Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-11-14
I0'[OSE ONE COMPANY
Unless Des Moines Builds an Arm.
Dry Company q Will Be Nus
tered Out.
Attempt Will Be Made But Success
Not Probable Defect in Titus
Amendment
sTnanranca Men Cnmnlain 0f tha
Insurance Men Complain Of the
Laws Governing Their Business
In Iowa.
to Times-Republica,l.

Special to Times-Republican
Des Moines Nov. IA meeting was
held here today to consider the project
of raising $4,000 to build an armory.
The impression prevails that the armory
will not be built until Adj. Gen. Byers
has given the city sixty days within
which to produce evidence that it will
build the armory or he will take one OF
the military companies away from Des
Moines. There are two here. One has
fallen away below the average in in
spection and it will be mustered out.
The adjutant general says he will with
hold organizing a company elsewhere II
there is chance that the people Will
build the armory. If they do not Com
pany A will be left here, but Company
n will go up the spout. This is the ul-
timatum. And Des Moines people will
not be equal TO the emergency, partially
because they have been contributing to
every form of public benefit for two
years with a very liberal hand and be-
llcause they will have an army post here
| in a couple of years and can foreSo the
military company. The guard officers
\ who live here are pushing the enter
prise. The adjutant general expects abb
lject failure from the promoters because.
the people Will hardly back them in the
enterprise. The plan is to rent a lot on
1.-THE river bank and erect a $4,000 build
ing on It, This the state will rent, in
| part, or will furnish rent for quarters to
| the company which will maintain the
lstructure The company at Creston has
been given up also. The adjutant gem
eral will not give that city another
chance under any circumstances. The
discipline of the guard is becoming
much more severe, and the general pro-
| poses to have it organized on right prin-
ciples before he leaves the Office. Be-
ginning with January the officers must
pass examinations These will be diff
cult and they will be practical. The.
Iquestion of reports and management of
4 the affairs of the company We're the
4 hardest that, the volunteer troops in the
recent war had to deal with. An effort
A will be made to give the officers such
4 instruction that they will know how to
i do business in a war just as regulars
and veterans would do it.
L The DEFECT IN the constitutional
amendment for biennial elections which
] has been discovered and which discom-
modes the whole official force Of the
Estate from township up has created a
4 profound sensation in legal and political
4 circles. That the amendment contain
A ing such defect should pass muster
a before the scrutiny of $50 legislators at
two different sessions, the four judiciary
lcluding that Of Chairman Thomas A.
4 Cheshire of this county, whose bills for
4 the taxation of express telephone and
4 telegraph companiss 80 We're models of in
\ senuity and careful consideration, and
T .should also pass the examination of
hundreds of newspaper men and $50 ,OOu
people at the polis. is great mystery.
Attorney General Remles contemplates
handing down an opinion holding that
the amendment should be construed lib
orally and in accordance with its intent
Its intent was to extend the term of Of
flee of those officers whose successors
Y would otherwise be elected in 1901, for
!. one year, in order to avoid the election
OF 1901. Instead the amendment pro-
! ivides that the terms of those officers
whose terms expire in 1901 shall be ex.
tended. This is quite the different hall
of the officials whose terms are extend
ed. 1t cuts out from Office all those whS
3 We're elected q week ago yesterday, fol
Z one year at least. The attorney genera
inclined to the view that this should b,
construed literally and that the amend
: ment should be made to mean what Il
J does not state. Other attorneys question
$ this view. In any event the opinion o
! the attorneys cuts no figure, for the
matter will have to be determined b,
g the courts. Meantime the incumbent:
e lin the offices which were filled anew a
l the recent election can hold on Tor {
. year. There are 1000 Of them. Mos,
e lof them, perhaps, will resign and permi
: the men elected as their successors to b.
9 appointed during the year. But man,
Il will not. Thus, endless litigation will
e grow out of the amendment. Provided
of course. that it carried, which is ex
|tremely doubtful.
There has been great deal of com
: Iplaint among the insurance men of th,
!, state recently regarding certain laws b!
. (which they are governed Especially i
!, this true among fire insurance men
. They complain that on account of tn,
!. low rates and the immense number o
: fires they have been losing money fo
!. several years Yet, according to TIL,
: law known as the Blanchard law. which
. was passed in 1896, Representatives o
: the different companies can not NEE
to determine what rates shall be charg
a ed. All these things working togethe
n have brought the companies into a seri
!, Gus predicament They have been en-
2Igaged in fierce competition for bust
4 ness for several years and have low
/. cred their premiums and cut rates unit
6 they have made little or no money. Dur
ing the last year or r4two they have ha,
heavy losses on account of the larg
number Of fires. They now wish to rails
d their rates and do not know how to g
), about it. They can not come togethe
il for this purpose without violating tn
: law and one company is afraid to rails
Z, Its rates without the assurance that al
the other companies will do the same. ]
= partial solution to this problem ha
III been found In the eeta bltehment Of
( school Of rates. This Is conducted b
:. some one not connected with any OF til
i companies. He makes special stud
. LOT the Losses and time determines wha
rates ouEht 20 be CHARGED. There CO