Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-03-01
SUGGESTION BROADLY CON.
VEYED TO LAWMAKERS IN
EARL JONES CASE.
LAW TO LIMIT WORK OF
GRAND JURlEs WANTED
Attorney Generals Preparing Bill For
Presentation to Legislature Provid.
ing For Meetings Only Once Each
Year, Prosecuting Attorneys to
Handle Criminal Cases.
to Times-Republican.

Spec1dl 10 llIu6S-ftepuUIlCdu
Des Moines. March lit is not often
the supreme court gives out hint as
to legislation, but 1t did not escape the
attention of some Of the legislators
that the court in passing on the Jones
case, gave something more than hin.
as to the proper policy to be pursued
in regard to reform ic matter OF m
dictments. Not only was the law up
held as to the right to prosecute &C
cused persons on information by
county attorney, and with 1t the HeSu-
larity of adoption OF the amendments
twenty years ago looking to such re-
form. but the court declared that the
law had justified itself and that 1t
would be better If great majority CT
the prosecution would be upon such
informations rather than grand jury
indictments.
Accordingly bill Is being prepared
by Assistant Attorney General FLETCHER
to be presented to the legislature to 90
that very thing. 1t will provide that
as to grand juries the law will require
only that grand jury meet and or
ganize at the first term OF each year,
and to perform the various duties OF
grand jury other than hat OF inquiry
into crimes and ferreting out Offend
ers, and that the grand jury need not
meet at each subsequent term of court
during the year, save upon an order
Of court. In very many of the counties
of the state there is said to be small
reason for meeting of the grand jury
four times a year. In counties Where
oF iI1rv l.
sitions oftener the courts will SO Or
der.
This will leave to the county attor-
ney, under control of the district court.
the major part OF the work Of accus-
alton to bring persons to trial.
The regularity of the constitutional
amendment under which the Informal
ton system is substituted in part for
the indictment system was attacked
on the theory that in the amendment
that was submitted to vote of The
people and approved there was said to
be more than one subject, namely, that
Of prosecution on Information, and that
OF reduction in size of grand jury.
The supreme court passed over this by
deciding that the one foundation sub
3ect Of the entire amendment was that
of prosecution Of offenders against the
law and by going back to this topic 1t
is found the amendment is good.
sss
The problem Of nepotisn is to be at
tackled in the legislature and bill is
in preparation. SO 1t is stated, that will
forbid the employment by anyone in
authority Of any relative.
This ts TO strike especially at some
of the boards and commissions where it
is declared that relatives have been
favored. Instances Of employment of
relatives in the state offices are very
rare, and generally the persons en-
ployed are competent. But 1t is de-
clared that there are places in the state
where the favoritism has worked to the
injury Of the public service. There have
been a number OF instances of 'legisla-
tors employing relatives, or securing
for them places but those are not COM
mon now.
Il Joint committee Of the legislature
has been appointed to go over the state
house and state property incidental
be done to care for the same. 1t is pos
sible this committee will recommend
that there be placed at the command
and repair fund to carry on the work
needed to prevent deterioration in the
states property. 1t will be recalled
that when the capitol commission was
organized some years ago it found the
state had suffered much loss by reason
of long continued neglect of it's proper
ty. A business institution would
hardly leave $4,000, 900 plant without
provision for repairs and betterments.
The state house needs new floors and
there is constant need Of paint and
varnish. Some changes effected at the
heating plant have proved of great
value to the state in economy and 9TH
er Improvements are needed. The light
ing and ventilation of the state house
are as yet far from perfect. The COM
mittee will soon go over this entire
matter and make report.