The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-02-16
Local Association Sends COMMITTEES
to Des. Moines to Lobby
Against State lnsur
ance Bill.
PROVISIONS OF THE BILL
Bill Would Create Industrial Com
mission of Three Men-state
to Give s125,ooo
Yearly.

At meeting OF the Keokuk Manu-
facturers' association held at the In
dustrial association last night COM
mittee OF five was named to repre-
sent the manufacturers Of this city at
Des Moines in protesting the passage
OF the proposed state insurance bill.
This action was taken under the
direction OF the Iowa State Manufac-
turers association, of which the loo II
association is a member. The men,
bers Of the committee will leave this
afternoon for Des Moines and will re-
turn probably Thursday.
The, members of the committee are:
Stephen Irwin, e. Nj. Majors, Cephas
Harrison, o. A. Talbot and ]. P.
Ingle
The state insurance bill, the pas.
sage of which is to be protested by
the committee, was introduced in the
senate by Senator Clarkson January
81.
Provisions Of Bill.
The provisions Of the bill are as
follows:
i. 1t creates the Iowa industrial
commission, to take the place of the
present Industrial commissioner and
the present labor commissioner. The
commission to consist of three men,
one at salary of $4,000, and two at
salaries of $500 per year, each.
2. It appropriates $125,000 year
out of the state treasury for the use
of the commission.
8. The commission Is empowered to
0P hn nj ~ lou
(all but farmers and railroad COM
panfes) into groups, and fix COM
pensation insurance premium for those
groups.
4. The commission is to adjust and
pay all compensation to injured en-
ployes.
5. All employers who fail or refuse
to pay the premium fixed by the CON-
are considered as rejecting
the law and are liable for damages 10
an injured employee, under the COM
mon law, with the three former de-
lenses forbidden and the burden Of
proof Of due care for safety placed or
the employer.
6. The salaries and actual neces-
sary expenses of the commission are
to be paid by the state.
Z. A graduated scale OF annual per-
centages of the insurance premiums
will produce a reserve fund Of one
million dollars which fund is to be
invested and the interest thereon is
to accrue to the indemnity fund.
Arguments Against Bill.
Arguments against the bill given by
the manufacturers association are
here given:
This bill would deny to any Iowa
employer the right to carry his own
insurance, or to insure in mutual CO.
operative fund or to insure in an old
line stock insurance company.
The employers Of Iowa are now pay
ing the compensation fixed by the
state, by the various methods allowed
In the present law. The employees are
paid the fixed amounts promptly and
fully. All this without costing the
state one dollar.
Why should we change to a plan
hat will be no benerit to employees, is
bound to cost the employers more and
will tax the state at least $125,000 per
year?
The present compensation law has
been in effect seven months and the
employers of the state are getting
themselves adjusted under 1t. They
have formed a mutual cooperative
fund which pays compensation to their
Injured workmen at the lowest pos
sible expense without calling upon the
state for any taxation.
Is there any sense in uprooting
legal and business condt-
,iol such as this after only seven
months trial. especially when the
success for all concerned Is all that
could be asked?
The salaries of the present indus
rial and labor commissioners are
81 800 per year; the combined sal
aries Of the proposed commission
would be S11,600 FER year. Nothing
N the administration of the law has
shown the need for any such increase
n expense.
The officers and employees necessary
o carry on a big insurance business,
making premium rates, adjusting
claims and investing funds, would add
mother big and costly department to
he machinery of the state. Why put
hat needless expense upon the state?
executive committee OF the association
It the meeting of'December Ii:
Whereas: The present workmen's
law deserves reason
lble trial by the employers and en-
,loyes of this state, and
Whereas: The plan of compensa-
ion is based on the theory that each
industry should bear, as far as prac-