The herald., 1898-12-20
HOSTILITY OF STATE LEGISLA.
TURES A GREAT OBSTACLE
A NEW PLATE GLASS COMPACT
Wine Stored Underground-Bonds
Held by Banks-Dividend Notes.
Incorporations-Realty
OFFICE OF THE HERALD,
Los Angeles, Cal, Dec. i


Hostility to insurance appears to linger
in state legislatures to greater degree than
in almost any other quarter. The prisons
OF the country, the jails and penitentiaries,
do not harbor SO much unfriendlness to-
wards insurance companies and their busi
ness and interests as is manifested in almost
every session of our lawmaking assemblies,
says the Insurance Critic. Men are elected
to legislatures with little regard to what
their views may be on insurance matters.
When they are installed in office there
comes the opportunity to show what is in
them. Occasions also may arise to evoke
antipathies which had not before been felt
The persistent agitator against insurance
interests is always on hand, and his reitera-
tions are not without their influence Speci-
mems of his tribe are in the senate, in the
assembly, on important committees, and
are frequently a menacing power in the
lobby. The most seething and active hot
bed of antagonism to the business of insur-
ance is at present the legislature.
In almost every ether circle or reputable
people the objections formerly urged against
life insurance have for the most part been
dropped as invalid and utterly napplicable.
Not many years ago good people very gen.
orally felt that to have ones life insured
was an act of irreverence towards him with
whom alone are the issues of life and death.
Even when the increase of knowledge had
removed this false view it was still felt
that to insure would show distrust of that
providence that feeds the young ravens
when they cry. 1t is now seen, however,
very clearly by the same class of people that
used to make these objections that as under
the arrangements of providence we must
work to provide for our wants and to supply
the needs, present and future, of those de-
pendent upon us, so life insurance is simply
new way of doing this way that for
many persons is more available and feasible
than any other. There is still among well
meaning but misinformed and cranky peo-
pie an occasional spasm of violence against
the insurance of children, but with dimin-
ishng effects upon the public mind. In
surance of every description has, in fact,
vindicated itself to the understanding and
the heart of almost all men. There is little
hostility to insurance except in the legis-
lature.
Before the legislature the great and i'm
portant business of insurance looms up as a
shining mark, to be aimed at and hit. The
mind OF the senator or assemblyman per-
ceives there a mine of treasure to be drawn
upon, not, perhaps, for his own individual
benefit, but for so large repenishment of
the state treasury that the taxes of his con-
stituency may to the same extent be dimin-
ished. The impression is that the business
OF insurance is so immensely remunerative
and moneymaking that it can well endure
almost any amount of pressure in the way Of
taxation. Its gains are taxed. Its losses
are also taxed; that is, taxes are laid upon
its gross receipts, large portion of which
is consumed in indemnifying the damages
by fires. Fees also, for this, that and the
other thing are levied almost without end.
1t is repeated in every circumsta tance and
particular in every sovereign state and in
every territory in which the company is do
ing business. In Wisconsin it was
repeated for several years in the
past. If Cuba, Porto Rico and the Philip
pines do not follow in the same way it will
not be from the lack of the example that is
so conspicuous among their liberators.
Worse than all this are the strikesby means
OF bills introduced for the purpose of getting
pay from the companies as condition Of
withdrawing the obnoxious measures.
Legislators are not worse than other people,
but temptations best them. These temp
tations will be strong so long as people gen.
orally do not understand that the taxations
are in reality upon the policy y-holders. As
things now are the legislature is the reser-
yoir of hostility to insurance