Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-01-23
ANGRY INSURANCE MEM.

Administration Methods of Reward
ing the Faithful.
Chicago Tribune: The managers OF
the western departments of insurance
companies are very wroth just now.
The cause of all their anger is due to
the accidental discovery, made only o
few days ago, that shortly before the
adjournment OF the territorial legisla-
sure OF Dakota an act WAS passed pro-.
yiding that sin ell cases where pubI1ca-
| tion of legal notices of any kind is re.
qulred by law the person desiring such
publication shall be required to pay rs
cents per square of twelve lines Of non
psreil type for the first insertion aud 80
cents per square for each subsequent IN.
sertion." During the last five or six.
! years Dakota ass been tinkering away.
vsinly endasvoring to settle upon some
common basis of rates for companies
doing legal advertising. Heretofore the
newspapers of Dakota have been glad to
| advertise the statements of insurance
companies which the law required for
81 TO $40 each, the average beng about
50, or $54 year for tho six judicial dis
tricts. Under the new act the cost Of
advertising statements-which require
three insertionB-wiil be $1.75 Der
square, and will amount to not far from
$40 for each publication in the six dif.-
ferent districts, or altogether $24O. Hence
the present hubbnb among the insurance
agents.
"This is law passed with view Of
robbInR insurance companiesP' en-
phaticaily declared Mr.. George It.
l E,ooan -
paDy. "Will we submit toit Certain.
ly notl The bill was smugRled through
Oh the last day of the legislature for the
sole benefit of few newspaper men who
wanted three or four prices for their
space. The territory has been foolins
with us long enough, and the prob
abilities are now that we shall suspend
all our agencies. It ia an outrageous
proceeding, and the iniquity of it will
be seen by the farmer who has giyer
ohattei mortgages and trust deeds wher
he is called upon to pay such rates 10,
legal advertising. Illinois. which i.
one of the richest states, only REQUIRES
Us to make one statement In two papers
l-one in Springfield and one In Chicago
"a cost of probably $50 yearly. IL
Dakota, where the business is lean and
four times as much"
i "Will you make legal fight over tLil
matter?"
"The insurance companies will act il
concert, but whether they will simply
withdraw from the territory or fiphj
through the courts will be determined
later. II was only within the last twt
or three, days that we were informed q
this new Requirements. The auditor
has purposely kept us in ignorance. !
don't believe any law can be made te
compel publisher to charge or receive
certain price if he is not willing. II ii
nothing more or less than big sNind-
ling scheme and an extortion on the in.
surance companies"
"We've always met with some troubles
in Dakota" said Mr.. Conrad Witkowski
"The truth OF the matter is that th
the territorial newspapers are for the
most part impeounious and want to Re
all they can out of this sort OF advertis
ing. The worst thing in connection Will
this new net is that il affects all leRa
advertising. 1t is q robbery not only
} from the insurance companies, but fror
all the inhabitants, forcing them to pa
one price and barring competition. On
8 advertising last year oost us about $50
this year il will be S240, and next ,
! may be95, 600. stree they haye the powe
, to make it what they please. TIL
j auditor of the territory, who is ex
/, oficio commissioner, has given us a
, notification, and only an accidental diI
! covey brought our attention to it."
: What will be the effect upon th
4 companies ?"
Q "It will certainly make them Withhold
!. their statements, and may cause mum
g Der to withdraw from business IN Dako,
It ss they did two years ago IN New Ham,
It shire. II few withdraw it will rsdut
i. the amount Of indemnity Of insurance
and following the natural law of suppl
and demand, will advance rates OF in
"a surance from perhaps 2 tos per cent
= This thing was sprung on us so sue
u denly" said Mr.. O. z. Blevin, manag,
70 OF the American company OF Philade
4. phih, THAT we've NOT had any time
do anything, 1t is an onerous and oe
tainly very unjust Law. / only knew
10 1: yesterday. What We shall do in II
% matter can't tell yet. believe Il
le people of the territory will not be iol
10 in seeing where the burden falls, av
will have the law repealed as soon
thev can.
Id "Do you think the law ia soastit
d. tiopal7n
" eyes, believe it is. It has be-
y made 80 broad in its scope that il con
re hardly be classified under special legisl
ae' ton. II will certainly increase the rs