The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-01-08

INSURANCE LAWS
Governors Message to the Legis-
lature Urges Several Needed
Reforms.
@ Des Moines, Jan. S.-The thirty-frst
general assembly convened at noon to-
day. There was a brief preliminary
session and then the governor s message
was read in both houses. 49,
The message proved to be more con-
sentative than was expected. Insurance
legislation, on the lines of that in force
in Massachusetts, is urged, as we'll as
the plan for primary elections end rail-
road legislation the governor has pro-
posed for several years.
" The first day was the quietest that
has been seen at any session and was
marked by an absence of wire pulling
Rev. D. A. Allen of Anita opened the
house session with PRAYER. 1t has been
the custom to have one Of the most
prominent minister of Des Moines to
deliver the opening prayer. Allen, who
has circuit in Cass county, wrote to
the honor of officiating at the opening
of the legislature.
cit is time those high-salaried fellows
IN Des Moines give us county preach
ers a chance,' wrote the divine, "be-
sides, I am an old soldier and the courts
have decided that Iowa must give the
preference to old soldiers. hTe matter
was referred to Speaker Clark and he
appointed Rev. Mr.. Allen, who received
SIS for offering the prayers. ...:-
Governor Cummins' Message.
In his message to the legislature,
Governor Cummins said that the tax
able value of all the assessed property
in the state for 1905 was $620,894, 1l0,
the rate for general state purposes
3 2-10 mills. The receipts for 1906, in
Guiding 1851 ,715 in the treasury Jan.
l, will be, it is estimated, $4,074, 7l5,
and the expenditures will be $3,443 1872,
leaving balance, Jan. l, 1907, Of
about $685. .~
Insurance Plan Outlined.
"There has been much discussion Of
life insurance among the people in gen
eral during the last two years." says
Governor Cummins. cit is just begin.
| ming to be a little understood by the
policyholders.
II believe that from this time for.
ward all old line life insurance com
| panies organized under the laws Of 9th
er states and desiring to carry on bust
| quired to deposit with the state auditor
securities equal in amount to the legal
reserve upon the policies issued upon
the lives in this state. for the protec
tion of such policyholders; the depos
it's to continue until the state in which
the company is organized shall require
deposit Of the entire legal reserve
with some state officer, at which time
our auditor should transfer the securi
! ties so placed with him to the officer Of
| the state in which the company is or
! ganized. If few states would adopt
this plan, it would result in every
states having insurance companies, re
quiring the deposit.
Distribution Of Surplus.
NAnother grave defect in the meth
DDS of life insurance is the accumula
tion Of a so-called surplus. ~. ).
"Shall this surplus be ascertained an
apportioned, and disposed Of in SOM
be allowed to accumulate during Ion!
periods, and then to be paid to the pol
! icyholders in such proportions as tn
board of directors Of the company ma.
Think best9 ~ 1t seems to me tina
every consideration of safety and fair
dealing requires that the surplus to b
credited or paid to participating policy
holders shall be ascertained and paic
or otherwise disposed of, every year.
Provision as to Options.
"The amendment should also provid
for the options, which at that time ma
be exercised by the policyholder; name
ly, to withdraw the dividend in cas-
or to use it for the purpose Of purcha
ing further insurance. In so recon
mending, it must be understood that
advocate the distributions, annually, 0
the entire surplus.
ssI believe that there should b
standard forms Of policies. They shoul
simple and direct. The obligation
could easily be understood.
, Favors Primary System.
IT am for the primary system {
: nominations by plurality, rather than {
nominations by conventions. A pr
mary election law will minimize, if
will not. destroy, the. power Of railway
in politics, and ii. if there were no 9TH II
! 1CdoOu Iol OnoStIuS ouCu q oGdGutt Ill
+ would be sufficient. I look upon tt
p abolition Of passes and the adoption
> q primary as parts Of the same remedi
:: legislation. Railways should be +
CURED to sell mileage books, good fl
1000 miles and upwards, at a fiat "a
Of cents per mile, good until used, ar
if purchased by the head of fami
there is no reason why it should not
used by any member of the family.
Need Of Pure Food Law.
y "The failure to enact restrictive lie
islation regulating pure food has ma,
, Iowa the favorite field for those wi
, | deceive and iniure the people thru il
pure and adulterated foods. It is tt
, manifest duty Of the general assemb
to adopt such measures as will prote
, the public from the impositions al
frauds that are now practiced upt
them.
"a rigid criminal statute on the su
ject Of family desertion is needed.'
:: SAYS WAGE DECREASE