Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-04-01
HOUSE AGAIN INDUCES IN PER.
vERvID oRAToRY CONCERN
ING CAPITOL GROUNDS.
NO THOUGHT OF BILL
GETTING PAST SENATE
Tax So Far Levied Buys Nearly All
Land-Portions Of Ground Will Be
Profitable Investment Il Sale Of Out
lying Plots 10 Deemed Advisable in
Future.

/. Des Moines, April Estimates that
have been carefully made by real
estate men and property owners show
that it will take about 1888, 900 to buy
the remaining unpurchased portions OF
the capitol extension tract. This would
include all that was authorized to be
bought by rhe legislature two years
ago, or rather which the state Off
Gals Were directed and commanded to
purchase. The purchase was not
completed last summer because Of the
fact that the certificates authorized
because of the first taxes did not yield
sufficient sum to go on and COM
plete the work. 1t was never antlcl-
pated that the taxes for the first two
years would come even within $133, 900
of buying all the land. AS matter
of fact some 100000 is yet to be col
lected so that the purchase will all
come we'll within the early estimates.
This will be but little over a million
dollars. The land yet to be bought is
comparatively low in price. 1t could
be Topped off without materially injur-
ing the tract and the saving would be
so small as to be of no consequence.
But inasmuch as the law is plain and
unyielding the state officers are secur-
ing contracts to get all of the tract. II
at some future time, after the main
tract has been improved, it is thought
as we'll to sell parts of the tract they
can be Topped off and disposed of at
prices far above that which is being
paid now. But after the tract has
been improved in accordance with the
plans of the Allison memorial COM
mission it will be possible to determine
this much better than now.
The house listened to a goodly dis
charge of perfervid oratory on the
capitol extension question yesterday
and a number of the old campaign
speeches were rehearsed for the bene-
fit of the new members. The matter
has been very little considered during
the session considering the large at
tention paid to it last year. The bill
considered proposes merely to stop all
improvements on the tract and to sell
a part of it. j., An amendment was pro-
posed to submit the matter of backing
UP and sale to vote of the people so
as to let them determine whether or
not the capitol extension tract is too
large. This was lost 81 to SO. the anti
extenstoners going on record as op-
posed to having the people vote on
matters of this kind. 1t received sc
votes in the house. The bill was re-
garded by all as a political by-play
since there has never been any thought
of it passing the senate.
The house has 125 bills on it's calen-
dar and the senate about $50 on its
calendar. Each house has at least as
many more bills ready to be reported
for action any time.
This means that each house must
consider, or ought to consider, about
200 bills yet before adjournment. The
rate at which the two houses have been
going recently disposes OF an average
of from to bills day in each house
How long will it take to get a finish
There is one thing which has made
its appearance in the present legisla-
ture not so conspicuous in the past mol
nearly so troublesome. 1t is found
that no matter what the report OF 6
committee on bill may be it is forced
| to consideration, and the bills reported
adversely generally take up more time
| in discussion than the bills reported
favorably, because they are the bills
on which there is wide diversity o!
opinion.
This situation is the direct and in
evitable result of a campaign which
has been made, in the interest OF Ger.
tain classes. Of bills. Of discrediting thu
work and the reports Of committees If
general. The idea has grown up tha'
a committee report must OF necessity
be a packed or unfair report If it ii
adverse to any bill which any active
member favors. The result is thai
committee reports mean less now thar
ever before. 1t is a condition which
no matter how brought about, makes
for slow and poor legislation.
Senator Allen tried out the senate
sentiment on his bill to forbid the sale
Of medicated booze and similar stuff
ACCORDING to members Of the state
pharmacy commission the bill! would
have had substantially no effect what
ever on either the commercial extract
or patent medicines, because it merely
e1abodies into law that which is noN
well understood by all pharmacists tc
| be the law as laid down by the courts
The sole desire for the law was to pu
| t into the statutes where all might
understand. 1t would probably effec