The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-01-25
HITS GAR CLARKSON.
A Bill to Protect the People from
Extortion
BY THE INSURANCE COMPANIES

Through MT. Harrison CiarksOn, OF
Topeka Who Recently Put Up Rates
go Per Cent on Farm Property.
The bill which was introduced in the
state senate a few days ago by Senator
Milton Brown, to prohibit the publica-
ton or insurance of what are known as
'Advisory Rates on Fire Insurance
Risks" ia a measure in the interest of
the people of the state, and it should
pass both houses without opposition.
This bill is aimed directly at the bust
ness of Harrison Clarkson, a Topeka
man, who fixes the rates for all fire in
surance in Kansas.
Mr.. Clarkson issues q small book con-
tanning what he says are simply advisory
rates He makes a book for every town
in Kansas and ostensibly sells his
books to the insurance companies. 1t is
said each company doing business in the
state, pays MIR. Clarkson 800 year for
supplying these rates. 1t is job put up
between them and Mr. Clarkson 10 dodge
the law
The legislature of 1889 passed an anti
com bine law, which prohibited the fire
insurance companies from combining to
fix the rates themselves, and Mr.. Clark
son has taken advantage of this law to
make the rates, which he sells to the,
various companies.
The insurance companies are pleased
with Mr.. Clarkson's way of doing BUSH
ness, as he makes the rates much higher
than they were able to make, when the
insurance agents did the rating.
MIR. Clarkson says he has a perfect
right to sell his book just as much as a
magazine publisher has to sell his pro-
duction. This ought 70 be true, if it
were not a scheme to evade the law.
Mr.. Clarkson's little books differ from
other publications in that the are sub
ject to constant revision. Mr. Clarkson
sends his books to the offices of the in
surance companies and they send them
out to their agents. If a man is agent
for three or four companies he will re-
ceive rate book from each company
| When MIR Clarkson raises the rates on
any buildings in a town he sends a
revision slip to the insurance companies
and the agent receives, generally in the
same mail, a revision slip to paste in each
little book. The books are all alike and
the revision slips are all alikee SO that
there is no danger of getting them
| mixed.
Mr.. Clarkson has to raise the rates in
order to sell his production to the insur-
ance companies. Ii he would lower the
rates they would soon cease to do bust
ness with him.
Only a few weeks ago Mr.. Clarksor
issued an order raising the rates about
~ per cent for fire insurance on all
farm property insured in Kansas, and the
JOURNAL commented at the time on the
act as arbitrary and uncalled for. Fire
insurance has always been profitable il
Kansas it being one of the most profit
able states in the Union for fire insurance
companies, and there is no reason why
the people of Kansas should be robbed
by the establishment of arbitrary rate
to help pay the losses in numerous state
where fire insurance is done at a loss.
If Senator Browns bill becomes Law
property owners, especially in the
smaller frame towns in the state, viii
have reason to rejoice, as the Insurance.
companies will then have to compete
with each other for the business and thu
people will not be robbed