Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-01-18

oPch thC SIdt SC that WI lidnl SCdio
past the railroad company has failed
TO include in its reports numerous
items of gross receipts. amounting In
the aggregate to many millions of dol
lars.
1T is claimed that certain amounts
were deducted by the company from
the gross receipts without any author
ity of law.
at is claimed in behalf of the state
that in the division of the earnings
between the charter and no-charter
lines the railroad company adopted
numerous fraudulent schemes and
devices which have resulted in de-
frauding tn state out of millions OF
dollars. and finally. it is claimed that
there is now due the state not less
than sI5,G00,0On
THE suit was begun in the supreme
court under the constitutional provi-
sion comforting upon that court o--
iginal jurisdiction in all cases relat-
ing to revenue.
''ln behalf of the railroad company
motion was filed to dismiss the case
III "dut ~ anu dIrsthC
April term. 1907. the motion to dis
miss was sustained by divided court
1.-THE bill was thereupon withdrawn
by the attorney general and imme-
diately filed in the circuit court of La
Sale coun' to the June term, 1907,
where the .ase is now pending.
Insurance.
eyVo have in, hn cfofa If T1in0tc
OF domesti and foreign origin. more
than seven hundred insurance COM
panies. collecting a little more than
seventy-fiv' millions of dollars an
nually in premiums. The business
touches every household and enters
into every financial and business re-
lation.
Changes in the laws governing
this subject should be very carefully
and judiciously considered, and no ex-
listing condition should be disturbed
unless there is well defined and evf-
dent necessity for such change.
Fourteen bills relating to this sub
ject were proposed by the INSURANCE
department pursuant to the recon-
mendations of the message. embracing
a number of highly important changes
in. and additions to- the life insur-
snce code of this state
These measures all became laws
and have now been effective for ap-
proximately one year. Their opera
alton has been highly beneficial to
the insuring public and satisfactory tc
the companies.
"A1 the laws upon our statute
books should. as far as possible. he
so framed as to be easily understood
and to need little Interpretation.
Formerly the law regulating mu.
tual fire insurance companies provid-
ability not less than three times, mol
more than FIVE times. the cash pay
ment mentioned in the policy contract
ut does not seem to have beer
the legislative intention to abandon
entirely the contingent liability of the
membership of these mutual com.
panies.
''The law, as 1t stands, is in severa
ways obscure and should be revised sc
as to provide for a substantial contin.
gent liability for members of mu
tual fire companies. sufficient il
amount and under such conditions a:
to insure the safety of this form q
indemnity against fire loss.
The remarkable growth and devel
opment Of the fraternal insurance bust
ness. the amount of indemnity il
force, the number of societies, and tn,
variety of plans. in operation and pro
posed. for the conduct of this bust
! ness, call for careful consideration b,
the general assembly.
These fraternal societies should b,
encouraged and assisted in every wa,
possible consistent with safety an,
SoundneSS.
Geological Survey.
illinois now ranks third in it's min
eral industries, the total output of on
mines in 1907 being $152,122, 64S. 90
Any legislation touching so extensiv,
| an industry must be based upon exac
| knowledge. This it is the province o
the geological survey to furnish.
At the rate permitted by the pres
ent annual appropriation it will neces
sarily be many years before the who'll
state can be covered. therefore sui
| NIT to the general assembly the cor
sideration of the question of devotin
| to this work such additional appropr
ations as you may deem desirable an,
| as the finances of the state will pei
nit.
Educational Commission.
| "The educational system of Illlinoi
involves the control Of 1902 city. vi
lage and rural schools. employing %
524 teachers and attended by 9SS,07
| pupils. In the management of the pull
| Tic schools of the state. the services o
| $4,000 school officers are employed an
in their maintenance s32 ,227, 605.06
annually expended.
4 "A general revision Of the law III
der which this important branch Q
the public service is now administers
| is. highly desirable on account of tn
confusion into which the school law
of the state have fallen by reason q
their multiplicity and lack of uniform
ty and consistency. AS stated in m
previous message, the school laws {