The Eighteenth General Assembly convened at Des Moines on the 12th of January, 1880. Lore Alford was chosen Speaker of the House. On the 15th, Governor Gear and Lieutenant-Governor Campbell, who had been reëlected, were sworn in for a second term. The most important acts of this session were the following:
To increase the salaries of the Judges of the Supreme Court to $4,000 a year.
To increase the compensation of members of the General Assembly to five hundred and fifty dollars for each regular session and not to exceed six dollars per day for an extra session.
To provide a new military code for the organization, government, and support of the militia of the State.
To establish a State Board of Health to collect vital statistics and assign certain duties to local boards of health.
To protect depositors of bands and to punish fraudulent banking.
To establish a reform school for girls at Mitchellville and provide for its government.
To authorize a special tax to pay the War and Defense bonds issued for war purposes by act of the extra session of May, 1861.
To consolidate the State Land Office with the office of the Secretary of State.
A joint resolution was passed to submit to a vote of the people an amendment to the Constitution of the State to prohibit the manufacture and sale of intoxicating liquors. A joint resolution was also passed confirming a proposed amendment to render negroes eligible to seats in the General Assembly and to submit the same to the people at the next election.
At the National Republican Convention held at Chicago, James A. Garfield was nominated for President and Chester A. Arthur for Vice-President.
The Democratic National Convention nominated General W. S. Hancock for President and W. H. English for Vice-President.
The National Greenback Convention nominated General James B. Weaver of Iowa for President and B. J. Chambers for Vice-President.
