Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1904-04-14
ROAST FOR MERRIAM.
Ex-AudItor Of State 10 Given Attention
BY Legislature.

BY Legislature.
Des Moines, April 9.-Former Audi
tor Frank F. Merriam and his insur-
ance examiner, Max Beehler. are CIV
en- an unmerciful scoring in the report
of the joint committee on retrench-
ment and reform which was filed with
the two houses OF the legislature yes
terday. Their collection of exhorbi.
tant fees is condemned without re-
servation as irregular, unauthorized
and in obvious contravention OF the
letter and spirit or the law" But the
committee makes no accommodation
as to criminal prosecution or suit to
recover the $4,000 SO collected The
committee confines it's efforts TO draft.
ing bill abolishing tine fee system.
requiring that all fees be paid into
the treasury and that salaries pc paid
in lieu thereof The committee also
reports in favor of raising many sa-
aries about the state house, including
those of twenty-one janitors.
The committee. is made up of the
chairman OF the Sbmmmittees ON ways
and means, appropriations and judic.
larry in the two houses, and consists
of Senators Hayward, Garst and Dow.
ell and Representatives Temple, Mat
ties and Kendall. 1t had previously
reported in favor of reducing the num-
Der of clerks doorkeepers and other
employees in the two houses and this
bill was adopted by the house yester
day, an amendment by English fixing
the number of clerks at "a in each
house. 1t is required that each be a
competent stenographer and be con
stantly on duty during the day.
Most of the committees report is
devoted to Mr. Merriam. Its resolu
ton relative to turning all fees into
the state treasury and carefully &C
counting each month for fees collected
was readily adopted by the house
It's recommendations relative to the tC
It's recommendations relative to the
salaries for help in the various state
Offices were embodied in separate
bill. ~.
The report concerning Merriam and
Beehler consists chiefly of the explain
atoms offered by these 1.-TWO gentle
men. These reports admit the collec
ton Of the fees and claim that they
were justified under the law in max
ing the charges they did. They admit
that they charged each company in the
east with railroad fare, hotei bus
sleeping car berths for the entire trip
from Des Moines and return, although
many companies were examined on
the same trip, but they also submit
an opinion from the attorney general
holding that under the law tneir
course was not subject to criminal
prosecution. The committee on re,
and reform condemns this
action most Of all, using scathing
terms in denouncing it as in contra.
yention of the spirit and letter of the
law which authorizes the collection
of necessary expenses. They take
the position inasmuch as a large num-
Der of companies were examined"
on one trip, the expenses for which
included payment of car fare and no.
tel bills but one, 1t was an outrag'
for Merriam and Beehler to cole
expenses for the entire trip from eacl
of the numerous companies. 1t was
q graft, in their opinion, but there
is nothing to be done now except to
guard against repetition. This has
been accomplished by the pasalge of
a bill providing that the state insur-
ance examiner shall receive a speci-
fed salary instead of being depend.
ent upon fees for same.
1t was possible under the old sys-
tenn to virtually levy blackmail on the
various companies, by reason of the
fact that the state auditor could sus-
pend and revoke the charter of any
Of the eastern companies that failed
to promptly comply with his demand
for fees. For that matter, it is said
few companies are SO perfect that
they are not open to some criticism,
and, rather than take chances on any
adverse comment in an auditors or
examiners report, the fees demanded !
were generally paid without a muir
muir.