The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1904-05-14
They Ignore Commissioner
Demand to AnswerQuestions.
The Fire Under writers Will Also APP.
peal to the Courts IL
Necessary.
RADICAL CHANGES PROPOSED

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missioner Henry Prewitt some time
since demanding that certain search
ing questions asked in the circulars
be answered before q notary by May
is, or the license of the agent refus-
ing to answer will be revoked. Thu
questions most Objectionable, it seems.
are those relating to rebating, and
over these there promises to be warm
contest. If it is undertaken to re.
woke any licenses, the matter will
doubtless find its way into the courts.
The claim of many agents, backed
by good lawyers, is that the commits
sioner has overlooked his hand. Re.
batting is unlawful, and is punishable
by n heavy fine. To ask a man such
questions as are propounded by the
commissioner is virtually asking him
il he is guilty, and trying to make
him answer The constitution, claim
the insurance men, protects every citi-
zen from the necessity Of incriminst-
ing himself. He cannot be made to
answer question which may incrimi-
nate him, and therefore, they argue,
they cannot be compelled TO ans wer
questions regarding Relating.
The insurance men say Mr.. Prewitt
has no right to cancel the license of
any agent except of the company il
found to be insolvent, or unable TO
comply with the state laws. He has
the power to have an agent prosecuted
for violating the anti-rebste law. for
which the penalty is fine in any sum
not exceeding $500, to be recovered
by action in the name of the common
wealth, on collection paid into the
state treasury. The law does not give
the Commissioner any authority to re-
woke license for Relating. the insur
ance men claim.
1t is understood that numerous
agents of different companies through
out the stste have refused to sign the
questions II 10 also stated that il the
commissioners attempts to carry out his
threat to revoke licenses he will be
promptly enjoined.
1t is said that this circular letter
tends strongly in the interest of one
of the large companies whose agents
have been writing what is called
"iysr's insurance up to the first of
the present year, that is to say by
practically giving away the full first
years premium, in order to show an
sbnof1ial amount of bushes, on the
books ss having been written. 1t is
said that one company by these meth
DDS write the enormous volume of
e12. 900. geo in Kentucky last year. In
requiring answers under oath to the
commissioners questions II is thought
that the agents of all companies will
be afraid to offer any concessions for
new insurance, in which event the
large part of the business written last
year by the company alluded to, might
be saved on the books by the collection
of the second annual premiums in
full
1t is admitted by the insurance men
that the practice of Tebating is gen.
eral. They say that IL il impossible to
stop it, in view of the fact that an
agents commission is his own, and
that he may give up any part of it
that he sees fit.
Several Paducsh insurance men
stated today that they have ignored
the commissioner letter. while others
answered some of the questions. Ons
agent stated that only one agent in
the entire city filled ont the blanks
answering all the questions.
"The letter." stated one. mot only
requires that certain questions be
answered, but that they be sworn to
before q notary. An official has no
more right to make a man go before
notary and swear that he is not dis
honest, than he has to make him
swear that he is dishonest. There Is
no way to prevent relating. Ii Is
probable that meeting will be hsld
IN Paducsh this summer seeking sn
agreement among all the agents in the
districts not to rebate. 1t may be
stopped that way"
Mr. Ahxam Veil has returned from