Evening times-Republican., 1911-07-14
STATE AuplToR's REPORT PUNc.
ruREs INFLATED CLAIMS OF
BOOSTER CLUB.
INsuRANcE BUSINESS IN IOWA
NOT so GREAT As REPORTED
Amounts Distributed BY Dee Moinss
Companies Far Under 100000 -
Fratsrnais Pay More IN Prsntiums
Than Old Line Concerns - Foreign
1usinsss Shows Decrease.
"a rime.-Republican,

Special to I1meS.ttepuOuCdns
Des :Moines, July 14.-State Auditor
Bleakley, by issuing his annual report
on life insurance business done in Iowa
today. put a large sized puncture in q
"boom story" given free circulation by
the new Des Moines booster depart
ment, the purport of which was to show
by an exhibit OF the vast amount OF
money distributed from Des Moines
each year for life insurance.
The statement credited to Secretary
Bolton Of the Des Moines committee
was that over $6,OO0,000 a year is dis
tributed to policy holders in Iowa,
The report Of State Auditor Bleak
ley issued today doesn't quite confirm
this. The total OF death losses paid by
Des Moines life insurance companies
last year was s2s6,s27. This includes
the six life companies here.
The payments by fraternals are larger
The report does not include them, but
last year. the three large ones located
in Des Noines, the United Workmen,
the Ye0men and the Homesteaders,
paid out a total of $1,307,oO0 in Iowa
Just how the 36,OO0,0O0 disbursement
to Iowa people by companies in Des
'Moines is figured is not clear, unless it
is that some Of the big eastern COM
pan1es distribute here. The auditors
report shows, however. that the total
OF payments by companies other than
frateranl, to policy holders in Iowa
last year amounted to $2,1s5,s3s.
The Iowa life insurance companies.
eleven in all. received in 1910 in prem
iums $1,6S4.s1s and paid in death losses
$4,000. The other than Iowa COM
panies received $6,332,1O9 and paid ST.
s43,543. The total business of Iowa
companies, in and out Of the state, was
premiums $4,93O,s02, losses paid ST.
074,328.
Some interesting comparisons are
possible from the reports just out. The
New York Life and the Equitable Life
Of New York. both wrote less business
last year than the year before: but the
Mutual Life. the other OF the big New
York companies, increased its business
largely. The Northwestern Life. of
Milwaukee, however, continues to do
the largest Iowa business and is In
creasing faster than any other.
The task of sending out the auto
numbers and registering Iowa autos is
a greater one than was anticipated by
anyone. The office of secretary of
state is almost swamped with the ex-
ira duties and altho a big force is en-
ployed the headway made ia not as
great as those in charge would like.
Up to date only about 5000 numbers
have been assigned. which is probably
little more than quarter Of the bus
inoSS Th0po a q "a ,f
letters or applications that are i'm
perfect or that require some personal
investigation that the task Is difficult.
Hundreds Of the auto owners try to
figure out their tax and then send more
than enough to pay for the same. The
clerical force must figure 1t out right
and send back the difference. 1t IL now
certain that the work Of handling the
numbers will be but little more than
half done at the end OF the first month.
In one respect, at least. the members
Of the state executive council will agree
with Frank Pierce. and the Iowa
League OF municipalities. In regard to
the distribution OF values OF telephone
property-the distribution ought to be
on some basis different from the pole
mileage.
But members Of the council say pos
itively that such distribution would be
contrary to law, hence it can not be
adopted.
The real controversy which was pre-
sented tina past week to the executive
council on several occasions and in diff
ferent ways relates to the problem of
no VITO get a larger share Of the taxes
Of the corporations into the cities and
correspondingly a smaller proportion
out OF the country districts. The mem
bers Of the council will be glad to af-
ford some relief to the cities but they
are helpless.
The assessment on telephone prop
erty can not be completed for some
weeks. but it will be made as usual
and the distribution will be on the old
basis long established by law.