The San Francisco call., 1906-06-26
Concentration Of the Many Commercial Interests Is
Effected to Compel Dishonest Insurance
Companies to Deal Fairly.
Attitude Is Also Taken to Act Justly With Those
Corporations That Are Showing Good
Faith Toward Their Clients.

When Colonel Harris Winstock
called the meeting of commercial poll
icy-holders to order in the Calvary
Presbyterian Church yesterday he made
a speech, in which he described the
causes that had led 10 the assembling
OF so many business men. He spoke as
follows.
Separately each of US would find
nlinSet at the mercy of the unscrupu-
Ious IN the insurance business. No one
~ Is Ahsie, however big and strong
Sah nope TO battle successfully with a
large group Of insurance companies
oent upon wearing out the victim. Col
lecllnely, however. we are a power that
no group Of insurance companies can
nope 70 ignore o. 10 defy
BY joint action we shall not only
~ nave t'.e!l on oGr side the law of right and
2A Jusuce, bat the law Of might as we'll
We can bargain collectively with far
greater prospects Of success than we
can singIy. Collectively we can de-
mana justice where singly we must
stand humblE, nat in hand awaiting
lne pleasure Of the men who. viii
grudgingly throw US a dole and ex-
press surprise at our lack of gratitude
take II that there is no member OF
lne commercial organize ations of San
Francesca VINO desires IL is TO do the
1easl injustice 10 any insurance COM
panE anywhere or to make unreason-
aole oem5 nCs or 10 needlessly hurt the
leeAngs oi any underwater.
/ personally know Of instances where
insurance men who have been over
Whelfneo by this calamity nave work ed
heI IOlcsiliN 20 meet the stupendoUs dis
aster winch overlook their enterprises
ano who. a the close of a long and
hitherto successful career. stand ready
10 DeSgar --l.uiSelEeS. and TO sacrifice
every cent or their private fortunes in
order TO sGuarely meet their obliga-
tons. Surely this is bringing out the
highest and best in men.
Ihere are otner instances where. de-
spite every SacrlIce on the par OF
owners and stockholders. il is finan-
clallH lmpoSSl be Tor companies to meet
IN fuI taeIr obligations and where
honest failures are Inevitable. These
may be instances where poor judgment
was exercised az assuming obligations
out or proportion to resources. but
since al OF Us almost daily make mis-
Iakes IN judgment, we must deal char
ltably with such cases and cheerfully
accept our share Of loli in such in
stances OF honest failures
There are other cases however.
where the worst in the hearts and
minds OF underwriters have been
brought 10 the surface. where insur-
ance men who are well able to paw.
propose 10 resort 10 every device and TO
every trick in the trade TO avoid max
ing honest payments of honest debts;
where the Wea kneSs or the distress the
ignorance or the helplessness Of the
p0llcy -hoioer Is taken advantage Of by
the insurer 20 pay less than the full
amount justly due What shall be our
attitude large policy holders iowa I'd
men such as these?
am sure we all realize that the in
surance companies are overwhelmed by
t0n CONDITIONS and that with every eff
FORT on their part 10 expedite the stu
lcuuJ~e toEk before them IL will de-
mand on the part of policy holders
patience and fOrbearance ] am also
certain that where the insured find il
IS the intention of companies to act
fairly and honestly that policy holders
viii patiently bear the unavoidable de-
lays In settlement Of claims.
i take il further that the conserva-
tive spirit Of our commercial bodies
viii not permit any rash or hasty ac-
tion: ] also take il that the members
rights, and knowing viii insist uopn
them. / assume further that they
tand ready 10 fight to the bitter end.
regardless Of time, labor or money any
that the purpose of this joint conven-
tiOn is 10 ke clear our common in
70 work together in the spirit Of
all for one, and one for all"
MANY MILLIONS At STAKE
This is a time that is going TO try
mems souls. over one hundred and
fifty millions is al stake in these in
surance settlements. The insurance
companies must protect themselves
against the unfair and the dishonest
among the great army of policy hold
ers. and the honest policy holder must
be protected against the unfair and the
dishonest underwater.
What is needed at this hour among
pOlicN-hOlders is wisdom and discre-
tiOn, courage and persistency; strength
and determination. If these qualities
are not 10 be found in this great body
of splendid men. where elsewhere in
the world viii they be found? If col
lectively this gathering cannot devise
ways and means 20 hold up the hands
OF the just and 10 expose and bring TO
justice the unjust in the insurance