The advocate., 1895-01-09

for lOssess While We paid TO foreign COM
panles sS,S5l,7O64 40 in 1898, the total income OF
home mutual fire insurance companies was
S94O94 81; and the premiums paid the Kansas
company for life insurance aggregated $780,
56512 total paid to home companies, $685.,
O02
In view OF these facts, cannot agree with
the commissioners recommendation that
coroners should investigate fire losses 4t
seems to me We should not assist TO etgn
companies to still further increase the honest
policy holders difficulty in securing an honest
adjustment Of the loss against which he has
paid to be insured, and thus increase still
more the surplus Of premiums over losses OF
which the state Is constantly drained. We
should rather exclude forcing companies
entirely, learn TO take care OF our own lnsur-
anee, and thus stop this annual drain. We're
such q duty imposed upon the coroner, every
foreign insurance company would have an In
terest In the local politics OF every county IN
the state, and motive would be presented
for the further corruption OF the ballot The
insurance companies would deem IL to their
interest to elect c0rOnerS who would Dc
trusted TO favor the com nanie5 rather than
the assured. Such legislation would not re-.
duce the cost OF insurance to the people OF
Kansas, but would furnish foreign insurance
companies an additional means Of Vexlng or
freightening policy holders, or OF sub)ecGlng
thePs to the laws delays until men burned
out and In sore need OF. money could be forced
into an unfair settlement OF l0S5e5 IL WOulu
be better to leave the insurance companies 10
protect themselves by proper inquiry into the
character OF men before 1nsurlng them tnan
to provide an additional means Of covering
with suspicion OF arson every man who dar0S
claim payment Of the insurance for which ne
has paid.
But why should not the state, through its
insurance department., provide safe and pune
tusl insurance for the people? The insurance
department might be used by such persons as
choose 20 use IL for the purpose OF mutual In
surance. 1t could be done without any cost
to the state, and the insured would DO at no
risk OF DeculatiOn OF officers OF q corporation.
A bureau in the department could be readily
supported out OF the fees, and county clerks
and township trustees could act as local
agents A justice OF the peace In the lmmedl,
ate locality could investigate every loss ana
trans 0it its report to the insurance depart
ment which could make an assessment, as fra
ternal societies do In case OF death, and trans
NIT the proceeds at once.
MUNICIPAL INDEBTEDNESS.
The municipal Indebtedness OF the state
shown by the returns Of the state auditors
office, aggregated July l, 1894, $37,6l65lZ7O, a
decrease Of $2O1 O37 80 since the biennial report
Of 1892.
PROHIBITION AND OTHER MATTERS
The old notions as to dealing with the liz
uor traffic ara not applicable TO the prevailing
state OF things; the people nave no ionsel .,
the Isolated saloon to combat, but must crap
pie with gigantic whisky trust. Nor is this
All The public sentiment which in our prln-
ciDal ciLieS nullifie5 the prOhibltory law Is not
the sentiment OF the dissOlute, as those VINO
denounc9 the laws non enforcement are SO
prone 20 assume. 1t Is the sentiment OF the
men of property and, therefore, OF influence
in their communities. Emerson, with acute
observation, declared that what the owners
wish to do, the whole power OF properly Will
do, either through the law or else In defiance
Of It," It Is not that the men themselves wish
to patronize saloons, for not few active op-
ponents Of prohibition are abstemlous; Dut
business men believe the liquor tTalhc "helps
business :" tax PAYERS believe licenses from sa'
looms would tighten the burden OF direct tax.
alton: and landlords believe saloons would
afford profitable end punctual tenants TOT now
tenantless rooms and buildings. BUSINESS
men and lawyers, visited by men OF cOn5e-
uuence from other states where drinking Is
fashionable, desire In The interest OF business
to Hospitality entertain their guests, ana 70
this end establish fashionable CLUBS Where
liquors are dispensed. Many gentlemen who
do not drink patroniZe these clubs, a elegant
places for talking over business anairs Win
out of-town customers, dealers, or clients ana
of course, contribute lOward paying Tor tne
IinnorI brought in nv express from without
the state. Prominent members ana support
ers Of fashionable churches belong TO 9uch
clubs. Social entertainments are given In tne
club parlOr5, are attended by gentlemen and
ladies Of fashionable society; and because Oi
its social prestige, as we'll as Its opportunitle:
for good fellowship, membership Is coveted
by officers charged with the laws admlnistra
tion, not even judges scornlng the privilege,
The public sentiment which stays the hand;
OF local officials Is thus made up. At bottom
fits business" money-maklng sentiment
II Is not whisky, but money-buslness-Wltn
which the war has now to be Waged; Such
war can only be waged by taking all profit ou
OF the liquor traffic and this can be done onl )
by having the government become the sole
dispenser Of liquors, selling them at actua
cost.
Prohibitory methods may be the best meth
DDS for the present but recent experience In
dicates that this law was not intended t(
operate upon all classes alike. The thought
lass failure OF YOUR executive to make this i'm
portanE distinction has led TO great deal o
tFlbulatiOn to police commissioners and the
policemen they appointed. In one city espe
afalIv ha n1tlnft and fhA Draa9 W0rt