The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-05-27

three, by $4,000, and above all Kansas
leads our closest rival, Illinois, in
wheat and corn product values, over
one and three-quarters dollars. For
five years ending with 1900, Kansas
produced wheat and corn worth seven
teen millions dollars more than any
other state in the union.
Members of this convention should
know that your meetings are being
neld near the geographical center of
the United States. OF course the ma
tional capital is now at Washington,
but some time the western people will
demand a removal and the Kansas
man will go down and bring the whole
works out here. We do not now have
Ia place to put the capitol for the
United States, but we are having a
circus on the state house grounds and
can probably find a place for the
building when we get ready.
According to her population Kan
sas mas more churches, school houses
and newspapers than any other state
in the union. Members of this conven-
ton have seen examples of newspaper
enterprise in this city of which we are
very proud. And we believe, that
Kansas newspapers and Kansas news
paper men are like all the people of
the state-the salt of the earth. So it
goes in everything. Live stock, horses,
mules, nogs, cats and dogs, watches,
pianos, rubber tired carriages and
finger bowls abound in greater num-
bers in Kansas than in any other state
in the union.
Kansas artists exhibit paintings in
Europe; Kansas soldiers are always
first over the walls of foreign forts;
Kansas jockeys pilot King Edwards
horses to victory; the Kansas man
pOurs quinine and lead into the Fill
pinOs; the Kansas man escaped prose-
cution in the Cuban postal scandals
while the fellows from other states
didn't. Kansas horses hold worlds
records and a Kansas man exposed the
corruption in Washington official life.
Il have told you these things to i'm
press upon your minds the fact that
Kansas is a leader. Interested as you
are in mutual fire insurance, desire
to call your attention to the fact that
considering the time the Kansas COM
panies have been doing business; con-
sidering also the number of COM
panieS engaged in business, Kansas
has written more mutual insurance
and paid more for fire losses than any
other state represented in this cOnven-
ton.
''The Kansas insurance department
believes in a fire marshal law. Mr.
Luling, the present superintendent of
insurance, while a member of the leg
islature obtained by the house the
passage of a fire marshal law which
was killed in the senate. Another eff
fort will be made to secure legislation
Of this character.
1.-The insurance company has no
protection from the torch. If a COM
pany believes that an individual has
destroyed the property of his neighbOr
in a spirit of vengeance; or burned
his own property to obtain the inSur
ance, and the company thereupOn at
tempts to esta blish such as a fact, the
company not only pays the fire loss
but takes chances on a damage suit.
The sanctified Kansas hen, sitting on
her perch at night, is protected by a
five year sentence in the penitentiary
against disturbance by the fellow with
a gunny sack in one hand and sui
phur match in the other.
THE assets and capital of a mutual
company consist largely of two ele-
ments: character and agency force.
Without these success is difficult to
achieve. Members of this association
would not entrust the character build
ed in a life time to irresponsible per-
sons; neither should you knowingly
place the character of the company
which YOU have builded under many
discouraging circumstances in the
hands of irresponsible agents. Good
agents obtain good business; good
business means good companies; good
companies mean the ultimate success
of the principle in which you are all
| interested and are here to maintain
Discussing the philanthropy of
the insurance business, the speaker
said:
''At an annual meeting of directors
and members of an insurance COM
pany there was much enthusiasm over
! the successful business of the preced-
/ ing year. One of the enthusiastic di-
rectors suggested a contribution to
/ the poor. In supporting this idea an
other director discussed fat length the
advantage of charity and said: BY
all means we should make some dona-
ton; recognize the poor people by CIV
| ing them something. I suggest we
! give them three cheers.