The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-12-16
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IOWA
~ W.
CHARGES AGAINST MERRIAM
Executive Council Discusses the Com
nlainfs Of InsIIranna Commands.

Executive Council Discusses the Com
plants Of Insurance Companies.
DIES MONIES. IOWA-The executive
council at its meeting yesterdy after
noon discussed the complaints ema1iatins
from eastern insurance companies that
Auditor OF State Merriam with his insur-
ance examiner, Max Beehlerof of Man
chester, is examining companies in New
York and elsewhere in the east and de-
handing disproportionate fees for s.ich
examinations. The complaints are many
and the council is at a loss how to get at
the bottom Of the matter. 1t is agreed by
the governor and other members of the
council who are here, the auditor himself
being in the east that il examinations are
being made as charged, there is no au-
thority for them. It is held the auditor
has no warrant for making examinations
of foreign companies without authority
from the council. zg 1.~..1.-@
But the next question that arises is
whether a company that submits to an
unauthorized examination has any re-
dress. Governor !. Cumnins will confer
with Attorney General Mullan, and prob
ably get a written opinion, as to whether
the auditor can examine companies out
side the state without being directed to
do so by the council and what powers
the council has to stop the examinations
council said he believed the governor
might appoint commission to investi-
gate the facts and then if they warranted
it, might suspend the official He said,
however. as Merriam had but little over
two weeks yet to serve, he doubted the
expediency of going to such lengths and
that it probably would not be done.
Railroad Assessments.
The executive council has drafted the
blanks on which the railroads will be re-
quired to make their next annual reports
for assessment purposes. The new law,
which, requires the assessment to be made
in July instead of in March, as formerly,
also extends the time for reporting from
Feb. Is to April 1. The reports, however,
are to be for the same period, the year
ending Dec. 81. The blanks now formu-
lated are more exacting than those sent
out a year, ago.. In the first place, re-
ports are required on the different classes
of gross earnings and the council is
stringent in its requirement that better
ment expenses must not be deducted from
gross earnings in arriving at net earn
ings. ~" -'..t
The roads are nearly all following the
rules of the council in making monthly re-
ports on their gross earnings. The only
exception Is the Rock Island, which is not
reporting at all. Every other road in the
are not setting forth in detail the differ
ent classes Of gross earnings as required
by the council. ~, -.
Governor Cumn1ins has issued a procla-
nation setting Dec. 20 as Louisiana Pur-
chase Flag Day. IT is recommended the
flag be displayed on all public buildings
and where practicable on business houses
and dwellings.
e., National Guard Uniforms.
Adjutant General Byers is preparing an
order for the National Guard making per-
missive changes in the uniform to cor
respond with the changes imposed by the
new general orders Of the war department.
The order allows until Jan. 1, 1904, for its
provisions to be mandatory, but it allows
officers getting new uniforms to have
them comply with the government regula-
ton. The adjutant generals order, how
ever, will not go into the great detail Of
the war department order and will apply
only to the dress and service, uniforms
and the @overcoat ofoofficers Of infantry
only. EORicers@wilE, be permitted to wear
either the blue dress uniform and cap or
the olive drab service uniform and cap
and the olive drab~ oVercoat, ,.sE