Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1921-02-17

IN
accepted reformers were not
a. secure cooperation in the
mat.sr of expediting business pro-
! gram of work. Gov. Larabse ard
Gov. Cummins were able to lead the
broncos up to the watering trough.
When the broncos got through fuss
ing with each other they drank, not
before. Gov. Kendall mapped out a
program for this general assembly TO
follow for doing the largest amount
of work in the shortest time possible.
1 Up to date the schedule has not been
followed. The code commission pre-
pared a program that might have
prevented an extra session il follow
ed to the letter, but legislators were
not ready to accept the advice until
they had an opportunity of investi-
eating for themselves.
Hard Work Being Done.
The legislature has been in session
five weeks. On the surface there APP
pear few accomplishments except
some of the minor things which have
been exploited and ridiculed through
the press. AS matter of fact, this
general assembly has made wonder
full progress in the preliminary work
of what promises to be the most i'm
portant session in generation.
Members feel this responsibility and
are alert to the crisis which faces the
state. The quarrel over the salary
of one clerk, that seemed trivial and
boys play had more behind it than
the amount involved. II was no
tice that economy promised to the
people of the state by Gov. Kendall
and his party is to be practiced. The
effect has been to brighten out many
who had supposed this general as
sembly was an easy mark and ready
to spend the states money as their
own was spent in the silk shirt days
during and just following the war.
Every demand for an appropriation
must stand the closest scrutiny Leg
islators Of this session are not stingy.
They are known to be men of gener-
Gus impulses but they will not toler-
ate lavish expenditures for any pur-
pose. They will provide for the ac-
tual needs of the state government
and the state institutions, but they
will not vote out money for purposes
which can be avoided at this time.
The business interests of the state
which include agriculture, manufact-
uring and commerce are to be pro-
tected against excessive taxation.
Committee work has been extend
ed to take in certain features of the
proposed code. Different groups are
reading the proposed code by chap
tiers to make sure that the commits
sioners who compiled 1t did not run
in jokers or change the meaning of
the original laws The result so far
is high compliment to the proposed
code makers. A number of errors
have been discovered but these err
rors were occasioned in copying or
printing. Members are doing now
what the code commissioners wanted
them to do months ago. When these
readings have been finished members
will be better prepared TO take up
for consideration the provisions
where changes have been suggested
by the commission. If an extra ses-
sion is necessary and II seems now
impossible to complete the present
session before April, members will
have the opportunity of studying the
code at their homes and of consult
ing with their constituents before re-
turning to take final action.
Fight for Pure Milk
How can a law be placed on the
Code to insure pure milk to the chill
dren of Iowa without a seeming
fight on the dairymen of the state,
is the problem which is confronting
Representative Il. III. Knickerbocker
of Linn county whose bill asks au-
thority for cities and towns to regu-
late the milk supply. Mr.. Knicker-
booker Is one of the first advocates
of tested milk among the farmers OF
Iowa. At his own expense a number
of years ago he had his herds tested
for tuberculosis and had every dis
eased COW in his herd slaughtered.
This cost him over $4,000 but he de-
clares that it was one of the best in
yestments he ever made. This ex-
pense he says he was wiling to pay
for the satisfaction of providing for
his own family milk free from con-
tageous disease. But the $4,000 was
a good investment because he hasn't
lost a critter on his farm from dis
ease since the first test was made.
Tubercular cows communicate dis
ease to hogs and all other animals on
a place, causing enormous losses TO
farmers and those engaged in dairy
ing especially. Mr.. Knickerbocker
has been one of the largest import
ers of Belgian horses in the west and
declares that he would not have
critter suffering from the T. b. on
his farm for fear that his horses
might get the disease, even though
he did not have any regard for his
children and grandchildren. Cities
of Iowa have all undertaken to pro-
vide for the regulation of milk sold
in their communities but have been
unsuccessful because of the insuffi-
cient laws to permit of regulation.
The laws were enacted before the
great danger was discovered in milk
from diseased cows. The dairy laws
were passed to protect the dairymen
or producers and not to insure good
health to the thousands OF babies
and children The tests made by the
state government to aid consumers
has been confined almost entirely TO
the amount of butter-fat contained,
regardless of whether tuberculosis
germs was a part of the content COM
ing from the COW or diphtheria or
scarlet fever came along because OF
unsanitary conditions OF stables or
kitchen where the milk was strained
and left in unprotected cans to abb
sorb disease germs. At Cedar Rapids
a survey was made of the situation
and a frightful condition was discoy-
cred. The Chamber of Commerce
cooperating with the county agricul-
tural agent, the milk producers, milk
distributors and the city council
agreed on a plan of action which was
embodied in an ordinance passed by
the city council A city milk inspect