The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-05-26
WILL Be MORAL
LEGISLATURE
Elevation and Correction Of Morals
Expected to Claim the Attention
Of the Next State LesIs-
lative Body.
LAST ONE AESTHETIC
Next General Assembly VIII Central
lie its Efforts Along the Line
Of Making Better
Citizens.
Especial to The Gate City. i

DIES MONIES. Iowa. May 26.-Polit.
ical students here analyzing the stu
alton believe the next Iowa legislature
will be one to focus its energy in en-
actment of laws for the elevation and
correction of morals. The recent leg.
stature 1t is urged can justly be
elaine an aesthetic body. 1t appro-
priated money for enlargement and
Identification of the capitol grounds,
provided an appropriation for cree.
ton of beautiful woman's building
at the state fair grounds, passed a law
to regulate the planting of shade trees,
gave additional powers to park COM
. missioners and river levee commits
sions.
Economic questions of Importance
1t failed to enact such as a public
utilities commission. or revenue re-
form laws. It did pass a working.
mems compensation bill but one that
Is not mandatory and becomes In
operation merely experimental.
The question of public health and
morals made but slight impression on
the assembly Adjustment OF con-
tract labor in prisons was not pro-
yided; the appeal to permit paroling
OF lifers who had served thirty years
in good behavior was unlistened to,
appeal to provide such pay as would
insure more efficient guards was given
but slight consideration. suggestion to
provide care for innocent families de-
prived of support by imprisonment of
the provider brought no deliberation
Trne. tax was voted to provide an
additional custodian farm and WON
ans reformatory. but as against this,
some fifty new crimes were to help
populate these. The appeal to block
the progress of the black plague
resulted in only law that viii help
gather statistics Of the rapidly in
creasing social menace but do moth
Ing in corrective way. True, saloons
We're abolished from the city where is
located the state university, but the
brewery was permitted to continue
there making liquor The legislature
cut an hour off each end of the day
that saloons may operate. but 1t fail.
ed to consider the question whether
Or not the sale should be entirely
abolished
The composite mind OF the last as.
sembly was turned to the beautiful
from the standpoint of landscape
architecture, horticulture, history
tappropriating $4,000 for the historic
al society to print books, etc. Even
the awful death struggle of Junkin in
The penitentiary prison yard would not
arouse consideration of abolishins
The death penalty, even the assurance
OIL the scientist who cX. mined that
criminals brain that the man was
morally irresponsible. diseased rather
'han criminal, could not awaken con.
siaefation to a law to provide medical
inspection in schools to disclose such
Hfedlspositions and permit elimina
'ion by special training But these
are the matters, 1t is believed, will be
gwen serious consideration by the
next assembly-not because OF the
theory legislation as many other
.,lihgs move in cycles, but because of
.he universal agitation of the sub.
!ec.s throughout the state by women !;
ciups, physicians, public officials, etc.
y IS quite certain the next legislature
WIN not duplicate the action of the
iast IN aesthetic extension and de.
selopment; direct election of the
United States senator will eliminate
political deadlock such as two years
ago interferred with legislation. Fail
ufe OF the last session to appoint com.
missions to study economic PROPOSE
'iohs and suggest laws will eliminate
iiuch definite consideration along
mat line So 1t is believed in view OF
uie present agitation-for better pris-
on methods, more scientific treatment