The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-01-07
..T l.GO!lPaGT LAW. :
The Act 0utIaWing the South
eastern Tariff Association Said
10 Be Harmful 10 The Public.

Association OF Fire insurance Agents
in GreeRyille on December 3lst the
following paper was read by Mr.. /.
Moses Of this city. The paper
made SO favorable an Impression that
It mas published in full in the Green
vile News:
THE ANTI COMPACT Law.
accept with great deal of pride
the Initiation CT our President to con-
tribute in yery feeble way, to what
should be a common cause, not only
to fhe insurance agents, but to the
snsuring public. which IN my humble
opinion, the discussion OF the Issue at
hand is necessitated only through the
IGNORANCE Of insurance matters, Of not
onl our public generally, but our law
makers themselves, and you will notice
with regret fhate4the mosts OF our
syinpSshizers n poSers sra those, Who
aaga been directly N eontacs with,
OF aaxe had the actual experiences OF
SSnssssiag, as either local agents, or as.
1naer q teI 8
re must Grst eliminate shat pre-
Sudice from the minds oe Cur legisla
Sons oEs shs ati-SrEstslla n is itsss
rinsssss raiS, sud aeonyinee them by
FeFs n Shas II Prohibiting
ss,e orerstion 81 tho tariff association
81 our State. that they will eventually
dspriye themselves and the people they
venr oS the pE0kacficn Rlch
Esas gns neeei 20
ali bSsSz ls5aEssSdE 10
@ sESascial sSgossssS ElEsrSce:
TO issnted.
REGARDLESS os laws Of what eveS ma
E1ra they mar bes tho right will still
30 soeEIaa1ds
syss cogpp He'd 10 Rets or
xszs5E1 Sl3s5 EsSsSa.
has sea osced apaa zs,
Elllsl proper inYestiga-
SfSS or research On the p81tzof It's
4aagsr 9 haresese nosssar1 ~
iSc1lSSYsys oE sEs lasl issiuHY.. they ares
sl1es and their people. He
tssr aETGs rs much TO Jlls state,
@ hSs naopIe and 20 the serious inter
sesE inFoaHeG.
The zuss law not only de-
issiizeng of Insurance. protec-
ion lbTl,bt sshe greas good to be
from The inspactions ofs o1g
propesties By Sthe Soufh Eastern
Tariff Association. and the representa-:
tiTes Of that worthy organization the
Southern Inshsesio1 BgSsans ShesabIal-
~ oe whom 60 determine hazard is
nnouessioned. The result has no
do1bt bssn $sha fpropeEey owner
has beer made 10 suffer losses, as well
as the Insurance companies, that could
hsys been averted she simple
suggestion OF an expert, progided te1r
DgoDle. I may say, free Of charge, by
taese organisations. Does it not stand
20 season that the insnsed SIS Aaez
even loser, either 9y Necessary;
Increase Of rate, or BY the absence or
q company TO assunls this liability for
him.
j am indebted to one of our able
insurance publications for valuable
information. so the effect. that, a
-sleeision was rendered in the Federal
cours of Nebraska, in fayoE of the
INSURANCE company, In a suit for
violation Of the Antitrust Law, pre-
dominating IN that state. The decision
rendered provided that Class legis-
lation is unconstitutional the e1eep-
ton being. the permission OF trades
nniens and other bodies organized to
enforce their demands. The result of
the appeal to the Supreme Court WILDE
awaited with great deal Of interest.
Much depends upon it. In the language
cf the editor, all such laws devised to.
prevent sensible agreements on rates,
will fall TO the ground. This class
legislation exists in our own state, and
{ believe, if we are compelled to bring
the matter to decisive issue, that
the companies would readily agree to,
similar move, especially if imbued
With the success OF their fight for right
IN. Nebraska.
But the fight must begin at once and
IN earnest, and gith the local agent.
IF we do not take q hand, as an IN
dividuat and as body, then we need
not hope for a repeal. It should be.
the object Of every local agent to con-
Tince his local representative that the
loyal maintenance Of rates, by the.
agents, ander this law, IS proof OF the
fact that the Antitrust law is not
working ko4the good Of the insured IN
that respect, aud certainly working
to bis hurt. in many Others. In the
words of another editor, The lsgisla-
tive gun heavily loaded and aimed at
insurance companies often kicks and
does more damage at the butt, than at
the muzzle.' % As in several of our
cities, applicants for reduction in
rates, On account of Improvements IN
Drotsction and construction, have been
repeatedly, but respectfully refarred
70 the Anti-compact Law of South Caro-
lima. / belie7e that il these occurrences
were multiplied and presented to the
public Systematically, that we would
soon be rid of these obnoxious inter-
ferences, and receive the recognition
of the right. to transact legitimate
business, by legitimate methods, which
the insurance business rightfully de-
mands.
It seems to me that it would require
no argument to convince the most
skeptical, with the least knowledge Of
the hazardous experiences of fire insur-
ance companies, in this state as well
as others, that cheap rates, to the most
substantial of companies, must even
+uajIv result IN worthless protection,