Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 3.djvu/169

 and I confidently trust that ere your session shall end, the legal remedies will be provided whereby the people may protect themselves from further devastation caused by this unlawful traffic, destructive alike to present and future generations. * * * Partisan ties should be laid aside in consideration of this great question and forgetful of all else save the ultimate good of the State, let us vie with each other in perfecting the law in response to the public demand.”

The General Assembly proceeded to amend the prohibitory liquor laws of the State, strengthening them in many important features, providing additional penalties and declaring buildings in which the illegal traffic was carried on, public nuisances. All of the reasonable demands of the advocates of rigid prohibition were enacted into law.

One of the most important acts of the session was that providing for the semi-annual payment of taxes. A bureau of labor statistics was provided for. The amendment proposed to the constitution by the Nineteenth General Assembly, granting suffrage to women, was defeated by this Legislature, while the other proposed amendments were adopted changing the time of holding elections, from October to November; permitting any General Assembly to reorganize the judicial districts of the State; providing that a grand jury might consist of any number not less than five nor more than fifteen, to be determined by the General Assembly; and providing for the election of county attorneys.

The presidential campaign of this year opened with the Greenback National Convention which was held at Indianapolis on the 28th of May, at which General B. F. Butler was nominated for President and A. M. West for Vice-President. The Republican National Convention met at Chicago on the 6th of June and nominated James G. Blaine for President and John A. Logan for Vice-President. The Democratic National Convention assembled at Chicago on the 10th of July, nominated Grover Cleveland for President and Thomas A. Hendricks for Vice-President. The Prohibition National Convention