The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-04-26
AT THE STATE HOUSE.
Is 'SCzar'' CIarkson's Rate Book
Organization Trust2
Letter of COngratulatiOn to Nc
Nall on His Ruling.
Items of General Interest Pertaining
to the State House Departments

The fire insurance companies who use
Gear Clarkson's rate book in Kansas
and the Indian Territory are much agi-
tated at Webb McNall's announcement
that they must cease to do business in
this manner, operating, as it seems,
along lines that indicate a combination
to maintain certain rates, and drive
those companies out of business in the
state who refuse to enter the compact
The companies are very anxious to
discover what method NcNall proposes
to use against them, but the discreet
superintendent says: Were I to an
nounce my plans the companies would
get after me with an injunction. There
are two ways open to me: First, re-
woke licenses of such companies, or by
bringing criminal proceedings under the
provisions of the Farrelly antitrust
law passed by the last legislature"
1t has been the contention of fire in
surance companies that no such COM
binatiOn trust exists with reference
to the rate schedule, but nevertheless
those who insure maintain that Mr..
Clarkson does operate as one party to
a trust or combination and are in all
parts of the state sending Mr.. McNall
letters indorsing his action in this
matter and urging him to proceed to
the end.
4ndL SuCn a COu1D1ndIlOu SAlSlS II
shown by the mass of evidence which
the superintendent is securing without
solicitation. The following letter from
R. U. Hess of Arkansas City to Mr.
fact:
You are all right in the stand you
have taken against insurance cOmpa-
MES. 1 assure you none can testify
to this better than the writer, who once
was and now is the victim of that sun
flower club as well as the man Clark
son. l at one time paid the penalty
of having an agency worth annually to
me, in commissions, $4,000, torn to
pieces, for no other reason than refuS-
ing to drop from my agency of fifteen
companies the Capitol of Topeka, be
cause said company refused to come
into the compact.
zone day was called upon by four
teen special agents in a body to either
continue as agent for them and drop the
Capitol Insurance company, or drop
them and keep the Capitol Insurance
company. The men well knew that,
with the amount of insurance written
in this office, it would be impossible
for me to place insurance with only one
company. I, of course, refused to drop
the Capitol from my agency and for
this defiance to obey individual man
dates from these special agents, the
Sun1Ower club passed a resolution that
Immediately after the adjournment of
the then session all special agents Tor
companies represented by me, proceed
at once and in a body to Arkansas City
and remove their respective companies
from my agency, as per above state
1nent, and results as above stated.
Nov, had this ended there, it might
have been different; but no, every one
of the specials seemed to be called up
on to attack my financial standing and
in that way only did they accomplish
nv defeat and today I am not in the
insurance business simply because I
am boycotted and could get no agency
for any company, simply because told
them that inasmuch as had worked
up this agency it was mine and had
a perfect right, and that I alone re-
served the right to say what companies
should be in my agency, but not so. 1
was easily got out of the way, and so
was the Capitol, and today I am more
in sympathy with your move than is
the general public