Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1917-02-23

Slow-After Printer and Binder
Amending the Blue Laws.
! (By George GallaIn0.)
Des Moines, Ia, Feb. 20-(SpeciaD
The 18th general assembly of the state
is moving slowly. Near the end OF
the sixth week of its life, the real
lasting constructive work of the law
makers has not been determined upon
No move has been made, at the time
this is written, to carry forward any
part of the program given to the
members by Governor Harding The
governor asked the assembly to pass
what laws were absolutely necessary,
including the needed appropriation
bills, and then recess until some fu-
ture fixed date, giving the members
! in the meantime leisure to consider
several great questions which had
been presented to them. Among these
was the matter of naming commits
sion to revise and rewrite the laws OF
the state, and the investigating of state
| administration with view to con-
centrating and consolidating depart
ments. From all expressions which
have been given by the legislators 1t
appears certain the movement for a
recess will not materialize. On the
| other hand it is also quite certain that
the code revision commission will be
created, but that it will not be called
upon to file it's report before the time
! of the converting of the 38th general
| assembly.
Not FavorIng Consolidation.
II the action of the two houses In
passing the law to create new and
separate department of banking for
the state can be taken for an answer,
it appears the reply of the assembly
to the governors request for CONSOLE
dation is to be a negative one. There
are bills before the two houses to
abolish the state fire marshal, and
the board of parole, and to unite the
industrial commission and the bureau
of labor statistics under one head.
Abolishing the office of fire marshal
would transfer the duties of that Of
flee to the insurance commissioner,
and the adjustment of the board of
parole would place it's work in the
hands of the board of control. These
bills are lying in committee of the
house and there does not seem to be
much desire that they should be re-
ported out. .,..a.5ss.&
TO Insist on Railroad Valuation.
It is possible that Governor Harding
will not insist that the legislature
take definite favorable action on these
propositions. He may content him
self with having called attention to
them, but good guess is that the ex-
ecutive will continue to urge the at
tention of the assembly to his request
for an appropriation of 100000 to Sc
cure a physical valuation of the rail-
ways of the state in order that
business like foundation may be laid
for the information of the executive
council in fixing the assessment OF
the properties for taxation. The gov
ernor asked the appropriation so that,
when the Interstate Commerce COM
mission reports to him the result OF
it's survey of the railroads, giving
thirty days for its acceptance or re-
lection, he may have ground for
comparison and a foundation on
which to base his decision. The law
under which the Interstate Commerce
commission is making its survey Of
the roads provides for three valua-
tons: First, it is to be ascertained
what was the original cost of each
separate line and of all its land,
buildings and property; second, It is
to be determined what the cost would
be to reproduce the property today;
third, it is to be determined what the
value would be minus depreciations.
Election Laws to be Changed.
Iowa has held it's one and only
presidential primary. After discover
ing that it cost the counties of the
state more than 100000 to vote its
endorsement of favorite son, who
had no opposition at any place, the
present general assembly has given
the law k. o. Along with this re-
form the legislature is preparing to
trim the regular state primary OF
some of it's furniture and fixtures.
The Kimball bill which has been rec
commended for passage and which ap-
parently is sure of easy shedding in
each house, has been amended slight
ly. It will provide for the nomination
of candidates for governor, United
States senators, and all district and
county officers at the regular primary.
Under its provisions delegates to
county conventions will be chosen by
primary vote, and these delegates will
elect the delegates to the state con-
ventions Of the various parties. The
state conventions will choose party
candidates for secretary of state,
treasurer Of state, auditor of state, at
tocney general and railroad commits
sioner. Unless the law is changed,
supreme and district judges will be
nominated and elected by non-par-
tisan vote. The law will simplify the
counting OF the vote in some instances
by providing that where a name is
written in on a blank line by voter
it will be unnecessary, to have the
vote counted, for the voter to mark a