The Grange advance., 1874-03-11
HASTINGS, March 4th, 1874.


Editors Of The Grange Advonce:
Your issue, Of this date, is before me. I
wish to call your attention to an editorial
calling attention to communication from
}. q. Farmer and others, in reply to an
unfavorable report Of the Association, re-
Gently published in the St. Paul papers, at
the instigation and expense of the Fire
and Marine Insurance Company. Nov
simply wish to set you right on that mat
ter; that committee was duly appointed by
the Executive Committee of the P. of H.,
and their report was made TO that commit
tee at meeting held in St. Paul. Feb. 9th,
1874, and by them adopted and ordered
published. This examination and report
was made solely IN the interest of the P.
Of H., and was published by the St. Paul
papers gratuitously. The Fire and Marine
Insurance Company had nothing to do with
the report or investigation Of the commit
tee, and never saw the report until pub
lished in the St. Paul Dispetch of February
25th. Furthermore am not insured in the
Fire and Marine, and l am very sure that
the other members Of the committee are
not. Neither have they or any interest
in it in any shape or manner.
l hope you will publish the report in full
in your next issue, a copy of which mailed
to you February 25th.
R. A. SIMMONS.
We are glad to receive this letter from
Bro. Simmons. We would call his atten-
tion however to the fact that the report of
the committee was headed by whoop-de-
doodle-doo sort of letter from the Presi-
dent Of the Fire and Marine Insurance Com
pany. 1t seemed to be just the thing he
wanted. 1t suited him all over. It couldn't
have been more to his liking if he had writ
ten it himself. Bro. Simmons will excuse
us for not publishing the report under such
auspices as these. We have no doubt every
stock company in the country would rejoice
to see the Farmers Association 90 down,
but if it does 60 down, we shall not care to
shoulder any of the responsibility of aiding
these companies in accomplishing its
ruin. 1t has insured the farmers of this
state for much less than other companies
have, and it has met it's losses promptly.
It must be remembered, too, that any COM
pany or corporation that is simply doing a
paying business and no more, that is not
backing itself up with wealth that has been
extorted from the people over and above a
fair remuneration, is not in condition to
withstand the concentrated efforts of its en-
emies to break it down. If the people will
not support the institution that is doing
business at almost cost, then they must be
content to be robbed by the other institu-
tions who make themselves strong as ada
mant by the money they extort from the
people:
In making these remarks we would not
for the world be understood to cast any re-
Elections upon the honor, the integrity, and
the disinterestedness of the committee and
every member thereof We believe them
to be pure and upright men, but at the
same time we do think they have been mis-
taken in some things, and especially in
valuing the notes of the Association at one
half their face. We remember that when
the Madison Mutual Insurance COMPANY
stopped doing business in this State, they
held notes amounting to from ten to fifteen
thousand dollars, and out of this amount
they did not lose to exceed few hundreds.
We cannot conceive that the notes of the
Association. being small in amount, and all
against farmers, should not be worth more
than half their face. There is also little
Inconsistency in the report. They tell us
in one place that farm property cannot be
carried at the rates charged by the Associ-
alton, and in another place it assures US
that the policy holder in the Association
pays almost as much as those in the stock
companies.
notwithstanding the adverse report Of
this committee we still hope that the Asso.
citation will be able to continue to do busi-
ness and to keep down the rates of farm in
surance. At the same time we do not claim
to be experts in the matter of insurance. or
even to be we'll posted in this business. We
shall be glad to place the columns of The
GRANGE ADVANCE at the service of Brother
Simmons, or any other member of the COM
mittee, at any time.
RED WING, March 9, 1874.
Editors Grange Advance: