Evening star., 1900-04-02
LOCAL INSURANCE BILL
DISTRICT BUSINESS TAKEN Up BY
THE HOUSE.
The Measure Explained mt Length by
Representative Jenkins-Au COM
panfes Treated Alike.

Under the arrangement made last week
this District day in the House. and
after the transaction of morning business
Chairman Babcock was recognized by the
Speaker.
The first bill called up was House bill
92S3, to regulate insurance in the District
of Columbia. The bill was read at length.
1t consists of twenty-three pages, and. in
effect. has been published in The Star ere-
tofore. 1t establishes department of in
surance in the office of the assessor of the
District. with that official as superintend-
ent. standard form of fir, insurance
policy is provided. the New York state pol
icy being adopted. and regulations are pro-
vided for the conduct or companies doing
business in the District
Mr.. Hepburn Of Iowa thought the bill
should be considered in committee of the
whole, and upon the request of Mr.. Jenkins
of Wisconsin. in charge of the bill. it was
considered in the House as in committee of
the whole.
Mr.. jenkins Explains.
In response to a question from Mr. Hep
burn, Mr. Jenkins said that all the COM
panies would be treated alike. Mr.. Hep
burn then said that some of the foreign
companies would pay taxes in their own
states, and would be taxed here also.
Mr.. Jenkins said that all the companies
were represented before the committee and
their interests protected. He said that the
local board of underwriters had asked the
passage of an insurance bill. The COM
panies had been represented at the hear
1ngs before the Commissioners, and none
had dissented from the bill
No one need be afraid that these great
corporations he said. will not be looked
after. They have friends everywhere ex-
cept in heaven" Mr.. Jenkins then recited
the action of the District committee upon
the bill and the work of Assessor Oar
nellie in framing the measure, showing that
the fullest hearing had been given all in
terests concerned
The assessor told us this morning. said
Mr.. Jenkins, that every insurance COM
pany doing business here had given assent
to the bill Mr.. Jenkins then explained
the principal features of the bill in detail.
He said that while not intended as a reve-
nue. producer, the bill would increase the
revenues.
Mr.. Jenkins caused to be read a letter
from the assessor stating that some of the
foreign fire insurance companies charge
rates in this city in excess of the rates
the same companies charge in other cities.
On Behalf of Hartford Companies.
Mr.. Henry of Connecticut said that he
spoke IN behalf of the companies located
in Hartford, which have an aggregate cap
ital and assets of more than s2oo.o00,G0o.
He said they all pay heavy local taxes;
in fact, the insurance companies of Con-
necticut pay one-fourth of the state taxes.
The companies of the District, he said, pay
only a nominal tax.
Mr.. Jenkins said that on the contrary
the local companies are well taxed.
Mr.. Babcock said that in his opinion the
bill taxed the foreign companies too low.
They ought to be taxed 1 per cent instead
of the rate provided by the bill.
Mr.. Hepburn said the rate charged here
is just 100 per cent higher than is charged
by the same companies in other cities. One
of the local companies here which charges
50 cents on the hundred had written
policy in Philadelphia for b cents. He
thought the local companies should be
taxed 80 per cent on their premiums.
Mr.. Ray of New York suggested that the
property risks might not have been the
same. The character of the risk affects the
rate.
Mr.. Hepburn said he found in this bill ten
pages of exceptions The bill was one CT
twenty-three pages and ten of them ex-
enhpted the companies from liability
He held that the bill Disseminated largely
in favor of the local companies in the
question of taxation.
Alleged Discrimination.
Mr.. Russell of Connecticut said that he
was not the representative of corporations.
but the bill clearly in the interest of
local companies. because it Disseminated m
their favor
He said the chief burden of taxation upon
states, and the companies are not supposed
to bear the same taxes in other cities as the
local companies. For that reason the out
of-town corporations ought not to be taxed
equally with the home companies.
Mr.. Russell read an article from an insur-
ance journal criticising the placing of the
insurance department under the assessor
Mr.. Jenkins said the writer of that article
had gone to the assessor and recommended
that course. He now comes forward with a
criticism of it. That shows, said Mr. Jen-
kins. how much credit could be placed in
the article.