The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1898-03-25

They File Petition Against Senate
Bill No. 3sa7.


A petition was filed with the District
Commissioners today by several hun
dred insurance agents, brokers and So
licitors against Sfnate bill No. 1887, ito
regulate insurance in the District of Co
lumbia, and for other purposes"
The bill was introduced in the Senate
by Senator Mcmillan. February q. and
referred to the Committee on the Dis
trict of Columbia.
Section provides that any fire insur-
ance company or association having more
than one Office in the District shall pay
a license fee of $10O a year for each ad-
ditional office or agency, and said license
shall be paid to the collector Of taxes
in March of each year; and no person,
firm. corporation or association shall act
as an insurance agent, broker or solicitor
without first having obtained a license as
such from the superintendent of insur-
ance of the District. The sum of so shall
be paid annually TO the collector of taxes
for said license; and no firm, person. cor
poration or association shall allow or pay
any commission rebate or compensation
for, or in behalf of, any person. firm or
corporation not licensed as an insur-
ance agent or broker as provided in the
bill
Amy violation of the section will be
deemed a misdemeanor and punishable
bs5 a fine of not less than 800 nor more
than $500. in default Imprisonment in
the District Jail for not less than thirty
days, nor more than three months, pro-
vided, that licenses to firms corpora
tions, or associations shall be held 10
extend only to bona fide co-partners not
exceeding two in one firm, and to the
secretary and one assistant secretary Of
each corporation or association so Ii
censed, any one of whom may be held
and dealt with on behalf of the firm
corporation or association for any viola
ton of this act; that all moneys paid
as fines shall be turned over to the prop
er custodian of the relief pension fund
OF the fire department of the District
The petitioners protest against this sec
ton of the bill for the following rea-
sons:
"First-It will tend to concentrate the
insurance business in the hands of a few
large corporations, and will better enable
them 10 maintain high rates and to crush
out all small competitors
''Second-It will deprive hundreds of
worthy, Industrious and deserving per-
sons from earning a livelihood and will
prevent nearly all the real estate brokers
who now pay $50 per year license from
engaging I'm the insurance business.
"Third-It is not a just and equitable
tax. because an agent who does a small
business, and represents no company ex-
cept as solicitor, pays the same license
as a broker who does a very large bust
ness. and represents many companies.
'FOurth-Because il imposes a license
tax upon the agent and solicitor and re-
lieves entirely insurance corporations.
which now pay. under the existing Law
SO each license tax, and l per cent tax
on gross receipts each year.
Fifth-Because no other trade or pro-
fession is required to pay license tax,
except real estate broker
We trust that you may report against
this provision OF the bill" the petition
continues, which requires the payment
Of license tax of 80 TO write insurance
in the District.
This provision is unjust. arbitrary and
absolutely unreasonable. Its tendency and
evident purpose Is to crush out all small
operators. and concentrate the entire in
suTance business in the hands of a favor
ed few.
In this day in which the public senti-
ment throughout the country is crystal
liZing against trust legislation and mon
opoly, we hope that through no action of
your honorable board will such unjust
and odious legislation be foisted on this
District TO the great injury Of the public
interested in low rates and to the oppres-
sion of the small operators"