Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1915-01-09
: = = i; = $; !; = !; !; 4; !; 4 ); Hs

The above is the sum total and the
substance of the biennial report of
state Insurance Commissioner j. W..
Ferguson to Governor West, made vest.
crduy afternoon. If it is not actually,
| it is one of the briefest and most to
the point reports Of departmental
head to the chief executive on record.
1t is shorter, by about so words, than
his previous report for the biennium Of
| l0ll.l9l2.
Although brief, shorn Of all super.
fluous verIIiage and inucndos, it is
strictly business and to the point, Of
| the methods of conducting the affairs
Of the department, but, when analysed
it speaks volumes. In short, it shows
that during the two years Just closed
the receipts of his department have in.
creased $2G973.GG over those Of the
previous two years, the expenses of
conducting the department have de-.
creased sl,GGS.2S, and the net gain in
| the amount turned into the general
/ fund for the payment Of the expenses
Of state government, over and above
the cost Of minimizing the department,
was S3l,64l94,
When it is understood that the in
Suraucc department receives no appro.
| priution whatever not a single cent,
from the legislature for maintenance
and the department is limited to Sl5.-
| 600 per year to pay all expenses Of ad.
minstration, Of $4,000 for the bien.
mum, to be retained out of the fees,
| licenses, etc, collected through the de.
/ partment, and that an actual saving of
| SG,79i,92 has been made in the amount
allowed the department for the two.
year period and this sum is turned into
the general fund Of the treasury, some
idea may be gained as to the true i'm
port Of the above statement and the
businesslike method that applies to the
administration Of the department.
Some idea Of the great volume Of
business that is transacted by this de.
Ipnrtmcnt, which is easily the greatest
Ircvenuc.broducing department Of the
states group when it is considered that
no state funds are required to conduct
. its affairs, may be gained by the show.
/ ing lNUuc lN lOc uDoNe DIlVl klultlntNl,
which shows that Of the S2323G0,07
collected for fees, licenses etc., during
the two years all but 1923 2O5.0S de.
Quoted for defrayng the expenses Of
, the department, or S209, l6is0 was
turned into the general fund and con.
tributcd to the support Of the other
state institutions, departments, com.
missions, etc.
Another very satisfactory feature Of
this masterpiece Of departmental re.
ports, which aside from the expense
saved in the printing and publication
Of an extended report might appeal
TO the taxpayer as well as to the stu.
dent Of political economy is that while
The receipts Of the department have IN.
creased S2G073.66 over the previous
two years, indicating proportiouatc
Increase in the amount Of work neces.
snry TO handle the business Of the de.
portmcut the expenses Of conducting
the department., instead Of increasing
with the volume Of business transact.
cd have shown decrease Of Si,6GS, ,2s
las compared to the cost Of administer.
ing the work Of the department for the
previous two years.
"Thot's ALL" quietly said Mr. Fer.
,gusou, when asked for the balance Of
His report which, in the vernaculor Of
the streets was equivalent to "Nufi
gpd -