Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1917-02-02
(By George Gallarno.)

SeCLleO To-Day, Wneu IL Will De uetorM-
ined in what form the amendment will
be sent to the people of the state to
be voted on. The plans were all set
for the final disposal of the amend
ment by the assembly week ago, but
just at the last moment, before the
legislators were to act, Goernor Hard
ing called the attention of the leaders
to what appeared to be flaw in the
way the resolution had been adopted
by the senate. In its passage by that
house as presented by Senator Wilson
the amendment was worded exactly as
it had been adopted by the Seth general
assembly. And there lay the trouble.
In the language adopted by the Seth
was q clause referring the proposed
amendment to the 37th, or present
assembly. This clause should have
been eliminated by the present as
sembly before it took action, according
to many attorneys In the legislature,
but it went through the senate intact.
The house will find it necessary to
eliminate the offending clause or else
decide, as some Of the lawyers claim,
that while it is surplusage in the pres
ent adoption Of the resolution, it can
not affect the constitutionality Of the
act.
Governor. Wants To Be Sure.
Governor Harding called the leaders
Of both houses to his rooms and ex-
planned to them that his great desire
was to have the amendment in perfect
form when II was placed before the
voters for action, that he had called
attention especially to this matter in
his inaugural address, and that it was
much better to do the work exactly
than to make any record for speed in
securing its passage. Attorney Gen.
eral Havner has been in consultation
with the governor and with the repre-
sentatives. There is no doubt Of the
passage Of the resolution by the house,
with practically unanimous vote, and
II it is found necessary to amend the
senate file and send it back to that
body, there is no doubt but it will be
again Immediately acted on there.
When the amendment resolution is
finally out of the way Senator Wilson,
its author, will offer q second resOlu-
ton which will set the time Of sub
hitting the question to the voters as
the third Monday in October next.
There is some sentiment towards put
ting off the vote until the general cleo
ton in 1918, but Senator Wilson thinks
his resolution for the special date will
prevail.
Election Changes Are Coming.
The bill for the repeal Of the presi
Dental primary law is the first of the
election measures 70 be put on its
way to adoption. 1t was recommended
unanimously by the house committee
for passage. The non-partisan judi
ciary amendment and the Kmball pri
mary measure are still in committee,
rs is also bill to restore the party
circle to the ballot.
Defends The Insurance Rating Law.
Insurance Commissioner Emory H.
English has come strongly to the de-
tense of the insurance rating bureau
law, passed by the 36th general as
sembly, but which is being unmerci-
fully attacked in both houses of the
present general assembly. Faced with
bills in each house proposing the en-
tire repeal Of the law, and with others
looping from the statute all its worth
while features, Commissioner English
has issued a statement to the law
makers in which he declares that any
action against the law at this time will
be in the nature Of snap Judgment.
that the law has not had a fair trial,
that where it has been tried out 1t has
raised rates in some instances and re-
duced them in others, and that on the
whole it has has a tendency to lower
rather than raise rates, and is fair and
equitable to all. The commissioner
declares, also: 1T has developed that
those who oppose this regulatory
measure as to rates upon an anti-dis-
criminative basis, are usually those
who have protited in the past by en-
joyment Of lower rates than their less
fortunate neighbors. 1t is therefore
lower but not necessarily equitable
peal Of the law now, or any modifica-
ton of the statute would be most un-
fortunate"
What Insurance Department Earns.
Commissioner English has just pre-
pared for publication the annual re-
port Of fire insurance transactions in
the state, and in his foreword to the
volume he calls attention to the fact
that insurance companies transacting
business in Iowa during the two years
ending June 80, 1916, paid into the
state treasury in fees total Of 1884,
697.33, and in taxes based on a per-
centage Of gross premiums received
from Iowa policyholders, total Of
$1,O25,O11.6o, making total receipts
81, 209, 71493 Against this is figured
4 total OF expenses Of running the de-