Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1915-03-12
(By George Gallarno)

complete the work placed before it.
and at the outside not more than five
weeks, the Thirty-sixth general as
sembly is earnestly devoting Its atten-
ton to business. Rejuvenated by their
vacation of week at the beginning of
the month. and reinforced by con-
sultatiOn with their constituents re-
garding work which has already been
accomplished and the problems that
are yet to be faced. the members OF
the legislature have determined upon
a program of action. This will be to
dispose of several big questions like
the compensation act, the highway
problem, the teachers pension bill.
the state police measure as an aid to
enforcing prohibition when 1t comes.
the free text book measure and other
matters of importance as soon as pos
sible, and then devote considerable
time to appropriation measures and
not be compelled to hurtle them all
through in the last few days Of the
session as has been the practice in
the past.
1t can be taken as an assured fact
that the present legislature is not go
ing to appropriate money for any pur-
pose until that purpose is fully UNDER
stood, not only by the members OF the
appropriation committee but by all
the senators and representatives In
their individual capacities: In both
houses a closing date has been fixed
for the filing of bills which carry an
appropriation of any character. That
date is March 18th, Monday OF next
week. After that the only way to
secure consideration of measure
which intends to denude the state
treasury in any particular. will be for
the proposition to have the support
and consent of the appropriations
committees of both the house and the
senate. With this program as to
spending the states money fully
agreed upon and understood it Is not
going to be nearly so easy in the clos
ing days of the assembly for the chair
man of the appropriations committee
to rush bills through by the use OF q
few chosen words and the waving OF
his arms, as it has been during the
closing days Of previous assemblies.
New Plan to Register Automobiles.
Representative Anderson Of Mont
gomery has introduced a bill in the
house which will do away with one
of the prevalent complaints, at least,
against the present system OF automo-
bile registration, and that is that IN
der the present law, where the fee is
fixed absolutely by the horse power
of the auto, an old car which has seen
several years usage pays the same
rate as q new car Of the same power.
The bill introduced by Anderson has
the approval Of Roy Williams. chief
clerk in the auto registration depart
ment of the secretary of state. Mr..
Williams declares it will prove much
fairer way of assessing the cost OF
registration, because it will be fixed
by the original cost price and the age
of the car, being gradually reduced
from the maximum when the car Is
first purchased to a minimum reached
when the car is three years old. I'm
der the plan car which cost $500 and
not more than $500 would be taxed IS
the first year, 81 the second year. IS
the third year and IS each year there
after. The tax graduates as to the cost
of the cars until the highest price is
reached ON cars listed at more than
$4,000. Such cars would cost their
owners for registration and license,
$50 the first year of purchase. $26 the
second year, $21 the third and there
after SIS per year. The bill leaves
the fee for motorcycles the same as
at present, So per year. In all cases
half rates are to be charged on cars
registered after August Of each year.
State Police Bill in Senate.
The senate committee on judiciary
il giving serious consideration to the
house bill creating state police force
under the supervision Of the governor
to aid in the enforcement of criminal
laws, aimed particularly az an aid to
the enforcement Of the statewide pro-
hibition statute. The bill was passed
by the house, after being defeated
once by lack Of . majority vote. On
ton, however, it was amended so that
it's powers were placed in the hands
of the governor instead of the at
torney general Of the state as orig
inally intended. Those who believe
il the bill is to be Of any force what
ever it should be executed through the
channels of the law enforcing power
OF the state. the Office of the attorney
general. are urging the senate COM
mittee to report it for passage as was
first intended by the house. Governor
Clarke Is said to have declared that
the new law, il it is to be adopted,
should be placed in the law enforce
ment department Of the state and that
the governors Office should not b
burdened with it.
Highway Law IN Danger.