The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1881-03-24

INSURANCE STATISTICS AND HISTORY.

INSURANCE STATISTICS AND HISTORY
This is good long name, the words we have
at the head of this article, but It is tn name
of one of the departments OF our state
This department is creating quite a furore IN
the legislature just now, how necessarily
we are not just now prepared to say. A
strong effort is being made by some members
Of the legislature to either do away entirely
with the department, or else to cut down
the appropriation forts support to SO small
figure that it will virtually amount 10
nothing. Some of the members assail the de-
partment on the ground that the state does not
need anything of the kind, one member who
boasts that he hasn't got much "booK
larnin',," asserting that it is not very popular
with his people. Perhaps 1T is unpopular
with his people because they arc like he is,
short on shook larnin'." We cannot con-
cieve how an intelligent, even passably we'll
educated man, can say that the state has no
need for such department Intelligent men
who are at all educated, who have even
advanced to the lieutenant governors
standard of q sufficient education, "readin,
'ritip' and 'rithmetic," think sometimes, and
the man who will think about this depart
ment, what it. was intended for and what IL
is capable of, will at once see that there is no
department the state needs more. Let us
reason together briefly on this question.
Texas is now growing, rapidly developing
young state. Villages, towns and young
cities are springiDg up here, there and every
where, and all are growing rapidly. Trade
and commerce is yearly increasing. The
Consequence is that insurance companies
from abroad are coming to our state, estab-
fishing agencies all over it and seeking bust
ness Insurance companies of our own are
springng into existence, and seeking BUSH
ness in the same fields with those from other
states and from foreign countries. The people
want these companies here, because
they want insurance on their dwell
lings, their household goods, their
gin houses, their merchandise, their law
books, their mechanical tools, their perishs
able property Of every kind and description.
They want safe and solvent companies,
however, none of your wild cat concerns to
swallow up their money paid for their
policies, and never pay any losses. How are
they to know? How are they to be best
guarded against imposition and swindlers ?
Through department of insurance whose
duty it should be to ascertain to an absolute
certainty the antecedents and reliability and
res e onsibility of every insurance company
seeking to do business in the state, and then
requiring under pr DIVISION of law TO that effect,
ievery such company to deposit given sum
n our own state bonds or in United States
bonds, in the state treasury, issue to it Ger
tiicate of good standing and permit it to do
business So much for the insurance branch
of the department. Will anybody say that
something of this kind is not needed to pro-
tect the interests of the people, the COM
MERGE of the state? Now, who will say that
there ought not be to bureau of statistics and
history? Every year the crop of Texas in
cotton, corn and the small gra ms; in
sugar, tobacco, fruits, vegetables, etc, etc.,
is increasing, and from year to year prices
yary. Every year the wool and stock pro-
ducts increase with varying prices. New
businesses spring up; more railroads are
built: mineral discoveries are made, and to
some extent developed. There are thou
sand things we might 60 on to enumerate
and descant upon until We filled columns OF
of the paper, statistics concerning which are
Of vital importance 90 the state, and there
should be somebody to gather them up, col
late them and disseminate them for the ia
formation and advantage of the people.
The past history of Texas IL
worthy the orators Hottest flights,
the poets sweetest strains, the literaleurs
grandest lines in 30 far as its glories are con-
cerned. The men who aided in making That
history, who were participants upon the
stage OF action in the days of SO, of AZ, Of 10,
SO and 60, Of 81 65 are fast passing away for
ever and il Is mest'for postsrity that their
deeds and achievements, that their bard
ships and perils, that the successes they
wrought, should i've through all time and be
enbalmed in the literature Of TIE land, be
emblazoned on the pages ofhistory in man
ner betting them, beG!ting THAR great
stale. There should somebody be provided
By the state 70 gather up all tho facts con-
csrning those days and placing them in reg
ular ordor, and Gle them away for the refer
ence aud use Of the future historian. II is
not true that any complete or respectable
history Of TeKss has ever yet been publishei
Thsiof Yoslum answers good purpose az
far as il goes, but it reaches but short dis
tsncs. II took Hume sud Macanley both
10 write the his.oIy OF England, sud there Is
work enough ~ two more such As hey
and here in TeEss there is fsid fer the
genius and the lszning for half dozen
Humss and Macau'eys, II the data be