Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 58, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 March 1913 — HOUSE PASSED CIGARETTE BILL [ARTICLE]

HOUSE PASSED CIGARETTE BILL

Makes Amendment Permitting Minors to Sell Them But Against Law to Smoke Them. The house passed the cigarette bill Friday. Only one amendment of importance , was made and that makes it possible for minors to sell them. The argument in favor of this amendment was that minors were often employed in tobacco stores, drugstores, restaurants and other places, where tobacco was handled and that they should not be handicapped by not being allowed to sell an article to any person who was legally entitled to buy it. Governor. Ralston will doubtless sign the bill arid, th?O all minors will have to stop smoking the “pills” or be punished for their conduct; The house Friday passed the .10hour law, providing that women cannot be required to work more week. Thi swill affect women workweek. This will effect women working in factories, stores, offices, telephone exchanges, etc. A measure was also passed appointing a com-, mission for the investigation of the working conditions of women in the state. The commission, of course, will work under pay, and this will mean a few more jobs to give out. The senate passed two road bills. One provides that all road tax in excess of *s2o shal be paid in cash instead of being worked out. The other road bill provides for a county superintendent of roads. It embodies suggestions made by forme? Representative John G. Brpwn, of Monon. The superintendent is appointed by the county commissioners and has charge of construction of new roads and of repair work. The Gettysburg anniversary measure passed the senate, having previously passed the house. It provides that an appropriation of $20,000 be made to take Gettysburg survivors to the fiftieth anniversary of the battle, in July. The commission handling the job is authorized to take any number of citizens “to make a proper showing”in ease there are not enough survivors of the battle who wish to make the trip. Old soldiers generally are apt to get a chance within the provisions of the appropriation. Governor Ralston is already seeking names of Gettysburg survivors They are asked to send their names to the office of the adjutant-general in the statehouse. After the Traylor liquor bill had passed the senate Thursday, having previously passed the house, it was found that it did not contain an enacting clause. The measure permits saloons to keep open on New Year’s Day, Lincoln’s birthday, Washington’s birthday and Labor Day. John R. Ward, of Monticello, for years one of the shrewd lobbyists for the liquor interests, was constantly laboring for the measure in the senate and the house. He was assisted by Joseph E. Bell and Carl E. Wood, two lobbyists who helped defeat county option. Persons who read Speaker Cook’s speech following his election will wonder what has become of his nervy declaration that lobbyists would not be permitted in the state house. It is not “known whether the Trayfor bill will become a law or not, although until the discovery of the missing enacting clause the liquor interests were rejoicing.