Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-04-14
THlRTlETH GENERAL
ASSEMBLY CLOSES
ITS LAB0RS TODAY

vote to adopt it at the election next
November. The measure extends the
term of Office of the governor and 9TH
er officers whose terms expire in even
numbered years one year.
This amendment passed the legisla-
lures of 1898 and 1900 and was sub
mitted to.the people in the fall of 1900.
1t was carried but the supreme court
held that it had been improperly
passed by the legislature, as disclosed
by the record. Therefore, it became
necessary to pass the measure again.
The Temple amendment was also en-
dorsed by this general assembly. 1t
has passed through three other legis-
latures so that it will be submitted to
the people at their election this fall,
also. 1t provides for a larger house of
berrepresentatives, guaranteeing one
member to each county in the state.
At present eight or ten districts are
made up of more than one county. The
counties which have two members are
continued under that arrangement and
two other counties. Des Moines and
Lee, which now have but one member.
will have two. The total number of
the members of the lower house, under
this amendment, will be not to exceed
1903.
nj the way of elections, the primary
law applying to Polk county alone was
the most important 1t requires voters
to register their party affiliations and
they are then permitted to participate
in the primary of that party, only, the
elections for nominating candidates be-
ing held on the same day by all of the
political parties.
For the first time in the history of
the state the supervision of the insur-
ance business by the state authorities
has been put on business basis.
Laws were passed giving the auditor
of the state the power to inspect the
insurance companies in lawful and
orderly manner, and authority was
given to board of state officers to
pass upon the consolidation Or rein
surance of insurance concerns, a thing
over which this state, heretofore. has
never exercised any supervision.
The examination bill is one which
virtually creates an insurance depart
ment. The auditor of state is empow-
cred to employ an expert actuary and
examiner to make the examinations
at $1,600 year. He is also granted
the right to employ such assistants as
are necessary. But the important fea-
ture of the bill lies in the fact that
it requires that all fees collected from
insurance companies by examiners
must be covered into the state treas
ury. the examiners receiving their pay
from this state. This will effectually
stop repetition Of scandals arising
from promiscuous examinations of
companies for large fees.
The bill relating to power conferred
on state officers relative to insurance
consultations was suggested by the
indiscriminatinate reinsurance of risks
by one company for another, a species
OF consolidation which might result in
the investors in one company's policies
being unjustly rated in the absorbing
concern. Therefore the governor, at
torney general and auditor are made
board to determine the equity of con-
solicitations and to endorse them or re-
fuse to permit them to be made. This
board has the power to hold hearing
and to invite in the policy holders of
all companies, if it sees fit.
A bill requiring insurance agents
soliciting for fire companies to secure
a license to practice their business in
Iowa was passed, also. 1t is supposed
that this will prevent wild cat" in
surance concerns from doing business
in the state
The bill to require fraternal insur-
ance concerns to have 100000 in bust
H. l. ~.
authorized to do business was passed.
Separate bills relating to consolidation
and examination of fraternals alone
were passed.
The juvenile court system was es-
tablished in Iowa by an act which
passed the two houses without oppo-
sition. 1t provides that the courts al
ready established may undertake the
guardianship of children under 16 who
are charged with offenses. Formerly
the courts were required by the stat
ute to send children arraigned before
them and found guilty, to the peniten-
tiary or Jail just as if the children
were men and women. The juvenile
court law permits the children to be
placed in good homes by the court and
watched as a parent would watch
them.
The appointment of commission to
investigate the advisability of adopt
ing the indeterminate sentence law in
to the penal code of Iowa was author
lied by this legislature. The bill en-
acting the sentence law was soptponed
and the commission authorized in
stead.
A bill to perfect the com pulsory edu
cation law was passed 1t provides
that the term of compulsory attend
ance upon school by the children Of
this state under sixteen years of age
shall be sixteen instead of twelve
weeks. This term of compulsory at
tendance shall begin on or before De
| cember l of each year which permit.
the enforcement of the law and at thu
same time it gives the truant officers
| OF the cities chance TO check up OF
| the children. 1t also gives the boys O
| the farm chance to continue at worl
| during the corn gathering season. Th,
| law provides also that the cities O
more than 10000 people shall hir
truant officers to enforce the law.
The measure giving the state labo
commissioner a factory inspector an,
anextra clerk, together with power t
compel admission to factories for tn
inspector was passed
An effort to pass law prohibiting