Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1907-06-21
) GO 8

entering any agreement to fix rates,
was limited to a paragraph In the re-
port of the resolutions committee.
However, 1t followed the address of
w. B. Flickinger of Erie, Pa, chair
an Of the grievance committee of
the National Association of Local
Fire Insurance Agents. in which. he
scored Iowa's insurance laws as too
radical. The declaration of the inten-
ton of working to secure the repeal
of the anti-compact law and similar
measures was followed by the op-
pointment of legislative committee
to look after the insurance mems in
terests in politics and in the general
assembly.
The attack on the Blanchard anti
compact law was not unexpected.
Prior to its passage, the agents and
companies maintained bureaus which
fixed the fire r4tes. After its pas
sage it was fought bitterly to the
highest courts, the insurance inter
ests being defeated. Attempts of the
insurance men to form clubs resulted
in their Indictment and prosecution
in a number of Iowa cities. Recently
the state agents of 1.-The various fire
companies formed a secret society
called "The Blue Goose" They
claim that it does not violate the anti
compact law. Now the local agents
have formed state association. 1t
is declared that it has nothing to do
with rate making. Both have the in
dorsement of the insurance COM
panies and are the first organization
of the insurance men formed in sew
eral years.
The resolutions also indorse the OBJ
jects of the national association, de-.
clare in favor of the establishment of
an insurance department by the
state of Iowa, authorize the president
to appoint membership COMMITTEES
which shall consist of a representa-
tive of each county, and in favor of
limiting the further conventions to
one days session.
The following officers were elected;
President-B. F. Kaufman of Des
Moines.
Vice president-W. F. Grandy of
Sioux City.
Secretary and treasurer-H. W..
Binder of Council Bluffs.
Attack TWo-cent Fare Law.
1t was intimated by prominent
railroad men here that the two
cent passenger fare law passed by
the last general assembly will be at
tackled in the federal courts in this
state before July 4, when it is sup
posed to go into effect. During the
week, the shippers and the railroads
have been engaged in an effort before
the state railroad commission, to
solve the joint rate puzzle. Many Of
the most prominent men in the
traffic departments of the roads have
been present. They have been
freight men, it is true, but no one
assumed that they are totally 1g-
norant of what the passenger traffic
managers are doing, in conjunction
with the attorneys. IN Minnesota the
same case involves both the freight
and passenger rates newly estab-
lished in that state. One of the men
who came to the city for the heaMng
this week, stated positively that he
believed tha4t the. tWa,eeph fSSe. law,
not onB In lSWas. bit e1se9F .Sats,
would be restrained before it could
go into effect. The suit will be
brought on the usual ground of I'M
constitutiohality because Of unrea-
sonableness. hut the real fight is said
to be planned against the power
which the state has assumed Of fix
ing the rate. 1.-THE railroads" said
this authority, twill contend that the
rate, whatever it was, whether it was
compensatory or not, was in effect
an interstate rate. Whatever rate
Iowa makes must become part OF
the interstate rates, because of the
interstate character of the corpora
tons involved and their business.
The constitution gives to congress
the power to regulate these corpora
tons under the interstate commerce
clause. That is the question involved
in the Minnesota cases. If it be
held that congress and the interstate
commerce commission and not the
state legislatures and state commits
sions have power as to rates, 1t may
be set down to begin with that the
federal commission will not estab-
i-sh 2 cent rate or a .21a cent rate.
That body will reduce the freight
and not the passenger rates.