Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-06-29
CHANGE TO BE EFFECTED IN IN.
suRANcE DEPARTMENT
WITHOUT DELAY.
ATTORNEY GENERAL RULES aaA
INTENT OF LAW Is PLAIN
Papers and Securities to BE Trans.
ferrsd With offies-Iowa Coal OPP
orators Who Demanded That state
Buy Fuel at Home Go Away For
Liability Insurance.
Special to Times-Republican.

effected in the office of state insur.
without hitch and in accord with the
program as previously outlined ane
planned.
There has been and will be no dis.
agreement on the matter. The COVER.
nor and the state auditor discussed
the details of the new law providing fol
the transfer and agreed there was such
ambiguity that it would be proper u
have series of questions definitely
answered by the attorney general, il
order to safeguard both of them and t.
make certain that every step in the
transfer was legal. The small matter
of custody of valuable papers and books
and $50,000000 in insurance certificates
could not be disposed of offhand.
It is probable that not only will the
duties and responsibilities of the in
surance commissioner be transferred
at once from the hands of the insurance
clerk in the state auditors office e
the new insurance commissioner, but
all the books and records will be trans
ferred and responsibility for the ira-
surance securities will be transferred
The attorney general, in an opinion
filed today, holds that while the law
is not clear as to some points its gen
eral intent, especially as read in the
light OF the record iii the legislature
is plain; that it does contemplate u
complete transfer at this time.
He holds that the state auditor is
justified in turning over to the new
commissioner the old books and papers
and records of the office even tho it is
stated in the act that this transfer
shall be made the second day Of next
January There is nothing forbiddins
the auditor from placing all the papers
in the possession of the commissioner
Unless he does this he will, at least,
have to place these papers SO they
can be inspected at any time by the
commissioner. In view of this the state
auditor will turn them all over
promptly.
A question arose as to the respon-
sibility for the securities. AS the state
auditor probably can not be fully re-
leased on his bond until the end Of his
term he must look to the commissioner
for safety. The attorney general holds
that the bond of the new commissioner
fully protects the state auditor, but
if he is not satisfied he may require
a further bond that will cover the en-
tire matter.
In view of this situation the attorney
general holds there need be no hesl-
tation in having the securities all
turned over to the commissioner.
1t is not yet settled just what the
state officials will do in providing an
office for the insurance department. 1t
would be really easier to move what Is
left of the state auditors office than
to move the insurance papers; but this
is not practicable. The room used by
the state treasurer for private office,
which is also at times used by other
state officials and the executive coun-
Gil may be utilized in some way. The
state auditor has left the banking de-
and county accounting departments, in
addition to the regular work of the Of
fee in accounting and drawing war
rants.
Iowa educators are inclined to be
bit boastful over the progress made
toward better rural schools in the first
year of state aid for consolidation and
high grade courses of study.
Within a year after the legislature
made provision for state aid for con-
solidated schools teaching vocational
matters, there was organized about
sixty Of these consolidated schools, ac-
cording to State Superintendent Deyoe.
Not all have been fully completed yet.
but all have taken at least the pre-
liminary steps for consolidation. This
is declared to be a better record than
any state of the union. A good deal
was said in compliment to Minnesota
for having organized fifty Of these
schools in the first year Of state aid.
The record in Iowa is far better than
even the most sanguine of the advO-
Gates of state aid had hoped for.
The department of public instruc-
ton is just sending out the first state
aid. AS this must be entirely on the
old schools organized prior to the
taking effect Of the new law. the num-
Der is limited. Only seven will get the
state aid. There were twenty-four of
under the normal training law. The
aid is given not alone for consolidation
but for certain standard of work in
vocational lines.
The joke is on the Iowa coal oper-
ators. Recently they appeared by
committee before the board Of control
to virtually demand that the state
board buy it's coal in Iowa Just be-
cause 1t is Iowa coal. and to give the
Iowa operators the advantage regard
less Of competitive prices.
Now the coal operators are. up
against the question Of buying their
casualty Insurance. They wanted to
form mutual but found they couldn't.
They were urged to buy their insur-
ance from Iowa companies, organized
under Iowa law and keeping the money
at home, and for a time seemed in
clined to do ST. But their latest pro-
posal is to patronize an Illinois mutual
company. Their sole excuse is that
the price is lower than that offered in
Iowa and they get more for their ex-
penditure.
But they are still objecting to Iowa
people patronizing the Illinois coal
mines.
Lee county, Iowa, has decided to
come in again under the laws Of the
state and be part of the Hawkeye
After the state audi
tor had threatened the officials with
or removal or some
thing Of the sort, they came to the
front with telegram saying they
would be good and send their delayed