Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-12-26


"2d. That as life insurance is pro
lection to the public. as well as 70
the beneficiary. it is important that il
be encouraged in every reasonable
way. and
I'D. Insurance By the state would
not secure the same proportion OF
policy holders as under present condi
tons, and thereby one of the pene-
fieent. purposes of life insurance will
be destroyed.
"4th. That policy holder should
have the right to make any contract
he desires to enter into.
9TH. That competition ard publicity
will prevent any injustice occurring
to the policy holder.
THE experience of government IN.
surance has been too limited to ar
ford sufficient data on which to base
definite conclusions supporting OF
negativing the claims of its adiIerents.
On the other hand. recent develop.
ments made by the New York and
Wisconsin insurance investigations
refute some claims offered in defeuse
of private companies as now CON
Quoted.
"A brief statement is submitted re-
garding the operation of government
insurance in several of the countries
where 1t Is claimed to be successful.
including New Zealand, Germany. Eng.
land, Austria, Hungary, France, Bel.
GUM, Italy, Holland, Norway, FINLAND
and Roumania.
These and one or two other gov.
ernments furnish insurance on a
small scale to different workmen liv-
ing in these countries, but none of
these governments have in any way
entered the field of old line insurance.
In conclusion, we find that no ex.
pertinent in government life insurance.
excepting in limited form, has been
attempted outside of New Zealand.
mo state in this country has en-.
tered into the life insurance relu.
However, in 1905 comprehensive
bin providing for state life insurance
was introduced in the Florida !eds-
lature. After consideration it passed
the lower house with only seven dis
senting votes. 1t never reached a
final vote in the senate, and thu gov
ernor has publicly charged the meas
ure was stifed purposely by life in.
snrance influences working through
an insurance lobby in the STATE SEN
ate of Florida. In a published state
ment Of measures to be brought be-
fore the Florida Legislature for 1907
Governor Broward of Florida again
urges the passage of a state insur
ance law that will enable that state
to compete in all branches of life in
su2Ece vita Old line compan,es lle
supports hio recommen lations thereli
with instructive satisfies and other
information bearing upon the subject
So far as can be aseertained Florida
is the only state that has ever taken
any steps toward epacting state insu1-
ance laws. Conditions in Wisconsin
and in foieign countries differ, ana
the limitel data at hand prevents
fuller comparisons being made by the
committee between the merits of pTi
waite and of government insurance
business.
Compulsory insurance has many
advocates and any legislation to that
end win necessitate some form OF
state ork5oyernment insurance. Under
present conditions We find that gov
ernment management insures reason
able sahrie3 to officers, low comms
sios tolagents. economical admins
tration bf affairs, liberal forms of poi
icies. euitable profit sharing and alb
solute security.
Thee conditions are also possible
under private management, ana
should be enforced by proper state
regulation.
Webelieve that if the legislation
proposed by the Wisconsin legislative
investigation committee is passed ii
may neet many objections to present
conditions.
"Yor committee, IN presenting this
report therefore recommends that
the legislation so proposed by the
joint committee be enacted into law
and sch laws strictly enforced and
given.a fair and complete trial before
the experiment of state insurance is
attempted"