The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-08-18

tendance Larger Than 1t Was at
the Convention OF Last Year.
MINNEAPOLIS, Aug. 1.-THE first
days session of the ninth annual con-
vention, National Association of Life
Underwriters, passed off very smooth
ly. The verdict now is that the local
association has made a success of its
undertaking. and, when the time for
final adjournment comes, nothing will
have been left undone.
The gathering at Century hall. where
the convention assembled, was larger
Than at Milwaukee last year, over $50
delegates and alternates responding to
the roll call. Before the call to order
there were mutual greetings, hand
shaking and other evidences Of the
friendly feeling that exists among the
rival insurance companies. Gov. Clough.
Mayor Pratt and Frank NJ. Joyce,
president of the local body, addressed
the delegates, bidding them welcome
to the state. city and hospitality of the
Minneapolis association. aided by the
citizens of the city.
The addresses of President Bowles
and f. c. Oviatt were heartily applaud
ed. and tomorrow the convention Will
settle down to hard work. That Is, the
morning will be devoted to business
and the afternoon to pleasure
The convention was opened with
prayer by Rev. J. ]. Faude, who closed
with the Lords prayer, in which the
entire assembly Joined.
Upon the motion of Mr.. Scott, or
Philadelphia, Willard Merrill, first vice
president ard superintendent of agen-
cies Of the Northwestern Mutual Life
Insurance Company of Milwaukee, was
asked to take a seat upon the plat
form He was there seated with Pres
ident BOWles, Secretary E. w. Christie,
Gov. Clough, Mayor Pratt, Rev. j. j.
Faude and President F. NJ. Joyce, Of
the local association.
WELCOME EXTENDED.
President Joyce, of the local associa-
ton. extended the welcome of the as
ISOLATION in a pleasing and happy ad-
dress. abiding wittily to the efforts Of
the Minneapolis association to secure
the convention for the year and their
pleasure over their success. His adj
dress related chiefly to the work Of
the national association, which, he
said. had been more effective in fur
thering the interests of the life in
suranCe business than all Of the legiS-
lation that has yet been enacted. For
this reason. and because he knew the
delegates were all royal good fellows,
he took especial pleasure in welcom-
ing the convention to Minneapolis.
Gov. Clough extended the welcome of
the state. He said;
l welcome you to a state within whose Dor
ders the members of your association can
with wisdom put forth their greatest efforts
to secure business. In no safe in our Union
Is the average health so good, or the average
length of life greater the expectancy OF
life longer. In no state, therefore, are life
insurance risks so desirable as in Minnesota.
I welcome you, then, to the state where good
health prevails, where clear sides are the
rule. where beautiful scenery and fertile soil
COnspire to make the farmers happy and pros
porous, and where the mines and forests en-
tribute their resources to bless and enrich
the tolers l welcome you not only DIS rep
resentatves of the greatest business intert SITS
of the United States, Of an interest that has
IN its keeping morL money than the banks
and trust companSs; l welcome you the
missionary agents of a better time to come,
the time dreamed of for ages by poets and re-
formers; l welcome you as men engaged In
teaching the world the virtues of prudence
and foresight-the virtues that lie at the
basis of personal independence, the virtues
which, when properly cultivated ard directed,
will largely do away with want here balow,
rob death. for countless thousands, of the
stings that those must feel who de thinking
OF the wives and children as necessarily de-
pendent upon an unfeeling world fer charity.
The keys of the city We're turned
over to the delegates by Mayor Pratt,
who paid a happy compliment to the
local association for the energy 1t dis
played in capturing the convention for
this year. He cleverly worked in a
paraphrase OF some of the insurance
mans stock arguments in connection
with an allusion to the opportunity Of
fered the insurance men of the coun-
try to visit this city. He said Min
neapolis good many years ago took
out a mutual policy in the Northwest
l. INT ~i-A h4
writer was Providence; the premium,
energy and push, and the guaranty
enduring prosperity. At the conclusion
of the addresses Of welcome Mr. Plum
mer, of Philadelphia, proposed three
hearty insurance cheers for state, city
and local association, which were given
with enthusiasm.
The following associations responded
to the roll call: Boston, Chicago, Cleve-
land, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana,
Iowa, Kansas City, Maine, Western
Massachusetts,, Michigan, Minneapolis,
Minnesota, Nebraska, New York city,
Eastern New York, Western New York,
Philadelphia, Pittsburg, San Francisco,
New Hampshire and Wisconsin.
PRESIDENTS ADDRESS.
President Bowles' annual address
was an able arraignment Of the
switching evil' and an appeal for
work toward some much-needed legis-
latiOn. The following Is an abstract:
For some years past, one Of the worst
evils in the field work of life insurance has
been the practice by some agents of under
mining the faith Of the assured in whatever
company he might be insured and by spe-
cious arguments, to induce him. if possible
70 change his insurance to another company
a practice probably more particularly in
dulged in by agents of the larger companies
toward the business of the smaller one The
unfortunate but general lack OF knowledge
OF the Insured of the insurance business and
OF a clear conception of the average policy
contract under which he is insured max s
it readily possible for the agent of questiona-
bic methods, avaricious to secure q commits
son to work great loss and injury to the
insured and to the business of life under
writing as a whole, by transferring policies
from one company to another.
The steps taken for the suppression of the
evil show that some Improvements are taking
place already, evidencing-and, in fact giving
every assurance-that the associations will
do everything possible to put down the prac-
tice.
This evil is closely allied to the one of re-
batting which the associations have fought 90
bravely to crush out, as it usually REQUIRES
the skillful hand OF the rebater to most sue
cessfully ply the profession Of the 'twister -
The question Of unjust legislation which
- has been working against the business of life
insurance in very many states for a num-
Ser of years past and which, If not arranged
will become a serious menace to the business
IS matter that deeply interests every life
underwater in the country. Until the last year
or two the insurance companies have been
able to look after these measures and in the
main to prevent the passage of hostile legis-
lation; but with the rapid growth of preju-
dice of late against all moneyed corporations
even the benefcent institution Of life in
. surance has been made to suffer from the
.fo Nd Ion i,ap oco1 -,