Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-12-11
.REPOR DELAYED
By C0N,,n':s.3
INsuRANc SaeN-soMMENDATloNs
TO BE HELD UP FOR ABOUT
TWO WEEKS
Unable to Reach an Asreement-con-
troversy is Over the Deferred Divi-
dend Poicy-No Particular Law is
Suggested by Labor Commissioners.

i've insurance commission has surpris-
ed itself 1t had no idea of contro-
versy at the last moment which would
hold up the report for two weeks after
the law required it to be filed. 1t is
hardly correct to say that the contro-
versy came on at the last moment but,
nevertheless, it developed during the
last week or ten days in such a way
that it was impossible to reach per-
feet agreement and it is now believed
that the report cannot possibly be filed
before next Friday or Saturday.
A meeting of the commission has
been fixed for Thursday.
! The bone of contention is the defer
red dividend policy. All Iowa COM
panies except the Equitable write this
kind Of policy. The proposition before
the commission was for the abolish
ment Of the policy or its prohibition
by law.
The majority Of the commission op-
posed recommendation of law to pro-
hibit the policy; Commissioners Ken
dali and Jones stood for such a recon-
mendation. A compromise was reach
ed that law be recommended requir-
ing annual accounting of the dividend
by classes.
Later the minority Of the commits
sion thought that this should be chang
ed to require an annual accounting by
individual policies instead of by classes
This would be equivalent to an
apportionment. The dividend thus de-
clared credited to any given policy
would belong to the policy holder and
could not be repossessed by the COM
pany The credit would be an annual
liability on the part of the company.
1t would be equivalent to requiring an
annual distribution.
This is the point at which the com
mission now stands. 1t will be con
cluded this week. Either the commits
sion will recommend this sort of a
law or two reports will be filed.
Recommends No Labor Law.
Labor Commissioner Brigham has
done something unique this year. He
has filed formal report covering the
work of his department during the
year and has not included long list
Of recommendations for new law.
But he includes in his report ex.
tended quotations from letters written
to his department by wage earners
asking for certain legislation on their
own behalf.
These excerpts, Commissioner Brig
ham believes will enlighten the mem
bers of the legislature as to the atti
tude of the wage earners of the state
to better advantage than for him tc
make extensive recommendation as
to what laws should be passed
In the last legislature the railroad
men divided in regard to asking fol
the limititation Of the working hours
of the wage earners employed in oper
ating tariff. On account of the divis
ion nothing was accomplished. Legis
lators were not expected to take sides
when there was a controversy among
the railroad people themselves. But
many of the railroad workmen who
have written to Mr. Brigham suggest
the need of a law which will limit the
number of hours that trainlnen shall
work and also of law to prohibit
mere children from being put to work
blythe railroads.
Something for Scott.
The adjustment of the federal pat
ronage in both of the districts is Civ
lii-g the politicians considerable worry
There is a belief that the Second
district may get something. 1t has
been deprived for long time. Re
publicans who observed the gallant
fight which Congressman Dawson has
made in two elections think it is time
that he be given consideration.
There is talk that ne may be giver
either the attorneyship of the northern
district or the marshalship of the
southern district. In one case the
Fifth district would be deprived o
representation in the federal plum dis
tribution and in the other the Sixth
district.
NJ. ]. Tobin of vinton has beer
supposed to be slated for the attorney
Ship in northern Iowa and George
Christian for marshal in the southern
district
1t would not surprise the politician:
if the appointment of man for one o.
the other Office would go to Scot
county.
Leon Brown