Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1907-01-30
INSURANCE BILLS UP
IMPORTANT MEASURE INTRO.
DUCED BY SENATOR JAMESON.

Provides for Creation of Insurance De.
partment With Commissioner to Be
Appointed by the Governor-visit.
ING Junket is Over.
Des Moines, Jan. 29.-The grist of
new measures to be considered by the
present general assembly has already
passed the century mark, and still the
lawmakers have but fairly wakened
up to their opportunities in this line.
The average number of bills intro
duced during a session of the Iowa
house and senate will run above the
1000 mark. So it can be seen there
is plenty of opportunity yet before the
legislator who has in mind any matter
of public interest which he thinks
should be reformed. So far the bills
run from the primary election meas
ure to one permitting counties to pay
q bounty to those who will bring the
pelts of pocket gophers to the county
auditor.
OuIoiuS vi eLS pa ~ p" eho sA~~
two-cent fare measures, which have
already made their appearance, as de-
tailed in these letters, the most import.
ant bills now under consideration are
a number that have been presented as
a result of the work of the legislative
investigation commission appointed by
the assembly of last winter to inquire
into the workings of insurance COM
panies in the state.
For Insurance Department.
OF these bills, the leader is one
introduced in the senate by Jamison
of Clarke county, which has for its
object the creation of an insurance de-
partment f. he state and the making
of a new state official to be known
as the insurance commissioner Iowa
is one Of but few states in the union
that clings to the method of having
the state auditor or similar official
look after it's insurance matters. In
this state the work has been per-
formed in the auditors Office. In
general it can be said that it has been
conducted in a satisfactory manner,
but the increase in the amount Of
business to be handled has been SO
rapid the past few years that it has
become a burden to the auditor and
has taxed his force to the utmost to
give it proper care. 1t is said now
that the insurance companies, as well
as the present auditor, are asking for
the change. Senator Jamison pro-
poses in his bill to create the new de-
partment with a commissioner TO be
appointed by the governor and con-
firmed by the senate and to take his
Office on May / of the present year.
The SALARY is fixed at $500 year,
the largest salary Iowa pays to any
official, with the exception of governor.
The commissioner is to hold his Office
the sum of 100000. This large bond
is considered necessary because Iowa
is a legal reserve state and the COM
missioner is responsible for securities
put up by the different companies, COW
ering the values of policies in force.
hCoC oCCulillCo lALO tIC
Reforming FraternaIs.
Along with this measure are several
others relating to fraternal and bene-
fetal insurance companies. Iowa has
been a prolific field for these COM
panies and many are in operation here
carrying rates for protection of mem
bers that vary from almost nothing
to the somewhat adequate figures pro-
posed by the National Fraternal con-
gress One of the Jamison bills for
bids the entrance of any more fra
ternal companies to business in Iowa
except their rates are based on those
of the Fraternal congress, and another
provides that after the year 1912
every fraternal company doing bust
ness in the state must adopt those
rates. These bills will meet with
much opposition from many of the
fraternals now in existence, but it Is
believed both of them will become
laws. Another bill, If it gets through
the legislature, will permit fraternal
accident insurance companies to in
wade Iowa, and still another Will regu-
late the investments of all fraternals
and provide a plan by which assess
ment companies may go upon a legal
reserve basis.
After Wife Deserters.
Again an effort is being made to
pass adequate laws for the punish
ment Of wife deserters. For several
sessions attempts have been made to
strengthen the Iowa statutes in this
regard, with a hope that the home
might be. better safeguarded. Now
Senator Smith of Mitchell county has
presented bill and will fight for It's
adoption, which will make it rather
uncomfortable for the man who de-
serts his wife or family. The bill pro-
vides that every person who shall.
without good cause. abandon or de-
sert his wife and wilfully neglect or
refuse to maintain or provide for her,
or who shall without cause abandon
his or her legitimate or illegitlmare
child or children under the age Of
sixteen" shall upon conviction be pun
ished by Imprisonment In the county
Jail not less than six months. Under
the bill, the husband or wife are made