Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1897-03-18

the substitute proposed by Senator
Junkln was lost-yeas, II; nays, 28-
nd the section as originally reported
was passed.
Taxation OF Telegraph Lines.
The sections of the bill governing the
taxation OF telegraph and telephone lines,
foreign insurance companies, not in.
GLIDING fraternal benefit associations,
railway property, water and gas works.,
express companies. peddlers, ETC., were
passed as reported by the committee.
The provisions of the bill governing the
duties of assessor and providing forms
for assessment rolls were passed with
out amendment. The assessor is re-
quired to list all property at its actual
cash value and assess it for taxation at
3315 per cent. of such value, and if he
knowingly fails or neglects to perform
his duties in this regard he shall be IL
able to fine of $500, and the same fine
may be imposed upon any one who re-
fuses TO assist in listing his property or
In making oath to the assessment as re-
quired by the assessor. The sections
governing boards of review which take
the place Of boards of equalization have
been passed upon. 1t will probably
take the balance Of this week to pass
upon the whole bill, and then there may
be number Of amendments offered
which have not yet been considered. 1t
is true that there is considerable Oppo-
sition among some of the senators to
many Of the features of the bill, and
when perfected it is by no means prob
able that it will receive a unanimous
vote in the senate.
The house has been considering the
bill governing insurance companies
while the senate was struggling with
the revenue bill. A number of amend
ments which were of a very radical ma
ture were adopted to that part Of the
bill which governs fire insurance COM
panies. One amendment practically
amounts to valued policy measure. AS
amended, section SO of the bill reads:
In any action brought on policy Of in
surance for loss by fire to any building
covered by such policy, the amount of in
surancc upon such building shall be con.
Clusively presumed to be the insurable
value of such building at the date of the
policy. And in an action on such policy
1t shall be only necessary for the insured
to prove the loss of the building insured
and that the insured has given
the insurer or its agent notice in writ
ing of such loss, stating the facts as to
within his knowledge, and the extent of
the loss. Any conditions in said policy
yoiding the same shall not prevent re-
covery unless it can be shown that a vio
lation of said conditions contributed to
the loss.
Severe Insurance Laws.
Another paragraph provides that no.
tice of loss shall be given within 60
days, and no action shall be begun
within 40 days after such notice, nor
shall the time within which action shall
be brought be limited to less than two
years. If the insurer does not pay the
loss within 40 days after notice and suit
is brought and there is q recovery, the
plaintiff is entitled to recover in addi-
ton to the amount of loss an attorney
fee ranging from l0per cent, on the first
$500 or fraction thereof, to per cent on
all sums in excess of 81 600. Any officers
or agents representing company know
ing the same to be insolvent are made
liable to fine Of from 500 to 81 900 for
soliciting business for such company
and they may also be imprisoned.
The provisions Of the chapter adopted
by the last general assembly prohibiting
combinations were inserted in the bill
and in addition an amendment which
provides that any one insured in any
company which does enter into any
such combinations shall be entitled to
recover the amount Of premium paid at
any time within five years of the time
of becoming insured. These amend
ments were adopted by good margins on
roll calls and unless many of the mem
bers of the house change their views de-
cidedly the bill when finally completed
will be an exceedingly severe one.
County mutuals are allowed to do bust
ness in the county where organized and
in counties contiguous thereto.
Both houses are keeping we'll up to
their curtailing record in the line of
economy and the curtailment of ex-
penses. 1t is impossible to estimate at
this time what will be gained from the
exercise of the salary cutting power,
but it seems probable that quite num-
Der of the state officers will have to be
content with a considerably reduced
compensation. However, it is tolerably
certain that a large saving will be made
on the state printing and binding. In
my last letter the scale Of prices which
had been prepared by the senate COM
mittee on printing for the state printers
Office was given, together with an esti-
IlllUC VI UllC "il1Sll w Ill plOUdDlJ
be saved in this work. Since then the
committee has completed their bill and
the reductions made OH binding are
given herewith.
The state binder shall be paid for
folding, stitching and binding in paper
covers messages or reports not exceeding
IL pages 81 per 100 and for each addi-
tional l6 pages or less 20 cents per 100.
The present price is Sl.25 for the first
16 pages and % cents for additional 16
pages per 100 copies. For folding, sew
ing and binding in paper covers the
journals Of the two houses he shall be
allowed /, cents per copy, reduction Of
l cent per copy. For binding in muslin
with gilt letters same style as agricul-
tural reports for 1886, II cents per copy
for volume of 400 pages or less and for
additional pages cents. This is a re-
duction of cents per volume. He is
allowed for binding in half sheep. same
style as the Iowa documents, 8 cents
per copy of each volume Of 400 pages
instead of 40 cents. For binding in law
sheep similar to the reports of the su.
preme court he is allowed 90 cents in.
stead of IS cents. For binding the Iowa