Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1900-04-10
MUST PAY FIRE LOSSES.
Insurance Companies in Iowa Must
Hereafter Deal Fairly with
Their Customers.
VALUED POLICY BILL PASSES SENATE,
ance Taxes Arranged - Appellate
Court Bill May Fail-Soldiers Can
Retain Their Pensions-Legisla
Notes of Interest.
Especial Correspondence

Des Moines, Ia, April 2.-The valued
policy bill by Senator Brighton has
passed the senate, and If it can be
doubtedly pass that body. This is the
first time valued policy bill ever
passed the senate. Several times be-
fore it has passed the house, but failed
in the senate. The demand for the law,
caused by the actions of the insurance
companies in refusing to make fair
settlements with people who have suf-
fered loss by fire, has been so strong
that the senate could not resist it.
Senator Brighton has made this his
principal business during the session.
The bill as passed applies only to build
ings and provides that:
I'm all suits brought upon policies of in
surance upon real property and buildings
against loss or damage by fire hereafter
issued or received, the defendant shall not
be permitted to deny that the property in
sured thereby was worth at the time of the
issuing of the policy the full amount in
sured therein on said property; and in case
of total loss of property insured the meas
ure of damage shall be the amount for
which the same was insured, less whatever
for which the property was insured the
property may have sustained between the
time of issuing the policy and the time of
the loss, and the burden of proving such
depreciation shall be upon the defendant;
and whenever there is a partial destruc-
ton or damage to property covered by in
surance, it shall be the duty of the insurer
to pay to the insured a sum of money equal
to the damage done to the property, or re-
pair the same to the extent of such damage,
not exceeding the amount written in the
policy"
Insurance by more than one company
on one piece of property is made APP
plicable to the same rule.
No More Prize Fighting.
The effort to secure the passage of
bill to prevent all kinds of prize fight
ing was finally successful. The senate
on Wednesday passed drastic meas
ure which it is expected will put stop
not only to prize fighting, but sparring
exhibitions, boxing contests and SINH
lar matches where money is involved.
The bill applies the penalties to all per-
sons connected with the exhibition, in
Guiding spectators, and is as follows:
whoever engages In any boxing con-
test or sparring exhibition with or without
gloves for prize, reward or anything of
value, at which an admission fee is charged
or received, either directly or indirectly,
and whoever knowingly aids or abets or
assists In any such boxing contest or
sparring exhibition, and any owner or lessee
of any ground, lot, building. hall or struc-
ture of any kind knowingly permitting the
same to be used for such boxing contest or
| sparring exhibition shall be fined not ex-
ceeding $500 or imprisoned in the county
| Jail not exceeding 80 days"
Insurance Tax.
The insurance tax bill, spoken OF
last week, passed the senate Wednes-
day after an all days discussion, and
passed the house Friday unchanged.
An amendment was offered by Sena-
tor Cheshire to strike out clause in
the bill exempting farmers mutuals
and fraternal beneficiary associations
from payment of the tax. 1t was
claimed that this exemption would rem
der the bill unconstitutional, but the
result of the debate was the adoption
of a substitute providing that these
associations should be exempted from
taxation where they are not for pc
cuniary profit. This will let out all of
them except some of the statewide
concerns.
Need of Appellate Court.
The appellate court bill, which passed
the house some days ago, may not pass
the senate, although there is strong
feeling among the lawyers that some
relief must be provided for the SUI
preme court, which is now nearly two
ears behind in its work. The appel
late court under this bill was to con-
slider all appeals involving not more
than $1,000, except where certain law
questions are involved. The objection
to it is that it would result in two lines
of decisions on the same principles, one
by the supreme court and one by the
appellate court.
To Prevent Usury.
The building and loan bill has passed
the senate. 1t has not been greatly
changed from the form in which twas
originally reported from the senate
committee. The main purpose of the
bill is to prevent in the future the
charging of usurious interest above
eight per cent The language of the
bill cuts off all fines and penalties by
| which the associations have been in the
habit of mulcting borrowers and leaves
only a very tritiing penalty which may
be charged for failure to pay promptly.
Congressman to Resign.
The resignation of Congressman
Smith Mcpherson is expected at an
early date, as he has been selected by
| the Iowa delegation in congress for
the federal judgship made vacant by
the death of John S. Woolson. Mr.. Nc
Pherson who was formerly attorney
general of Iowa and is one of the best
lawyers in the state, has signified his
intention of accepting the appoint
| ment. AS there is no immediate neces.
sity for the appointment of judge
| Congressman Mcpherson will probably
not resign until shortly before the adj
| journment of congress. SO that no spe'
| cial election will be necessary. Sen
ator William c. Macarthur. of Burling
ton, is likely to be appointed clerk OF
the United States district court BY
| Judge Mcpherson.
| Can Keep Their Pensions.
The members of the soldiers home
at Marshalltown will be permitted in
future to retain their pensions, no mat.
ter how large they may be, except
where the pensioner has wife, child
or parent dependent upon him for sup
| port and residing in the state of Iowa
In such cases at least half the pension
| money must be sent to such dependent