Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1915-06-24
FIGHT AGE CONSENT
NUMEROUS MEASURES OFFERED
IN IOWA LEGISLATURE GO
DOWN TO DEFEAT.
LACK OF UNITY is THE CAUSE
There Is Very Wide Diversion Of
Opinion Among Those Who Agree
That Present Statute ls Not SuffL
ficient As to What II Ought Tc &C.

Opinion Among Those Who Agree
That Present Statute lie Not Suff-
ficient As to What II Ought Tc &C.
Des Moines.-A good deal has been
printed lately about the various bills
before the legislature intended to
raise the age of consent" in Iowa
There was much agitation on this sub
ject about a dozen or fifteen years
ago and the age was then raised to
Is years, having long been even low
er. The real reason that there has
been no additional legislation on the
subject is because of the fact that
those who advocate changes fail to
agree on the terms of any new statute.
There Is very wide diversity of opin-
ion among those who agree that the
statute at present is not sufficient as
to just what 1t ought to be. There we're
two bills before the legislature-one
by Thomas and one by Bell. Neither
house voted on eithtr of these bills as
prepared originally. Both were chang
ed and twisted about in committees
and on the floor and both bills failed
because of lack OF harmony among the
lobbyists working for the bills.
The first and radical proposition was
to simply raise the age to IS years so
that consent Of woman under that
age to carnal knowledge meant life
Imprisonment, regardless of the char
acter of the woman. That was the fat
proposal of those who urged the bill
in its earlier stages. Then there came
forth various proposals to exempt GER
tain men, or those of a certain age.
The house judiciary committee ex-
empted entirely any male under 10
years. Later an amendment was
adopted practically exempting a male
under 81 years. 1t is presumed this
was tackled to the bill for the purpose
of killing 1t. The Thomas bill in the
senate suffered like emasculation and
changes and finally with the 21-year
exemption failed of passage late in
the session.
The fact is that many Of the men
of the senate who are most earnest
in desiring the very best legislation
to safeguard the morals of the young
people of the state, expressed convic-
tion that no bill had been prepared
that would accomplish the desired
end without at the same time opening
the way to far more serious danger
from the wiles and Vaccinations of
designing women devoid of character.
Even a cursory study of the situation
in the legislature as disclosed by the
have been a good deal in the entire
situation that does not appear on the
surface.
Governor Announces Appointments.
Governor Clarke announced the APP
pointment of twenty delegates from
Iowa to the biennial convention of
the Anti-Saloon League of America to
be held at Atlantic City. They are:
George Ward, Primghar; Rev. H. w.
l.. Macleod, Humboldt; J. F. Hardin,
Eldora Rev. W. H. Neil. Keokuk; c.
s. Cooper. Agency; E. ]. Brownson,
Cedar Rapids; H. T. Davis, Council
Bluffs; H. ]. Wilkins, Anita; w. c.
Barber, Des Monies; H. B. Pierce,
Rock Rapids; c. A. Bryan, Pocahon-
tas; Rev. ]. p. Van Horn, Oelwein;
Rev. P. o. Bersell, Ottumwa; Hon. <.
N. Bowman, Charlton; ]. p. Toombs,
Bloomfield; Albert Guhl. Vincent; E.
/. Leighton, Fort Dodge; w. r. Jane
son, Waterloo; e. H. Rich, Fort
Dodge; NJ. s. ode. Des Moines.
Delegates to Dry Conference.
Governor George w. Clarke has ap-
pointed twenty delegates to the ma
tional convention OF the American An
ti-Saloon league to be held at Allan
tic city. The list of delegates in
cludes: George Ward, Primghar; Rev.
H. w. L. Macleod, Humboldt; J. F.
Hardin, Eldora; Rev. w. H. Neil. Ke-
okuk; C. s. Cooper Agency; E. j..
Brownson, Cedar Rapids; H. T. Davis,
Council Bluffs; Rev. H. J. Wilkins, An
tia; w. c. Barber, Des Moines; H. B.
Pierce, Rock Rapids; c. A. Bryan, Po-
cahontas; Rev. p. d. Bersell, Ottum-
wa; Hon. E. N. Bowman, Charlton;
Rev. ]. P. Van Horn, Oelwein; J. p.
Toombs, Bloomfield; Albert Guhl,
Vincent; e. l. Leighton, Fort Dodge;
w. r. Jameson, Waterloo; E. H. Rich,
Fort Dodge; M. s. ode, Des Moines.
Cooperation Of State Asked.
C. B. Hextell and Jack Campbell
conferred with the state executive
council with reference to the paving
of East Grand avenue through the
newly extended capitol grounds. Des
Moines has accepted bids for the paw
ing of the street. It Is impossible for
the city to assess the paving costs
against state property, hence the CO.
operation OF the state is asked in
making the Improvement.
Special Agents Appointed.
At the meeting Of the state execu-
tive council E. A. Bronson of West
Union was appointed special agent,
to begin work July 4, under the terms
of the state agent law passed by the
Thirty-sixth general assembly,. o. u.
Rock of Logan was appointed agent
to begin work Jan. /. George Bidwell,
now acting as special agent under the
attorney general, was recognized as
special agent, although he will con.
tinue to draw his pay from the funds
of the department Of justice.