Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-08-26

4 filed with the county auditor and should
1 have the requisite percentage of sigma
lures of voters who voted at the last
proceeding general election. 1t didn't
require any official examination or ad-
I publication of its sufficiency. Under that
law most of the petitions now on file
IN the state We're procured. Later the
Legislature amended the law, requirins,
! that the petition should be counted and
declared sufficient. The question there
/ fore is whether the old petitions are
subject to this new requirement. If so.
the adjudication is practically impos-
siple because the records OF the votes
at the last preceding general election
are destroyed in most cases New pc
tltions would have to be secured.
And getting a rev petition will not
be 50 easy. The anti-sslloon people can
go out and get a signer to change his
mind and petition that his name be re-
i moved from the petition: and the SUI
Epervisors must heed the request. The
/ jopponents Of the consent get the las
4 say with him. They are counting on
tdefeating a petition in Polk county if
1t comes up again on this basis The
case which will determine whether new
petitions must be secured is now pend
ing in the supreme court, and may be
| decided in October. II is unlikely that
a new consent in Polk county would be
defeated, but there are undoubtedly a
number of counties in which petitions
are now on file in which it would be
very hard to get new ones under the
Ichanged conditions.
There are robust rulnors at the state
house that a stirring up of dry bones
may be expected in insurance circles at
almost any time. A record Of two COM
tpanies closed UP in three days is enough
! to warrant a suspicion of the kind. but
! there are other evidences, lit is limited
about the state offices that Auditor
Merriam is getting ready To look after
some companies which have been un-
der suspicion recently. and that when
| the campaign begins it IS liable to re-
suit in closing up some more of them.
The Mutual Fire Insurance Company
of Des Moines. the latest company TO be
closed up, was in a very BAD condition.
according TO the report of Insurance
Commissioner Goodrich. He found that
liy was carrying S1.545.000 OF risks on the
assessment mutual plan. 1t owed $4,000
OF borrowed money. had s12. 900 Of lesses
lin litigation and 81 900 adjusted and not
paid. 1t had no cash assets. Its securi-
+ ties We're in notes, given for five and six
years time, in payment OF policies. The
examination developed that the com
pany held about SS001o of these notes.
about one-fourth OF them good As soon
as the auditors examination indicated
the company's condition he revoked the
Icompanys authority todo business and
a receiver was appointed.
1t Is also understood that some of the
building and loan associations OF the
Estate, whose plan of doing business is
not satisfactory To the auditors office,
Iand whose condition is not regarded as
secure, may be in trouble before long.
The present legislation for the state SUI
pervision of these companies is experi-
mental, ana thus far the experiment
has not been altogether a success. Mem
bers of the executive council say that
the laws Will not prevent worthless
companies from carrying on a brigand-
age in the confidence Of ignorant peo-
pie, while on the other hand the inn
posed restrictions are often an unnec-
essary limitation of the powers of le-
gtimate concerns. There Will be hard
fight a the next legislative session to
amend the laws. Ii is hinted strongly
that some of the members of the coun-
ell will make radical recommendations
looking TO the change of the regulations
in such manner as to practically drive
building and loan, as now conducted.
out of the field of money loaning. There
lis little chance that such recommends
tions would be favorably considered,
however.
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cissy LOTUS to Marry.
New York, Aug. 26.-cissie Lotus. the
music hall mimic. is to marry Herbert