The Columbus commercial. (Columbus, Miss.) 1893-1922, 1902-07-15
THE IHsURRHcaE SITUATION.

~ otafkVliIe correspondent &c
the Memphis Morning News
states the situation in regard to
cotton insurance as follows:
| enclose a clipping from the
Review of June 19, a paper de-
voted exclusively to insurance
interests, regarding the cotton in
terests in this state. You will
notice that the insurance compa-
nies are not SO much wrought up
over the situation as some jour-
nails would make believe. The
point overlooked by the newspa-
pers IS the interest of the produc-
er. Does it hurt him? Yes. AS
long as the congresses and banks
are wrought up and their pocket
book nerve touched, the average
man does not care a rap, for he
is not interested directly, but
when the grower or farmer is the
man that it hurts then the legis-
Iator and the prospective candi-
date for political honors opens
his eyes. The price of cotton in
Mississippi, except in border
owns, owing to the buyer being
lnable to procure the proper in
urance collateral will be from
l-2c to 1c cheaper to the produc-
II than in other southern states.
Thisis 80 for the reason that the
uyer, being unable to get the ad-
quate insurance and the enor-
nous increase in expense of
tandling by marks and numbers,
9th to himself, the compress
md the banks, takes heavy
dances and in order to take
tese chances forces the prices OF
ctton down to protect himself.
There is no way of getting
aound tin the long run the
frmer is the one most hurt. The
frmer not only loses but the
pemium income on which taxes
are paid is lost tog the people of
tha state and outside states are
baefitted. The congresses lose,
coital is idle, labor is unem-
phyed and competition among
bgers destroyed, for the little
mn is forced out of business on
acount of being unable to stand
a hss without insurance. OBJ
nGious laws areAhard on individ-
us' as well as companies and
beaefit a few to the detriment of
may. Rates in Mississippi are
higer than any other state in !
theU nion, and losses are heav-
decomposition less and rascality
mos and laws worse. Will some :
some reason? Does it
seer to you that it is because the
lawakers have been working on :
theVrong theory? Hundreds of +
melin the the state are needing !
instance and yet cannot get it +
on acount of the companies not p
beirg willing to take their q
chanes in the courts should there
be aeontest.
Tothe foregoing the Greenville d
Democrat adds the following: fl
Th above article which ap- q
peapi in the Memphis Morning ~ :,
Newof Tuesday states the situ-
ationaccurately, and when we r
5toph calculate the loss to Mis-
5issipians from the insurance
aws,sstounding results are be- O
iore d. If the farmers lose 1-2c ii
per pund on the cotton produced o.
n thsstate, fixing the crop at ol
only 900, 900 bales, the loss ag- u
yregass Sc, 500, 900, a sum suffic- W
ent tsustain the state admins tt
'ratioafor a year, including the OF
oensias to old soldiers and the g
comma school appropriations.
Sonthing should be done and re
ioneg once. The situation is ,
IN exaordinary one and extra III
'rdinsy measures should be al
ldopta to correct the evils
'omingin troops from a law that
he insrance companies can use
o harass and oppress. fr