Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-03-25


One Hundred and Fifty Delegates Assemble
In This City-Addresses Made.
In the banquet hall Of the Arlington Hotel
this morning sat $50 insurance under
writers, members Of the Southeastern Tariff
Association. They we're not engaged in the
wiilful destruction of food nor were they at
tempting to quench internal confagrations by
the application Of liquids; they we're simply
talking business.
Every man was plainly labeled prosperous"
There was universal appearance of financial
solidity, physical well-being and mental salts
faction.
President Livingston Minis called the asso-
citation to order at ~ o'clock and then proceeded
to read his annual address, an especially inter-
esting document, because at times il touched
upon the relations Of legislatures and insurance
companies.
INSURANCE NOT A MONOPOLY.
"Under the violent opposition of the newly
elected legislatures to monopolies and trusts"
said he, great mistake is made in placing in
surance associations similar 20 this in such cate
CORY. 1t was against such falsiiy and in de-
Tense of the reasonable requirement
and an indeed. necessity Of companies
before the committee of the Georgia legislature
that Insurance is OF itself Q thing apart In
lis organization and operations it Is a grandly
oeueficent institution that carries out a prin-
ciple philanthropic in the highest degree, and
that is the distribution of the heavy and what
would otherwise be crushing misfortunes of the
few to whom disaster comes-among the many
and in such moderate degree as not to be a
burden to any. To this splendid and wide
spread and thoroughly organized plan Of as
sessment OF the many to repair the losses
Of the few. and in greater degree accumu-
late therefrom amounts colossal as reserve FOR
wlder-sweeping devastation, involving millions
OF losses, is added the reserve of the millions
OF capital as indemnity in such extraordinary
emergencies. Yet there is no requirement
for men to insure. In the nature Of
things. but one out of many insured suffers
loss and, if they wish to take the chances, they
are almost 100 to in their favor. More than half
the property destroyed by fire for ten years
past was uninsured.
NEVER THE syBJEcT OF rRUsrA
Insurance from its very character has never
been the subject Of trusts or monopolies, ard
never can be-while there have been combi-
nations of companies as o necessity
to fix rates for the different classes
Of hazards with which it deals, yet
there never has been pooling of issues or re-
suits, or average distribution of profits or losses
among all the companies composing these asso-
ciations-on the contrary, the fiercest compe-
tition-each one for itself, and just such
each. as insurance only can offer. Trusts and
monopoiies are objectionable, as they deal with
articles in actual existence required for
daily use-the food We eat the material
Of our clothing, the fuel that warns in win
ter and the ice that cools Us in summer,
in short, everything required for the necessi-
ties and actual uses Of mankind, and all of
which are naturally governed by the proper
laws of trade-the cost Of production and the
law Of supply and demand. Not SO with insur-
ance-it has no tangible physical exist
ence-the usual laws OF trade do not govern it.
or appl, to it. II deals with greatest uncer-
tainties and unknown quantities. 1t depends
upon the tempest and the storm, upon ele-
ments when mos: pitiless and unmerciful, and
worse than the storm god or fire fend,
upon man, when in his devilish wickedness he
is crueler and more remorseless than all. 1t
affords no basis Of estimate whereon certainty
OF profit may be calculated to answer the exac-
tons and requirements Of trusts"
Matters, of interest only to the members
were then touched upon at some length.
SPEECH OF WELCOME.
Following the conclusion Of the presidents
remarks, Capt. Tyler, representing the local
committee delivered speech Of welcome and
invited the assemblnge to make pilgrimage to
Mount Vernon tomorrow afternoon, leaving
this city at pm. After Mount Vernon would
come Marshall Hall and a shad bake.
MIR. Simon Wolf seconded the invitation and
made wittily interesting speechO
The invitation was accepted with thanks, and
Secretary Charles C. Fleming proceeded to
read his annual address. He concluded it by
rendering his resignation as secretary. and
said most emphatically that he would not with
draw it, as he did last year.
1t was the intention Of the local committee to
have President Douglass of the board of Dis
trict Commissioners welcome the visitors to
the city, but Mr.. Douglass doctor refused to
let him go outside the house today. The asso-
citation expects however to hear from Mr..
Douglass before an adjournment is had.
1t is probable that the fire department will
give practical illqstration of its methods this
afternoon, but no definite arrangements had
been made at $50 o'clock.
NEWSPAPER REPRESENTATIVES, PRESENT.
The representatives of insurance newspapers
in attendance are: The Standard. L. H. Geldert;
The Under,criter, H. R. Hayden and r. o. Al
len; The Chronicle, W. A. Thomas; The Iaristi-
gator, II. E. Roberts; The Argus. +. c. Oviatt:
Vie,cs. Manhohen; the ViadicQtor, Garrett
Brown; the Spectator, Arthur S. J. Smith; the
Baltimore UnderBriter, C. c. Bombaugh and
JAS H. Mcclellan; the Louisville Herald. ]. ID.
Young; the Insurance Herald, Young E.
Allison.
Officers Of the association are: President,
Livingston Minis; vice president, L. NJ. Tucker
secretary, Charles c. Fleming. Executive COM
mittee-John d. Ybung, James C. Hunter, John
w. Pearce, A. G. McIlwaine, jr., and r. A.
Hancock.