The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-10-22
WILD CAT" AGENTS
 ARE DENOUNCED
Fire Insurance Men of the U. s.
 Meet in Louisville.
CAPT. ]. s. SMITH SPEAKS
WeIl-known Citizen of Birmingham Is Selected to Respond to the Ad- dress of WeIcome-Inter-
 esting Discussion.

Louisville, October 21.-Among the most important matters considered at today's session of the National Association of Local Fire Insurance Agents, assembled here for their annual convention, was the report of the legislative committee which was read by Emmett Rhodes of Auburn, N. T., and which in addition to denounc- ing the so-called wild cat fire insurance companies, urged a more general super vision of insurance interests by the fed eral government. The report also recom- mended the resident agents law; the adoption of a standard policy law for each state, and a more uniform system of making reports to the various insur- ance and levying taxes.
 A resolution which created some com- ment, but which was finally referred to the committee on resolutions, condemned the preferred business system of com missions, and urged tho limiting of the number of agencies in given territory. according to the premium receipts there in.
 Rerating Necessary.
 Another resolution urged upon the com panies the necessity of prompt re-rat- ing by simple, comprehensive schedule of all risks on which an advance of 25 per cent was made. This also was re- ferred t5 the committee on resolutions. There was considerable favorable com ment among the delegates upon the re- port of the grievance committee, which stated that complaints of overhead writ ing had absolutely ceased except upon Kentucky whisky, and in the re-insur- ance of the shore end" of marine poli- cies on cotton.
 At tonight's sessions of the convention, after the transaction of some routine bus mess. John Marshall, Jr., of Chicago, as- sociate manager of the Firemen's Fund Insurance company, delivered an address on What Does the Company Expect of the Local Agents?' In response, Edward B. Case of Chicago spoke on What Does the Agent Expect of the Company" A general discussion of those addresses con- cluded the nights meeting.
 The convention was called to order at Music hall here this morning by Pres ident George D. Markham of St. Louis in short speech, in which he introduc- ed General John B. Castleman of this city, who delivered the address of well come.
 Captain Smith Responds.
 This was responded to by Capt John G. Smith of Birmingham, Ala.,. and after the transaction of some routine business President Markham delivered his annual address. He referred to the harmony that had existed in the insurance busi- ness during the past year and to the tendency of insurance companies to check the recklessness and eagerness of competition instead of placing their faith in increased premium receipts to pull them through. Regarding the rebate evil, as he called it. President Markham said:
 '''fhe time has come to strike the re- l bate evil and this convention must de- clare the destructive effects of that prac- 1 tice to the end that no offending agent may have any doubt as to the feeling of all honest men regarding the rebate and 1 that no insurance company may justify itself in the enjoyment of business thus l obtained"
 Alabama Alone.
 MT. Markham also stated that the pro- vision of bylaw number 4. which pro- vides that the state association should obtain the approval of the national legis- lative committee for all laws which the state associations intended to champion | in the state legislature, has been ap- proved by twenty-seven states, Alabama being the only state to refuse it's ap- proval, while ten state associations failed | to reply.
 The single agency question then was considered at length, MT. Markham re- viewing the work that had been done and the differences of opinion existing
 The remainder of the morning session and part of the afternoon was occupied by the reports of the various officers and committees, after which an address on "the sole agency and the expense question" was delivered by A. W. Neale of Cleveland and E. P. Y. Day of What com, Wash. spoke on ''The Washington | Insurance association"
 Then at the conclusion of roll call of | the various states, the convention ad- 1 journed until o'clock tonight.