Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1915-06-03
CHANGES POSSIBLE
NEW LAW PERMITS TRANsFoR-
NATION OF FRATERNAL so.
clETlEs TO LEGAL RESERVE.
A GREAT SURPRISE 70 MANY
Existence Of Law Not Generally Known
As II Was Passed. Opens Door For
Any OF The Great Number OF Fra
ternaI Societies In Iowa.

Any OF The Great Number OF Fra
ternaI Societies In Iowa.
Des Moines.-Under the provisions
of the new life insurance legislation,
enacted by the Thirty-sixth general
assembly, 1t will be possible after
July for fraternal beneficiary socie-
ties of Iowa to transform themselves
into legal reserve life insurance COM
panies, according to an announcement
made by Emory H. English, state in
surance commissioner.
1t was not generally known that
any such legislation was pending, and
the bill by Senator Hagemann, SEN
ate file 492, affecting this change in
the statutes did not disclose upon its
face what 1t accomplished, the title
merely stating that it was amend
atory of section 179S-b, supplement
to the code, 1918, relating to frater-
nal beneficiary societies." II was
passed the last week Of the session
without opposition in the senate and
after limited discussion only in the
house.
BY the terms of the act, the words
"or fraternal beneficiary society" are
injected into the law permitting
assessment life associations to be
transformed into legal reserve life
companies, the commissioner says.
This opens the door for any of the
great number of fraternal societies
in Iowa becoming old line life com.
panies, whereas, before there were
only two Iowa assessments life COM
panies left.
Assessment accident associations
may also now become assessment life
associations, and eventually be trans
formed into legal reserve life COM
panies, under an official opinion re-
Gently given the state insurance de-
partment by Attorney Genral Cosson.
1t will be possible under this hold
ing, interpreting the provisions OF
this same section Of the law, which
has been amended several times by
succeeding legislatures since origi-
nally enacted by the Thirty-second
general assembly. for assessment In
surance associations now authorized
to write only health and accident
business or either, but which were
organized and operating in the state
prior to the prohibitive restrictions
imposed against the organizations of
new assessment life companies, to
add life business to their other lines,
by amending their articles of incor-
poration, Mr.. English says.
lowa's Weed Bill.
Iowa's weeds cause farmers loss
Of not less than s25, 000,00 year, ac-
cording to valuable free bulletin on
weeds just put out by the agricultural
extension department. This loss,'
says DR.. L. H. Pammel, author of the
bulletin, could be avoided in large
part If more thorough steps were TAX
en- with weeds" Weeds are harmful
in good many ways. They consume
plant food that should go to the ag-
ricultural crop. They rob cultivated
plants of sunlight. They take the
moisture so essential for crop, espe-
cially in dry year. Weeds like the
pull down crop OF
corn, wheat or oats. Many OF them
harbor bad insects. The Colorado po-
tato beetle (potato bug) occurs on the
buffalo bur and horse nettle. Many
weeds harbor parasitic fungi, like err
got, which occurs frequently on quack
grass. Weeds poison the soil. For
Instance, good stand of clover can
not be obtained where cocklebur
grows. Such weeds, like poison ivy,
are poisonous to the touch.
Visits Eastern Prisons.
w. ]. Dixon, member of the state
board Of control, has returned after
4 trip east He declares that no state
In the union does more advanced work
than Iowa in caring for the unfortu-
nate. He visited Sing Sing prison.
At that institution, he says. the war
den is now installing some of the
methods which have been in practice
At the Fort Madison penitentiary In
Iowa for a number of years. Mr.. Dix
On attended the annual conference OF
charities and corrections held at Bal
.imore last week.
Views on Prison Reform.
President Pearson of the State col
ege is on the program for the quar-
.erly conference OF the board OF con-
troll two weeks hence, to tell OF pris-
On reform. His observation Of results
in connection with the working OF
prisoners at the big camp at Ames
asst fall, in road and bridge building,
Affords a starting point for a general
discussion of subject about which
too little is known. 1t may not be
generally understood, at least, that
The prison reform work being carried
On quietly and without ostentation in
Iowa is second to none in any state
Of the union.
Many Inquiries Received.
State Labor Commissioner A. L.
Urick is receiving daily hundreds OF
letters from men in the east who are
under the impression that Iowa is in
The wheat belt and who are seeking
work as farm hands here. These let
ters are being forwarded to w. g.
Ashton, labor commissioner OF Okla
homa. Oklahoma has sent out a call
FOR 10000 men to work at the harvest
which generally starts about the first
week in June. Iowa does not need
,arm hands, according to Mr.. Urick.
Pays $4,000 on Farm.
The board Of control is making an
other payment of $4,000 on the Gus