The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1902-07-31

Currin could not do, and he has since
lost all but two of his companies.
The Statesville Landmark of the
Doth ina timely and we'll considered
editorial on the Insurance Rate
War and Combines" says:
An insurance rate war which has
long been threatening, is now on in
| North Carolina. Some time ago the
Southeastern Tariff Association,
which represents practically all the
fire insurance companies doing bust
ness in North Carolina except what
are known as the Greensboro cOmpa-
MES, made an advance of % per
cent. in rates in North Carolina. The
Greensboro companies refused to
make the advance and the AssOcia-
ton threatenened to inaugurate a
rate war. The matter hung fire until
the latter part of last week when,
a final demand on the Greensboro
| companies to make the advance hav-
ing been refused, the promised rate
war was inaugurated with ven
geance. All agents who handle the
| business of the Greensboro cOmpa-
MES have been notified that they
must either cease to represent these
companies or the business of the AS
ISOLATION will be taken from them
Not only that, but persons who
carry insurance in the Greensboro
companies have been notified that
they must cancel this insurance or
! they cannot get insurance in any OF
the companies represented by the AS
ISOLATION.
This is an effort to cOerce with a
vengeance and the outcome will be
watched with interest. The Green's
bOrO companies are composed OF
home people with home capital
They have done quite a large bust
ness since their organization several
years ago. Because they do not
| ally themselves with the Southeast
ern Tariff Association and conform
to its rules but prefer to do business
in their own way, the Association
has repeatedly made them an object
of attack and has endeavored in one
way or another to njure them and
drive them out of business. This
last attack is the fercest yet made
and it is an evidence of the growing
power of cOmbinatiOns-Of trusts.
Certain business interests combine
and all similar business interests are
asked to Join in the combination If
any refuse an effort is made to de-
stroy that business. No matter
what the opinion OF a person or
company as to the propriety of the
combination; no matter how much
they may desire to continue to do
business in their own way, they must
yield to the combination or take the
risk of being crushed and the chances
are always against them.
1t does seem in cases OF this kind
that the public ought to take hand
in the crushing out business and di-
rect its efforts against the combina-
ton by refusing to give it business.
but generally the public doesn't take
any special concern in such matters
notwithstanding it is the people who
are vitality concerned. 1t does seem
too, that a law could be enacted
which would give some relief in the
premises, but so far all attempts in
that direction have resulted in prac
teal failure. We are no alarmist
but the steady advance of these com
binations in all lines of business
threatens the safety of every indie
, pendent business concern of whatevel
nature. Any OF us are liable to wake
up any day and find that combine
has been formed in the business il
which we are engaged, and if our bus
mess is of sufficient Importance thu
combine will buy it at it's own figure
or allow us to enter on terms named
by it, no matter how unsatisfactory
, the terms may be. Either that OF
be crushed out by the combine. Tn,
fruits of years of toll may be thus
taken away and those dependent OF
you may suffer. The combine has nc
concern about that. If you stand il
, it's way you must yield peaceably OF
! yield to force.
, By and by, when the force of tn,
combines is more clearly felt by al
, the people; when they come in dali,
, contact with their operations an(
see and realize the injustice, Their
will be some sort of a revolution an(
greed will be overthrOwn.