Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1915-02-05
FLOOD OF BILLS
IN LEGISLATURE
So|ons Would Add Many Laws
to Books
TEMPERANCE TO THE FRONT
Many Bills Against Saloons-Resub.
mission May Result 80 To Repeal
Non.Partisan Judiciary Law-Other
Proposed Changes in Laws.
(By George Gallarno)

Proposed Changes In Laws.
(By George Gallarno)
Des MOines, Ia, Jan. 26.-During
the first week of the 36th general as
| sembly after the committees had been
named and the organization of both
houses finally completed, more than
two hundred bills were introduced,
the number being about evenly di-
| vided between the two houses. This
hood of newly projected laws, while
large, is about on a par with the early
work Of previous sessions of the as
sembly. 1t foreshadows the introduce
ton of probably 1900 measures in the
two houses before final adjournment
of the legislature. Of this number, if
former assemblies can serve as a
criterion, it is safe to say that not
more than two hundred will finally
run the gauntlet Of both the house
and the senate and be placed before
Governor Clarke for his signature.
Possibly, counting legalizing acts the
total may exceed two hundred, and
these will include new laws, correc-
tons of laws, and amendments adding
to or taking away from acts already
on the statute books.
Slaps at the Saloon.
The temperance element of the
present assembly is stronger and
more pronounced than in any legisla-
ture in Iowa for more than twenty
years. This fact was demonstrated
almost Immediately on the arrival Of
the legislators on the scene at the
opening of the assembly, and it was
made painfully apparent to the wet"
sympathizers on the first day of the
session for the introduction of bills.
In both houses on that date not less
than ten bills were presented affecting
the sale of intoxicating liquors in
Iowa. OF these nine were put forth
IN the senate and one in the house.
These bills ranged from the radical
demand for immediate repeal of the
viding that consent petitions cannot
be circulated more often than once in
three years. Five of the bills pre-.
scented in the senate were filed by
Senator Whitmore of Wapello county.
They provide:
That the second oftense against the
pr0hibitOry law shall be made fell
ony. and dealt with accordingly.
That common carriers shall be pro-
hibited from Transporting intoxicating
liquors In Iowa unless asstatement 10
fled with the county auditor Of the
county to which the liquor is shipped,
giving the name of the shipper and
the name OF the person the shipment
ia billed to.
That district and superior judges
shall have authority to issue liquor
search warrants.
That petitions for saloons or for
revocation of permits be limited to
one each third year.
That the sheriff be given authority
to serve notice Of mulct tax assess
ment.
Senator Clarkson. of the Marion
Monroe district, . democrat, presented
the bill for the repeal Of the present
mulct tax law. The effect of the adop-
ton Of this bill would be to put Iowa
at once in the state wide prohibition
class. The mulct law did not annul
the prohibitory clause of the consti-
tuition. only serving to make void its
enforcement under certain conditions
prescribed in the law.
Senator Francis, of Dickinson, had
three bills on the saloon question.
One raised the per cent of signers re-
quired to make q saloon petition valid
to IS per cent. The present require
ment is so per cent in cities. An
other would prohibit the establish
ment Of saloons in any town of less
than 1000 population. Under the
present law it is possible for any in
corporated town to establish a sa-
loon, II the county consent provisions
Of the law are carried out. The third
Of the Francis bills would close all
saloons at Z o'clock in the evening,
making the hours from q. m. to z
p. m.
Senator Wilson Of Appanoose pre-
scented bill providing q years i'm
prisonment and $500 fine for convic-
ton Of . second offense at bootleg
ging.
Nay Mean ResubmissiOn.
Although none of these measures
have been discussed in either body on
their merits, and although it is claim
ed the committees in the senate on
suppression Of intemperance and on
constitutional amendments are both
dominated by the "wets." the prevail
ing opinion about the legislative halls
is that there will be no serious effort
to juggle with the bills in committee
and that all will finally be brought
out so every member may be placed
on record. There is apparently no
doubt of the "dryness" of both houses,
hUf there is dONht Of tho fipo1 oot;op