Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1900-04-05

Mr.. FOSTERS STATEMENT.
Companyi Side Of Farmers' Mutual
Hail Insurance Matter.

tual Hail association, containing in
situations that there is somethin
wrong with the management Of tn
company, it is due to the farmers o
the State who hold policies in tn
company, now amounting to NOR
, than halfa million dollars, that thes,
inuendoes be squarely met.
This company was authorized to d1
business on the 9Th day Of January
| am now its president. Among tht
first officers were Hon. David Over
myer and DR.. H. A. Warner. These
gentlemen were on the board OF di.
rectors also. On the 22d day OF Jan.
uary, Messrs. Overmyer and Warner,
together with two other gentlemen
who we're on the board Of directors,
at their request, resigned. They
have given as their reasons that they
thought that the gentleman who fur.
nished the money for the organization
OF the company and to start this bus.
mess. asked OF them what they
deemed to be an unreasonable con-
tract. was then asked to become
its president and assume general
oversight Of the business. After care
fully investigating the matter, l be-
came convinced that the association,
il properly managed, would be good
thing for the farmers and the pro-
moters themselves. consented to
take hold Of the matter upon condi-
ton that | name majority Of the
directors. This was conceded me
and John V. Abrahams, DR.. +. De-
Obert and Captain H. f. Wentworth
were associated with me on the direc-
tory as a majority Of the board, there
being six in all. | have entire conf.
dence in these gentlemen. DR.. De-
Obert has lived in this city more than
twenty years and his integrity has
never been questioned. Mr.. Abra.
hams is young lawyer who has been
here about nine years. His character
and integrity is well established and
is not exceeded by any young man
OF his age. Captain Wentworth has
been doing an insurance business here
for many years and | have yet to hear
that his integrity has ever been ques-
TONED. The management of this
Is in our hands. have
givenits affairs careful personal at
tention, spending several hours each
day in the office of the company, and
believe know all about the doings of
my associates. The more | see of
them, the more am convinced that
they are all very reliable gentlemen
and believe Topeka should be glad to
nave them among her citizens.
We have about one hundred men
soliciting insurance for us in differ.
mt parts of this state and only two
lave been complained of so far as
,now. One Of these proved to be a
orger and has been prosecuted at
'ur request. The other misunder-
TODD some part of the bylaws, and
he first few days did business that
Vas'not satisfactory. These two are
he men who have given us some
rouble. From their work, comes the
ak about "wild cat" agents. |
'ould not expect one hundred men
elected to solicit for any purpose
'ould all prove to be angels. Rival
have forced the doing of
hese two men into prominence. !
egret that even two per cent of our
len should have caused trouble. |
ardly expected less.
The Oklahoma matter is simply
lis. In my opinion and that Of
'rmer commissioner Of our supreme
,urt now residing In Oklahoma, we
ave the right to do business in that
'rritory without a license. Some
cal rival companies there have
fought otherwise and the question
now being tested by the trial Of I
ne of our men for alleged violation
the Oklahoma insurance laws.
Our business is legitimate one
Id If properly managed will do good
the insured and the insurers. 1t {
mutual company and the best
suits will be obtained by the NUT
II interests of all being carefully a
larded. propose that the business 0