Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-04-01
Refuses Point Blank to Accept
Proposed Office of State In
surance Commissioner
THIS MAY KILL THE BILL
House Committee Decides to Bring in
Adverse Report and Fight May Be
Carried to Floor Bill Has Pre-
cipitated Vigorous Fight - Corrupt
Practices Bill in Bad Shape.
Special to Times Republican.


Des Moines, April Auditor b. F..
Carroll refused point blank to accept
the position OF insurance commission
er under the proposed bill that has
passed the senate, creating depart
ment of insurance. Following this re-
fusal the house insurance committee
voted to Indefinitely postpone the sem
ate bill creating the department. There
is something of significance in the Sc
quence OF these two things. There
will be minority report from the
house committee favoring the creating
OF an insurance department separate
from the state auditors office and the
subject will probably be fought out OIL
the floor OF the house.
Insurance companies have been maxi
ing a valiant fight this session to get
Il bill thru the legislature creating a
separate department and such action
is recommended In the report of the in
surance legislative commission that
last summer investigated the prob
lens of insurance legislation. But since
the legislature convened members of
the legislature including even some
of the members of the Legislative com
mission, have been taking different
view OF the matter.
1t is argued that with many new In
surance laws on the statute books 1t is
desirable to have Auditor Carroll at
the head of the enforcement for a time
at least, till the new laws are thor
oughly understood. When the position
was made to create new department
many members stood ready to vote
for the department provided Auditor
Carroll would resign his position as
auditor and take the position of In
surance commissioner and 1t is un-
doubtedly true that Governor Cum-
minis would have appointed him IL the
bill passed and he would have con-
scented to accept the position Now
that Carroll has refused these legisla-
TORS see reason FOR not creating a seps
arate department.
Really the question resolves itself
into one as to whether the person VINO
enforces the insurance laws should be
elected or appointed. II it is proposed
to continue his election there is no
need for a separate department. for the
auditorJean easily be relieved OF some
of his work by changing the banking
department over to the treasurer's Of
fee and the municipal accounts de-
partment to the secretary of state, and
bills making that change have already
been passed by the house If 1t is
better public policy to have the 1nsur-
ance commissioner appointed then the
new department should be created, pus
1t is argued that the legislature Two
wears hence can create the new de-
partment as we'll as this and FOR the
Immediate present the insurance BUS
mess is well taken care of In the hands
of Auditor Carroll.
There are many who see nothing OF
merit in the proposition and cam see
as the only result that the insurance
men would, after the creation of sep
arate department, transfer their activ-
ity in politics to trying to dictate the
selection of a governor rather than the
selection of an auditor. The question
will come up in the house early TINS
week and the Anal position OF the
house will determine the action OF this
legislature. The house has passed the
bill changing the banking department
and municipal accounts departments to
other offices The house has started
out on a program Of economy, and IL
will be- very easy when the question
comes up in the house to induce 1t 70
stand by it's first action. The creation
Of a separate department OF insurance
means a considerable item of expense
for the senate bill provides a salary of
$500 for the commissioner and $4,000
for his assistant, to devote all their
time and attention to the work, while
Auditor Carroll draws $4,000 salary,
and his insurance clerk $500, and the
auditor. while doing the work accepti-
bly,, is able to look after q great deal OF
other work for the state, too.
If the house refused to pass the In
surance department bill, and 1T is
thought likely that 1T will SO refuse,
the senate may also refuse to pass the
bill changing the banking department
to the treasurer's Office and matter will
then be left just where it is now.
After mutilating it so that its friends
could not recognize it, the house sent
the corrupt practices bill back to the
committee on elections. The commit
tee acted at once, sending out sub
stitute for the two bills introduced by
Paul and Teter The bill is designed to
put a stop to handing out cigars and
drinks in exchange for votes as well as
to cut off buying votes for money,
either by direct purchase or by contri-
buttons in any way. The bill limits a
candidate to expanding money for hir-
ing halls, railroad transportation for
himself and personal expenses for him
self. The house cut the heart out of
it by providing that the expense ac-
count filed with the county auditor