Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-02-02
QU|G[EY SPOKESMAN
Senator From Clayton Will
Lead Insurance Interests in
Legislature
LINE OF ATTACK REVEALED
Companies Will Resist Transfer of De-
partment From Auditors Office on
Plea of Increased Expense to State
Engineers Appear TO Oppose Em-
ployers' Liability Measure.
Special to Times-Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
tack which the insurance interests are
making upon the proposed transfer OF
the sinsurance department from the Of
flee of the auditor to that of the gov
ernor has been disclosed by Senator
| Quisley. who thus far is the only men,
Der 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 certain enormous IN
crease of cost and also because there
has been a decline in insurance BUSH
ness. He gave out the insurance COM
pany figures which show that the cost
of the department now under the state
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 depart
ment anywhere outside the auditors
office and itsawould 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
for the department, it Is pointed out
that the banking department is to be
transferred and the rooms now occu-
pied by that department would be am
pie for the insurance department. No
trouble will be had i'll finding a place
for the department.
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 casualty
risks in force in Iowa in 1902 We're
$3.50, 6250 900 and in 1907 s711,979,,000,
an increase of 1921 ,354,OO0 The life
policies in force in 1902 We're $5s2,751,-
GOO and five years later s674,715,0o0.
The securities ,on deposit as backing
for policies amounted in 1903 to $40
100, 600; but when Auditor Carroll
turned them over to Auditor Bleakley
they amounted to $32.SS0, O00-which
fairly shows how business is growing
in Iowa
AS for insurance taxes actually paid
to Iowa. these increased from S224,-
SCI for 1901 TO s322,119 for 1905. The
companies paid in fees to the state in
1902 s45. OOS, and in 1907 S55.O33. mas
much as the insurance companies will
pay all the expenses of the depart
slac MT the argument of expense is not
ve:'y appealing.
1T is also found that the estimate of
the cost ofAtfe department under the
auditor of state is far from being cor
rect. The S10,030 merely represents the
extra clerical force in the office. II to
this is added the cost of printing re-
ports. postage and other items, the
actual cost at present will be found to
be nearer $4,000
The bill will probably be taken up
in committee some day this week when
it will be disclosed just how earnest
the companies are in their opposition
to the transfer.
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 labor matters, and the
representatives Of railroads will appear
before committees having in charge
two bills relating to personal injury
damage cases. One Of these is the Pet
erson bill in the senate, the other the
Lee bill in the house. The labor men
are especially interested in the latter
which relates to the assumption Of risk
by employees Of common carriers. 1t
provides that in all actions brought for
personal injury or death
"The fact that the employe may have
been guilty Of contributory negligence
shall not bar a recovery, but the dam
ages shall be diminished by the jury
in proportion to the amount Of negli-
gence attributable to such employee,
provided, that no such employee who
may be injured or killed shall be held
to have been guilty of contributory
negligence in any case where the viola
ton by such common carrier or corpora
ton of any statute enacted for the
safety Of employees contributed to the
injury or death of such employe; nor
shall it be any defense to such action
that the employee who was injured or
killed assumed the risks of his employ
ment."
This bill, which would change the
rule as to assumption of risk and re-
peal the old common law rule, is in line
with the legislation by congress.
The legislative committee Of the
State Federation of Labor is also in
session here this week and has finished
the preparation of the bill to materi-
ally change the law in regard to the
burden Of proof with respect to the age
of children employed in factories. At
present Dit is incumbent upon the state,
in case of a prosecution for violation
of the child labor law, to prove The
age of the child said to have been I'M
lawfully employed This is found N
practice to be an impossibility. Now
it is proposed to turn it about and
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