Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1902-02-27
GIVEN A HINT BY
GOVERNOR CUMMINS
House Committee Changed
Front on the Anti-lnjunc-
ton Resolution.
THE VALUED POLICY BILL
Serious Defect DIscovered in the
Pending Measure-The Titus
Biennial Elections Bill May
Be Passed Again.
THE VALUED POLICY BILL

Be Passed Again.
Des Moines, Ia, Feb. 26.-There We're
some interesting stories this forenoon
about the change Of front of the house
committee on federal relations, anent
the proposal to indorse the Hoar reso-
luton against government by injunc-
ton. The rumor is that Governor
Cummins always the firm friend of
the railroad employees, who had made
this cause their own, was Interested in
the matter. Doubtless he did nothing
improper. but it said he allowed the
intimation to be carried to the speaker,
and through the speaker to the COM
mittee, that 1t would please the eXecu-
tive Office if that resolution should
pass.
Previous to this the resolution had
been laid on the table in the commits
tee; then 1t had been found that this
course could not be pursued by q COM
mittee, and the members We're in the
air. They didn't want to go on record
as reporting 1t for indefinite postpone
ment, nor did they want to report 1t
for passage. The influence which was
brought to bear whether or not it
came from the governors office, was
sufficient to change the front of the
committee. 1t met again and with
out opposition reported the measure
for passage.
Considered Big Victory.
1t is accepted as a great victory by
the railroad and other organized work
ers. The resolution has fought its way
at every step. Reported for indefinite
pcstponement in the senate, it was
carried over the committees head aft
ter a great debate. Then it had to run
a like gauntlet in the house. The def
erence which has been shown toward
this measure, the real interest which it
has aroused the determination with
which the progressive kind of legisla-
tors have worked for it, have served
to demonstrate that every year, every
session, makes the working man
stronger and ADLER to enforce his de-
mands. 1t is not many years since the
organized labor of Iowa had little or
no influence. Such victories as this
one, and as that for the Temple amend
ment q few years ago, mark milestones
in the progress of such a movement.
Their Importance is not appreciated
always at the time they are set up;
but they are being placed along the
road of progress. and though the par
ticular issues involved In some of the
contests may seem trivial. yet the vic
tory is full of meaning.
Valued Policy Bill.
There is an inquiry whether the
valued policy insurance law as intro
duced last week by Senator Brighton
is the real thing or not. 1t is not in just
the same terms as two years ago, and
examination has led some of it's friends
to suspect that it is not SO good a bill.
The measure as it now stands provides
that the insurance companies cannot
plead that property at the time of the
loss was not worth so much as 1T was
insured for; except that ordinary de-
preciation IL it can be proved, may be
deducted. This was at first thought to
be of little Importance. But on eXamin-
alton the suspicion gains ground that
it opens the road to litigation; and the
threat of litigation is the very weapon
which the insurance companies are AL
legged to use most effectively. AS the
law now stands they can offer a COM
promise, claiming the property was
over-insured. If it is rejected, they
threaten Il long and expensive litiga-
ton. If the law is changed so that they
can plead ordinary depreciation in
mitigation of their liability. they will
yet he able to threaten litigation. 1t
doesn't make much difference what eX-
cuse they have for starting the lawsuit;
just so they can start it they are able
to force the insured to make terms.
ON account of this change the com
mittee is looking very carefully into
the bill. The plea for the depreciation
clause is specious and at first gains
acceptance. But on examination it is
not so strong. If company insures a
piece of property for five years for ST.
600, what does it mean? Obviously, that
1t expects that property to be worth
$1,000 for five years; it promises to pay
that much any time inside of five years
in case of loss. The depreciation plea
would merely permit a lawsuit.
A Generous PROPOSAL.
Another curious suggestion which the
insurance men make is that instead of
the valued policy, law be passed pro-
viding that when loss occurs and is
settled for less than the face of the
policy, the portion of the premium
ance which was never collected, shall
be returned. This sounds cheerful at
first. The man who has $1,000 of in
surance. costing $40, would only get
$500 of indemnity; but then he would
get back 81 of unearned premiums! And
the man who paid for $1,000 worth of
insurance and never had loss would
get nothing at all back! He would
simply be lucky that he didn't have Il
loss. These various subterfuges seem
unlikely to deviate the legislature from
passing the blu The sentiment for it
is indicated by many petitions which
come in demanding it's passage, and
by letters constantly received by mem
)Ders.
Representative Sweeleys bin to re-
quire county auditors to give bonds
got cut of the house committee after a
hard fight. 1t was first a tie, but final
ly vote changed and the committee,
& to 4, brought the measure out for ia
vorable consideration.
Titus Bill Again.
The Titus biennial elections measure
is going to pass again at this session
and just as likely as not it will be in
such shape that the supreme court will
once more knock 1t out There is a
disposition not to make necessary
disposition not to make necessary
cred necessary, just because Senator
Titus doesn't want them made. Curl
ously, Titus is not now member, and
the man who succeeded him believes
the measure will not hold water as 1t
now stands. Nevertheless the legisla-
tors seem inclined to let Titus have his
way. He was always Jealous of sug-
gested changes in it. If it gets
knocked out again, who cares?" de-
manded one member. The question
of drafting such bill is great big
legal proposition. I'd rather draw up
the charter of q great corporation that
expects to conduct an octopus, than
fix up this measure so / could guaran-
tee it would stand against supreme
| court examination. 1t is about as