The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-12-23
Insurance Men Lose Fight Over
Small Agencies.
Amendment Levying Prohibit
tive License Is Lost.
VINEWOOD HEARD FROM
Mistake About Time Limit
Causes Discussion.
It Is Fixed But Nothing Was
Done "OfticiaIly.''

Small agents" in the fire insurance
business won a decided victory over the
so-called big agencies last night in the
city council by defeating the proposed
amendment to the new license ordinance
which imposed a prohibitcry license on
the small agents. The council voted 10
to against the proposed amendment
There was a large attendance of insur
ance men and the debate was at times
acrimonious.
In general the new license ordinance
was adopted as reported by. the license
committee. A number of grocers, in
Guiding E. Montgomery Tom Hanley.
Frank Newland and others. were pres
ent and succeeded in getting the license
on huclzsters raised from So TO $S5
year. This license is of course almost
Drohibitive 1t was claimed that the
hucksters pay very little tax. and take
away great deal of business from the
grocery stores The ordinance permits
a license for six months to be obtained
by hucksters for 500 Other changes in
the proposed ordinance were as follows:
The license On opera houses and the
aters was raised from $50 to 500 pei
annum: license on agents soliciting Or
defs, raised from SO a month to SO a
day gas companies, raised from 800 to
$50 per annum; electric light companies,
raised from $125 to $3.50 per annum.
Aside from these changes the ordi-
nance stands as heretofore published III
the State Journal.
The fight centered on sections 10, 20
and p of the proposed ordinance. These
were the sections relating to insurance.
The last section had to do with fire in
surance, and the ordinance as prepared
by the license committee provided for
tax of $25 on each company represented
by an agent. This is the way the ordi-
nance has stood for some time, and 1t
made it possible for an agent to repre-
curbstone rustling, or by insuring prop
erty under his control to make a good
thing Of the business.
It was claimed that the large agencies
which have several companies desired to
have the ordinance amended so that the
small agents would be taxed out of ex
istence.
Councilman Snyder. acting on behalf
of this faction of the agents, introduced
the following amendment:
Fire insurance brokers or solicitors,
or any person or firm who shall directly
or indirectly solicit any or all of the fol-
lowing kinds of insurance. viz, fire.
lightning, cyclone. tornado, windstorm.
accident, plate glass, health, employers
liability, steam boiler or elevator insur.
ance, 500 per annum. SO
Frank Thomas, who was the only rep
resentative of the big agencies present,
spoke in favor of this amendment. He
said:
There used to be ten insurance agents
here. Now there are CO. There are 80
curbstOne brokers' who have no Offices
pay no rents. but who are on hand the
minute a shovelful of dirt is thrown to
get after the insurance business. The
agents who have offices and pay taxes
here are entitled TO the same protection
that under this ordinance you have Civ
en- to other merchants. Fire insurance is
a commodity, under the decisions of the
courts, and I am selling a commodity
The difference is as 1 see it," inter
rupted Councilman Wolf, that these
smaller agents are our citizens, who
live here and pay taxes just like all the
rest of our citizens
NO, they are not our citizens" said
Mr.. Thomas.
Here is communication signed by
20 men asking the council to give the
small agents a show" exclaimed Coun-
Gilman Bergundthal jumping excitedly
to his feet.
I'm come to that presently" said Mr.
Thomas.
I know what you want" retorted
Mr.. Bergundthal you want to shut out
these small agents"
Later in speaking against the amend
ment, Mr.. Bergundthal said that it lis
as devoid of principle as a Mexican dog
is of hair"
Mr.. Bergundthal presented a commun-
ication to the council signed by the So
called small agents" asking that the
license on the fire insurance business be
cense committee The signers were
Luther c. Bailey, c. c. Bailey. Chas. F.
Thomas, r. A. Richards. w. H. East
man, C. B. Payne. A. K VanHook. J..
M. Briar, Chas. L. Gregg. James F. Grit
fin, L. W. Wilson, Marion Sheldon, NJ.
d. Henderson. A. D. Robbins, e. R.
Barnes. w. c. Stephenson. H. Radcliffe,
Oscar Bischoff and George NJ. Noble &
Co.
1t was stated by Mr.. Thomas that
among the agents who favored the
amendment were Nellis, Rodgers, Blake
ley, Forbes, GrolI & McKitr:ck. and Ell
lott & Criswel. James Brier made a
speech in which he denied this state
ment, and said that Blakeley, Elliott
Rodgers and Forbes were all opposed to
a 500 license. None of these gentlemen
were present to speak for themselves.
In the vote on the amendment, Council
men Snyder and Blossom voted aye,
and the other ten members no. On the
adoption of the section as reported by
the committee, the vote was to 4,
-