Page:The Wisconsin idea (IA cu31924032449252).pdf/103

 reports are required the same as from life insurance companies. The bonds of the state treasurer, the commissioner of insurance, of all county, city, village, and town treasurers, and of every state depository, must include a liability for all premiums and other money received for the life fund. Investments may only be made as provided for life insurance companies. The commissioner is given two years to put the act into effect."

Another decided advance toward state insurance was taken when a state insurance fund to provide for fire loss on state property was created. The provisions of this act were extended by chapter 603, laws of 1911, to cover the property and buildings owned by counties.

Directly in line with the general principle that appointive experts should administer the law and correlated with the short ballot propaganda is chapter 484, laws of 1911, making the insurance commission appointive for a four-year term instead of elective. That the legislature took care to restrict the political activity of any commissioner may be seen by the following excerpt from the law:—

"Section 1966y. 2. The person so appointed as such commissioner shall be known to possess a knowledge of the subject of insurance, and skill in matters pertaining thereto. No person appointed as such commissioner shall hold any other office under the laws of this or of any other state or of the United States. Such commissioner shall devote his entire time to the duties of the office, and shall not hold any position of trust or profit, engage in any occupation or business interfering with or inconsistent with his