The independent., 1903-04-16
THE LEGISLATURE OF NEBRAS-
KA STOOD LOYALTY BY HOME
LIFE COMPANIES AND
AGAINST
THE LIFE INSURANCE TRUST
Every Bill and Every Amendment
Proposed by the Aliens Was
Defeated.

Whatever else may be said of the
legislature just adjourned, it must be
given credit for refusing to counte-
nance any scheme concocted by the
agents of alien companies to harass
and embarrass the home life and ac-
cident companies and fraternal socie-
ties" said B. H. Robson, president of
the Bankers Reserve Life, as he
turned from the accumulated corre-
spondence covering his desk in the
home office Of the company in Omaha.
THE alien combine, headed. by a
shrewd New York attorney, sought to
defeat the will of the people declared
in both party platforms for tax up
on nonresident life insurance compa-
MES. One general agent of an alien
company, a member of the house,
made the speech of his life against
this just and proper tax, in which he
made a personal unwarranted and
pusillanimous attack upon me and
the Bankers Reserve Life. The legis-
lature by an overwhelming majority
fixed the tax at per cent of the gross
premiums, thus adding to the revenue
of the state $4,000 per year.
"The alien agents attempted to in
corporate a provision into the law
which would render the nonresident
life insurance company section uncon-
stitutional, but the legislature cut this
ont.
with a general agent of one of
the great eastern life companies in a
position of influence in the legislature.
the aliens seemed sure they could en-
act some sort of law to cripple the
home companies. The Nebraska Life
Underwriters association therefore
drafted two bills and caused them to
be introduced. Both we're vicious
measures and would have been a
serious hindrance to the home COM
panies. The member of the legisla-
ture who is general agent of an alien
company by main force dragged one
of these bills out of the hands Of the
house committee on insurance and
the sitting committee, but the house
buried it too deep for resurrection.
The other was SO rank that neither
the senate nor the house committee
would recommend it. 1t was known
as H. r. 429.
'"The bill which the house killed"
after hearing an eloquent speech in
its favor from the speaker, and after
he had amended it somewhat, con-
tanned the following provision:
mo life insurance company or mu-
tual benefit association shall make
any contract that provides for subse-
quent financial benefits to some mem
bers at the expense Of other members,
etc This was clearly intended to
pTCulUlL tuS luuLud1 dSoCSoAlShN AAAS
companies in this state from doing
business. 1t would cut out also great
assessment companies like the Bank
ers Life of Des Moines. A mutual as
sessment life company called the Ne
braska Mutual Aid association at
Strom8burg, which has over $4,000
900 in force, and the Scandinavian Mu-
tual Aid association at Minden has
over 100000 at risk. A third COM
pany at Alliance, Neb., which has
over 100000, although not yet year
old The aliens sought to repeal our
mutual benefit law by this bill.
'"The other bill was directed espe-
cially at the natural premium and
stipulated premium companies. 1t died
in the committees Of both houses and
the special representative of the life
insurance trust refuses to be CON-
forted.
Another bill known as s. F. 25i
and H. r. 427 was sgreed to by John