting
of the committee since the adjourn
ment will be May s. Mr.. Joseph
Byrne, head deputy auditor, has
been made local representative of
the committee. He is credited by
members of the appropriations COM
mittee with disclosing the method
employed in the past by Office hold
ers and institutions to get more
money than intended by the legisla-
ture by collecting a pro rata Of
the increase from the time the bill
became law by publication to July
4. At his suggestion the publica-
ton clause was stricken off of these
bills.
Governor Clarke has held several
hearings on complaints against the
Blue Sky" law which he has sign
ed, but is holding until he deter
mines whether or not to withdraw
his signature If he allows the bill
to become law it adds much work
to the secretary of state who will be
compelled to investigate all corpora
tons desiring to sell stock and to
keep the records under the new law
Secretary of State Allen says his de-
partment will be ready to take up
the work as soon as the measure be-
comes a law
Iowa is intensely interested in the
ruling made last week by the Nation
and the Interstate Commerce Com
mission have absolute right to con-
troll rates for railroads and that no
state commission has right even to
fix intra state rates that will have
the effect of disturbing the interstate
rates fixed by the national working
bodies. This means that probably
much of the work done by Clifford
Thorne as railroad commissioner at
great expense to Iowa has been
wasted.
AS predicted several weeks ago
Governor Clarke appointed former
Secretary of Agriculture Wilson to
head the committee to visit Europe
to study agricultural methods as ap-
plicable to development of Iowa. The
commission goes abroad without ex-
pense to the state 1t is considered
fortunate for Iowa to have as its
representative on such junket the
highest authority on agriculture in
the nation.