The Saint Paul globe., 1905-03-25
INSURANCE AGENTS
MAKE LOUD PROTEST
Assert That Committee Bill
Cuts Down Their Com.
missions

The house insurance committee, just
when it thought it had the question
of fire insurance rates all amicabfy ad-
,justed, was confronted with an eftfre-
ly new phase of the situation yester-
day.
Insurance agents of the Twin Cities
swooped down on the committee and
protested vigorously against the COM
mittee bill that was supposed to close
the breach between the people ana the
companies. The agents with one; ac-
cord declared that they were being
made the victims of the generosity OF
the companies in agreeing to'the bill.
Representatives of the companies had
told the special committee of the house
that they would reduce rates on dwell
ing insurance risks 10 per cent if the
committee would agree to the other
terms they offered. 1t was pointed out
that a saving of $150,000 would be
made annually to the assured of the
state by this concession. The commit
tee took the attorney for the compa-
MES at his word and drew a bill that
limited the agents commissions to 15
per cent on all risks.
Agents Present Objections
But the agents came in yesterday
and insisted that the bill will mean
saving to the companies of 100000 in
stead of S150,000. They ask where the
other half of the big money goes. In
other words they insist that the big
fire insurance companies have entered
into league with the legislature to take
their commissions from them.
IF the legislature discovered that
passenger rates on the railroads are too
high, would it Immediately reduce the
wages of the trainmen?" asked w. Y.
Dennis a Minneapolis insurance man.
IF the committee had been sitting for
weeks and had found that the primary
cause of excessive rates was exorbitant
commissions paid, they would do that
very thing" responded Fred G. Brown,
attorney for the insurance companies.
Cut in Commissions
The agents were formerly receiving
% per cent on the business for which
the committee bill fixes Is per cent as
the maximum under the law. w. /.
Fisher, secretary of the state board of
underwriters, is in Chicago, and on
Monday at a meeting of the Western
Union board it is expected to secure
authority for the reduction in Mime
sofa rates contemplated by the COM
mittee bill.
Among those who appeared yesterday
and spoke against the bill were: Free
man P. Lane, ]. c. Mcintyre, E. j. For
ester and H. w. Freeman, all of Min
neapolis. A number of st. Paul insur-
ance men were present but did not
pafIlclpate IN the discussion.
The committee gave a hearing to the
opponents of the Fosseen bill, prohibit
ing the removal by the defendants to
the federal courts of cases brought
against insurance companies. The bill
was later recommended to pass The
Wyman bill, requiring the distribution
of the surplus earnings of insurance
policies among the policy holders, and
the Peterson bill, declaring that suicide
shall not be a bar to recovery on the
face of a life insurance policy, were
both agreed to by the committee.
New House Bills
H. F. No TAI: BY Bennett-Enabling
parties to action in the district court to
secure impartial judges at hearings. Ju-
dietary
H. F. No. 72S: BY Hinton-Appropri-
ating $4,000 in aid of state farmers insti-
tutes. Appropriations.
H F. No. 729: BY Hammergren-Pro-
hlbltlng telephone companies from charg-
ing toll for messages between cities ad-
joining or adjacent to each other. Cor
porations.
H. F. No 100: By Craig (by request)-
Fixing tax of one-fifth of mill in aid of
the state soldiers home. Soldiers home
III. F. No. 731: BY Lemon-Prohibiting
into contract with cities of SO 900 and
over until the contract has been pub
nShed at least four weeks in a newspaper
Ramsey and Hennepin delegations.
II. F. No. 1872: BY Hickey (by request)
Prescribing the duties of building in
sey and ST. Louis delegations.
ID. F. No. 133 BY Haskell-Providing
for chief clerk at a salary of $1,000 a
year and Stenographer at a salary of