340 



IOWA. 



Loan Associations. The number of these in 

 1897-'98, as reported to the United States League at 

 its annual session in July, was 87 ; the membership, 

 25.000 ; and the assets. $6,594,778. 



Railroads. The gross earnings of railroads in 

 Iowa in 1898 were $45.944,244.90, an increase of 19.4 

 per cent, over those of 1897 ; the expenses of opera- 

 tioii, $29,812,088.55, an increase of 18.8 per cent.; 

 the net earnings snowed an increase of 21.6 per 

 cent.; the employees, including general officers, in- 

 creased from 26,690 to 30,009 ; and the salaries paid 

 from $ l.'i.i. ->:,-> lii.49 to $17,280,215.01. 



The assessment of railroads in the State in 1897 

 was $44.494.4:51 ; and this was increased in 1898 by 

 ul nit $4:1,000. 



Lririslatm- Session. The twenty-seventh Gen- 

 eral Assembly was in session from Jan. 10 to April 

 1. the Republicans numbering about two thirds on 

 joint ballot. J. II. Funk was chosen Speaker of the 

 House. Gov. Drake's message was received Jan. 11, 

 and (iov. Shaw was inaugurated Jan. 13. 



Ninctv-seven bills were passed, not including all 

 the appropriation bills, the legalizing acts, the sup- 

 port-fund bills, and the five joint resolutions; 55 

 were Si-mite bills and 42 House bills. 



The most important act was one providing for a 

 board of control for State institutions. It is to 

 consist of three members appointed by the Govern- 

 or and confirmed by a two-thirds vote of the Sen- 

 ate. They are to receive salaries of $3,000 each, to 

 give bonds of $25,000 each, and to serve six years, 

 They are to have control of all State institutions 

 except the three educational institutions, and the 

 boards of trustees of all institutions coming under 

 their care are abolished. The new board supervises 

 the entire management, fixes salaries of officers and 

 employees, approves all contracts for supplies and 

 for buildings, and appoints a State architect to pre- 

 pare plans for its approval. A complete set of 

 books must be kept at each institution and a record 

 of each inmate. The superintendents and wardens 

 must meet with the board quarterly at Des Moines. 

 Terms of present superintendents are not disturbed. 

 Employees must not pay political assessments or 

 contribute to election expenses in any way, on pain 

 of dismissal. 



A law to regulate primary elections provides that 

 when any political party holds a primary election 

 for nomination of candidates for office, it shall be 

 unlawful for any person not a qualified elector or 

 not at the time a member in good faith of such 

 political party to vote in such primary. Nothing in 

 the law is to apply to the conventions held under 

 the caucus system. 



Of laws affecting railroads, one called the Temple 

 amendment provides that railroads and other cor- 

 porations shall not be exempt from liability for ac- 

 cidents to employees by reason of any contract of 

 insurance, relief, benefit or indemnity entered into 

 prior to the injury or death between the person so 

 injured and such corporation, nor shall the accept- 

 ance of any such insurance or benefit by the person 

 injured, or his widow, heirs, or legal representatives 

 after the injury be a bar to any cause for action for 

 damages against such corporation. 



The Legislature appropriated $1,165,038.95, in- 

 cluding $500.000 which was to be placed at the dis- 

 j>osal of the Governor as a war fund in case war 

 was declared with Spain, and $50,000 for an emer- 

 gency fund for the State institutions. The amount 

 provided for the expenses ( ,f the Statehouse and all 

 the departments was $167.000. 



The extraordinary appropriations for State insti- 

 tutions were as follow : Industrial School, Mitchell- 

 ville, $2.900; Industrial School, Eldora, $5.500; 

 Anamosa Penitentiary. $4'J.s-.'."i : Fort Madison Peni- 

 tentiary. $14,120; Institution for Feeble Minded, 



Glenwood, $9,000 ; Hospital for Insane, Clarinda, 

 $24,865; Hospital for Insane, Independence, $14,- 

 875; Hospital for Insane, Mt. Pleasant, $10,500; 

 Industrial Home for Blind, Knoxville, $19,000 ; Or- 

 phans' Home, Davenport, $5,800 ; State University, 

 library and repairs, $11,000 ; School for Deaf, Coun- 

 cil Bluffs, $9,650 ; College for Blind, Vinton, $?,- 

 000; State Normal School, Cedar Falls, $14.000; 

 Hospital for Insane, Cherokee, $100,000; Agricul- 

 tural College, Ames, $5,000 ; Soldiers' Home, Mar- 

 shalltown, $16,000: Benedict Home, Des Moines, 

 $5,000 ; total, $317,035. 



Increases in the permanent-support funds were 

 made as follows : State Normal School, Cedar Falls, 

 from $11,000 to $28,500; State Normal School, Ce- 

 dar Falls, contingent, from $3,000 to $9,000 ; Glen- 

 wood Institution for the Feeble Minded, from $10 

 to $12; State veterinarian, from $6,000 to $10,000 

 biennially ; traveling library, $2,000 annually ; 

 State University, $10,000 annually. 



The following reductions in the support funds 

 were made : Hospitals for Insane, Independence and 

 Mt. Pleasant, from $14 to $12 a month ; Hospi- 

 tal for Insane, Clarinda, from $14 to $13 a month ; 

 Industrial School, Mitchellville, from $11 to $10 a 

 month ; Industrial School, Eldora, from $10 to $9 

 a month ; College for Blind, Vinton, from $40 to 

 $35 a quarter; School for Deaf, Council Bluffs, 

 from $21,000 to $18,000 annually and allowing for 

 only three quarters because of vacation. 



The amount appropriated is smaller than in other 

 recent years. The executive board was authorized 

 to make a levy for State purposes sufficient to raise 

 $1,600,000 in 1898 and $1,500,000 in 1899. 



Other enactments were : Apportioning the State 

 into representative districts, fixing the ratio at 

 $22,000. 



Making transfer of real estate by partition a mat- 

 ter of record in the offices of the county recorder 

 and county auditor, so that it may be listed for 

 taxation to the person to whom it belongs. 



Requiring every landowner in the country to cut 

 the weeds on the highway bordering his land. 



Giving the State entomologist authority to ex- 

 amine with paid assistants any nursery in the State 

 or any fruit trees or other nursery stock shipped 

 into the State, to ascertain whether or not they are 

 infested with the San Jose scale. All nursery stock 

 shipped into the State must be accompanied by a 

 certificate from the entomologist of the State from 

 which it comes, showing that the stock has been in- 

 spected and found free from the scale. 



Authorizing the Agricultural College to purchase 

 40 acres adjoining the present college farm for ex- 

 perimental purposes. 



Making it unlawful to kill grouse or pheasant, 

 wild turkey or quail between Jan. 1 and Nov. 1. 



Giving the State fish and game warden authority 

 to search for and seize fish and game taken in vio- 

 lation of law. 



Prohibiting adulteration of candy. 



Exempting beet-sugar corporations from paying 

 the incorporation fee to the Secretary of State. 



Providing for the destruction of thistles. 



Requiring all applicants for teachers' certificates 

 to pass an examination in didactics. 



Extending the jurisdiction of Iowa courts in 

 counties along the Missouri river to the middle of 

 the channel of that river, wherever it may be. 



Allowing cities under special charter to levy a 

 one-mill tax for library purposes, and requiring 

 library trustees to report to the city council. 



Reducing interest on State warrants from 6 to 5 

 per cent. 



Providing that a fraternal beneficiary society 

 must have 250 active members before receiving a 

 certificate to do business in the State. 



