The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-09-16
Mayor Bergundthal Delivers
Address of Welcome.
WORK is REVIEWED.
President Gasche Says Result
Has Been Gratifying.
Makes Suggestions to Improve
Mutual Insurance.

| fire and hail insurance companies in
Kansas are represented by the 20 or so
| delegates to the fourth annual meeting
of the Kansas State association at the
National hotel. These companies are
| cooperative, have a membership almost
exclusively of farmers and have been
proven to be simple and effective agen-
eies of insurance against fire and hail
losses by two decades OF trial.
There are Is or more of these cooper
ative companies in the state. the direc-
/ tory of the last annual state meeting
showing the following companies in the
state association: The Alliance Coop
erative Insurance company, Topeka; the
| Farmers Alliance Insurance company,
Mcpherson; the National Mutual Pro-
tective association, Pittsburg; the Kan
SaS State Mutual Hail association, Me
! Pherson; the Farmers Mutual Insur-
ance company, Ell Dorado; the Bremen
Farmers Mutual Insurance company,
/ Bremen; the Farmers Mutual Hail as
sociation, Topeka; the Kansas Farmers
Mutual Fire Insurance company, Beloit;
| the Kansas Farmers Mutual Insurance
company, Upland; the Mennonite Mu-
4 tual Fire Insurance company, Newton,
Kan; the Republic County Mutual Fire
Insurance company, Belleville; the
Nemaha Mutual Fire Insurance COM
-NeN'-
Fire Insurance company, Lindsborg; the
| Blue Valley Mutual Fire Insurance COM
pany, Marysville
! Two days viii be required to canvass
! the programme OF work that has been
] laid out for this annual meeting. Mayor
/ Bergundthal made the address of well
come before the meeting in the parlor
of the National at O'Clock this morn
ing. He assured his audience of his
appreciation OF the Importance of the
4 interests represented by them, and of
the welcome given by the city to its
visitors. l4e paid to the men who had
represented the state organization at
the national meeting in Chattanooga an
acknowledging OF the appreciation
of the city and the state for their
/ efforts which resulted in securing for
Topeka the next national meeting in
May. sS04. 'aa.4s-
A clever response was made by john
D. Milliken of Mcpherson, who was a
member of the Kansas delegation at the
Chattanooga meeting. Mr.. Milliken has
been active in the organization of mu-
1 tual insurance companies in Kansas and
| belongs to one of the strongest in the
state. 1t was principally through MS ei-
| fort that the next national meeting was
brought to Topeka. About 500 delegates
from all parts of the United States will
attend that meeting whose dates will
be from May % to 20.
In a brief recount of the progress of
the year made by mutual companies in
I Kansas President w. B. Ciasche of Hart
ford said, in the course of his annual
address this morning:
! THE progress with mutuals of our
state during the past year has been
gratifying. At the end of the year the
total amount of insurance carried ex-
elusive of hail was $51 003, ,634, being a
net gain of $5,61S,129 during the year.
As a matter of fact it is already ap-
parent that the gain for the current
year will exceed that of any previous
year. This is All evidence of the grow
ing popularity of the mutual plan. AS
an aid to the successful and equitable
management of the different companies
of the state the recommendations Of
fered last year are again submitted
These are: First, increase the rate on
tenant property. Second, adopt equ1t-
able live stock rates and rules. Third,
| collect a sufficient initial amount to
cover the expenses and to pay for
| carrying the risk at least a year. In
TIE interest of the association 1t Is rec
| commended that the bylaws be amend
ed so as to provide for graduated
membership fee, annual dues and vote
| corresponding thereto, corresponding to
the revised bylaws of the National as
sociation This will produce larger
revenue and an increased representa-
tion in the meetings of the state associ-
| ation.''
An address which opened up an inn
portant subject before the state asso-
citation was made by w D. Cilp1n. on
the subject E1ne 1TacllCdOlllly VI lAAC
! Classification of Farm Risks. After
the address, on motion committee
was appointed which will later make
recommendations for legislation by the
state meeting 1t VIII be the purpose
Of this proposed legislation to lay be-
fore each member of the state associa-
ton a plan of classification for all farm
risks with the recommendation fon its
| adoption. The laws of Kansas provide
for the classification of insured prop
erty a bad risk to be insured at a
greater cost than good risk The mu-
tual insurance companies have neglect
ed the advantages of this provision of
the state law to a greater extent thai
any other insurance organizations,
with the result that many of them
have suffered severely from unfortun-
ate risks while many have thrown out
certain classes altogether.
Mr.. Giloin said:
Considering co-incurance. Two vital
/ questions confront each company. First.
is the property insured for too great a
proportion of its value? Second, is the
property insured for too small a proper
/ ton of it's value? In the first instance
an owner may become Indifferent and
carelessly allow his property to burn,
which might be to his advantage. In
/ the second case on an average the
company does not receive enough for the
risk assumed and the owner more in
demnity than he pays for. The problem
of securing a uniform relation beiWeeII
insurance and value is now more care
: fully considered by our companies than
ever before / believe that farm risks
should be classified in not less than
from fifteen to twenty classes. Wneli
records are kept in this way It will be
possible to tell which classes are paying
their way and which are not
1t is anticipated that this convention
will result in important progress in the
! direction of securing the equitable risk
rating recommended by Mr.. GilDin, a
4 thing proven TO be 4 necessity for the
| successful existence of the mutual
| coTnpansa=-
The election of officers will be held