The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-02-10
(: UNDER THE DOME. /;


When the bill was presented to
change the Craig law so as 10
permit insurance companies to 90
business without becoming domestic
corporations upon condition that their Il
cense would be revoked i. thew took their
cases to The Federal cou.u. Judge GRAHAM
offered an amendment requiring chem 20
pay tax on the collections they ACTUALLY
made or policies in North Carolina Gul ing
the past two years. In support OF his
amendment Mr. Graham said
MIR. Speaker: | am not opposed 70 the
general provisions of this bill, but
think it should be amended so as to DO
justice between the companies and the
State Ii is stated that several Insurance
companies withdrew from the state III
consequence of the passage of ,he tralg
act. because they were unwilling 20 abide
by the provisions of that act And row
they ask that all provisions of said att
applicable TO insurance companies be re-
pealed, so that they may return to the
State and do business upon their own
terms | am in favor of doing all in
our power to encourage all legitimaae
business and enterprises within our State,
but when foreign corporations in CONTEMPT
OF our laws say they will not withdraw
and not live under them, then / say
the world is wide and you are welcome TO
seek business where you please, but If you
do business in North Carolina you must
obey North Carolina law Now, after
these companies pretended to leave North
Carolina. they still collect the premiums
upon the policies they had secured in
North Carolina thus carrying thousands
Of dollars out of our State to enrich
themselves and build up enterprises in
other State, all the time claiming they
were doing no business in North Carolina.
It is subterfuge and a bubble and
though their agencies have been with
drawn. still they are notifying their
policy holders to send their premiums to
the New York offices. Now, in order TO do
Justice between the State and these COM
panies who remained with us and obeyed
our laws and paid their tax, and those
who left, but now wish to return, l wish
10 amend section one of the act so as TO
provide that the insurance companies
which did withdraw their agents from this
State and continue TO collect premiums
from holders in this State, shall not be
licensed to do business in this State I'M
til thew shall have paid the tax upon the
amount of money collected from the peo-
pie Of this State, while they pretended not
to be doing business in the State. This
is fair, and Just TO the State adm those
who have paid their tax and obeyed our
laws and is not oppressive to those seek
ing legitimate business among us.
| know il is said that it is a small mat
ter to the insurance companies and that
they care nothing about it-why then do
we see such an array of the most eminent
lobbyists of the State here advocating this
bill? Are they induced only by consid-
eratons of lofty patriotism TO leave their
other business in order to instruct us
how to vote. Let us be just to our own
people and those vino come among us rem
dering cheerful obedience to our laws,
and make no distinctions favoring those
who have shown disposition 20 defy us.
II therefore favor the amendment; and
hope it will pass" 9"