Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-02-04
INSURANCE men
AGAINST CHANCE
Z
COMPANIES WANT STATE DE-
PARTMENT RETAINED IN
AUDITORS OFFICE.
NO LOSS IN BUSINESS
Figures Refute Statement That
There Has Been a Decline in
Risks; Labor Committees
Interested in Legislation.
Des Moines Bureau of
The Ottumwa Courier.


Des Moines, Feb. 2.
The line of attack which the insur-
ance interests are making upon the
proposed transfer of the insurance de-
partment from the office of the auditor
to that of the governor has been dis
closed by Senator Quigley, who thus
far Is the only member who has come
out in the open to represent the views
of the companies. The senator from
Clayton has given it out the change is
not to be tolerated because of the GER
tain enormous increase Of cost and
also because there has been a decline
in insurance business. He gave out the
Insurance company figures which show
that the cost of the department now
under the state auditor is about $4,000
a year, and in some states the cost Of
a department separate is anywhere
from $4,000 to double that amount 1t
is also claimed that there is no room
for the department anywhere outside
the auditors office and it would have
to be taken outside the state house.
A little investigation has been made
to show the weakness Of this line of
attack. First in regard to the room
Tor the department, it is pointed out
that the banking department is to be
transformed and the rooms now occu-
pied by that department would be
ample for the insurance department.
place for the department.
Business has not Decreased.
With regard to the alleged decrease
of insurance business it is found by
investigation of the records that the
contrary Is true. The fire and cas-
ualty risks in force in Iowa in 1902 were
81 0,625,000 and in 1907 $711,979 900, an
increase of $221.354.000. The life poll
cies in force in 1902 were $5S2,751 900
five LOT
The securities on deposit as backing
for policies amounted in 1903 to s1O.-
100000; but when Auditor Carroll
turned them over to Auditor Bleakley
they amounted to $50, SsO,00O-which
fairly shows how business is growing
in Iowa.
AS for insurance taxes actually paid
to Iowa, these increased from s224,-
567 for 1901 to s322.119 for 1906 The
companies paid in fees to the state in
1902 $4500S and in 1907 s55,033 mas
much as the insurance companies will
pay all the expenses of the depart
ment the argument of expense Is not
verv appealing.
1t is also found that the estimate of
the cost of the department under the
auditor Of state is far from being cor
rect. The $4,000 merely represents
the extra clerical force in the office, If
to this is added the cost of printing
reports, postage and other items, the
actual cost will be found to be nearer
s25,O00
The bill will probably be taken up
in committee some day this week when
1t will be disclosed just how earnest
the companies are in their opposition
to the transfer.
Labor Committee Want Laws.
The legislative committee Of the
Brotherhood of Engineers is in session
here this week to look into matters of
LEGISLATION and it is possible that some
public meetings will be held. This
afternoon the committee, with others
interested in lobor matters, and the
| representatives. of the railroads will
appear before committees having in
charge two bills relating to personal
| injury damage cases. One of these is
the Peterson bill in the senate, the
other the Lee bill in the house. The
labor men are especially interested in
! the latter viii h relates to the assump-
ton of risk by employees of common
carriers. 1t provides that in all ac-
lions brought for personal injury or
death:
The fact that the employe may
| have been guilty Of contributory negli-
gence shall not barr a recover but
the damages. shall be diminished by
i the jury in proportion to the amount
of negligence attributable to such EN-
I ploye, provided, THAT no such employe