The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-02-27
Senate Refuses to Pass an Insur-
ance Bill.
Measure Is Aimed at the Trust
Methods.
WAGGENER STILL Att
Introduces aResOIutiOn Explain
ing His Position.
Calls on Attorney General to
Take Legal Steps.

The senate this morning for the sec
ond time refused to pass a bill by Sen
ator Waggener seeking means of relief
for the public from the insurance trust.
Early in the session Senator Wag-
gener introduced such a bill. It was
killed. He then introduced a second bill,
having as its purpose the same relief as
provided in the first. This bill provided
that: 1T shall be unlawful for any fire
insurance company doing business in
this state to become a party to any
agreement or combination of any kind,
nature or description to fix or maintain
uniformity of rates for fire insurance
in this state.
1T shall be the duty of the superin-
tendent of insurance. on its being made
to appear satisfied that any fire insur-
ance company has violated or is vio-
lating the preceding section of this act,
or has fixed and is maintaining rates
as a result of any agreement or COM
binatiOn with any other company,
agency, or person. to forthwith cancel
the license Of any such company to do
business in this state, and, when so
Cancelled, such company shall not there
after. fer period of five years, directly
or indirectly, transact any fire insur-
ance business in this state"
Senator Brewer moved that the SEN
ate committee OF the whole recommend
that the enacting clause by stricken out
The motion carried
Senator Waggensr has attempted by
bills and amendments to bills to place
In the hands of the commissioner of
Insurance the right to revoke the per-
rnits of any insurance company IN a
pool or using a rate book
Senator Brewer, chairman of the
senate committee on insurance. has
uniformly opposed such measures ana
the statement has been made on the
floor that the superintendent of insur-
r10 iGh
power. Senator DumOnt Smith said
that the power should be vested in the
courts and not in one man.
The senate has killed every bill pre-
scented at the request of the insurance
department
Senator Waggener revived his fight
on the insurance trust by introducing
the following resolution:
Whereas, The governor. in his mes
sage, has called attention to the in
surance trust, and the continuous vio-
1ation and evasion OF the laws of the
state and.
Whereas, It seems that the people
can get no relief from this legislature,
by extending and charging the powers
of the superintendent of insurance,
therefore, be it
Resolved by the senate. the house
concurring, That the attorney general
be and he is hereby directed and in
structed to forthwith institute neces-
sary. proceedings. and invoke all exist
ing IeIneQleS TO DTeak up ana destroy
all pools, agencies, agreements and
combinations, of every kind, and ma
ture, intended and designed to fix and
maintain uniformity of rates, and
which tend to prevent free and unre-
stricted competition among fire insur-
ance companies
Resolved. That copy of this reso-
luton be delivered to the attorney
general
The senate this morning passed SEN
atOr Dumont Smiths concurrent reso-
luton providing for a commission to
investigate the trusts and report to
the next legislature. The governor is
TO appoint one senator and two repre-
sentatives on the commission. The
commission is to have the power to
summon and examine witnesses.
Senator Smith read an ANONYMOUS
letter threatening him if he continued
to rap the millers' trust.
The senate this morning passed the
ways and means committee bill to pro
vide for a state architect with a sal
airy OF $500 a year. The bill is for the
purpose of legalizing the Office of state
architect.
The senate this morning passed the