The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-09-25
THE COAST PAYING FOR IT.

Ii is very evident, from the course
steadily pursued by the fire insurance
people, that the enormous losses
caused by the San Francisco hre
fire are to be made good by the busi-
ness masses of the whole Pacific
Slope. There is no longer any doubt
as to this policy, which is confirmed
from every direction and from all
sources Of importance west OF the
Rocky Mountains. And what is more,
the specific town or city or newspa-
per that rebels will be made to carry
its own rod of punishment
1t is high time the people should
merge in self-defence and take such
steps as will demonstrate to the huge
trust their unwillingness to longer
stand as the catspaw in the issue.
Portland was threatened with her
share of the new exaction, but she
put up an instant and indomitable
fight against the outrage and spared
herself the recouping imposition;
every city and town in the State is
now contending against the incursion
of new robber-tariffs, Astoria includ-
ed, but are making Indifferent head
way for the reason that they are too
small, acting singly, to resist success
fully. The hour for coalition is at
hand, and what may not be done in a
segregated way, must be done by the
Oregon Legislature this winter to
mitigate the plundering practices that
are now the vogue in this business.
One of the readiest roads to relief,
instant, and thorough, is the repeal OF
the law requiring the primary deposit
of $4,000 from the companies enter
ing the State; the free admission OF
every concern that wants to write in
surance, board, and non-board, and
the imperative legal enactment of
maximum rate sheet. There is no
more necessity for the $4,000 deposit
in the case of an insurance company
than there is for such demand from
a dry goods house or an ice factory
desiring to do business in Oregon;
and it only serves as pretext for
an advance in rates because OF the
withdrawal of that sum from the ac-
tivities of the business charged with
it.
Competition is what is needed to re-
duce the scales that are paralyzing the
premium-paying masses OF Oregon;
the entry of non-board companies and
the free play of underwriting that
shall have no hampering strings to it;
the vast sums on deposit in the Ore
gon treasury in this behalf, are OF no
avail to the State; the companies are,
generally speaking, sound enough to
meet their last engagement, and they
draw down the interest accumulating
upon the bonds and other securities
so deposited; hence the practice now
prevailing, aside from good stiff
license, may be safely dispensed with,
and the field broadened to a pass
where the people may choose the
company and rate that suits them
best.
We pretend to despise and dread
the trusts, yet we are nursing one OF
the rankest, most arbitrary, closest
knit and piratical combines known to
man, when we suffer the exactions OF
the Pacific Coast Board of Fire Under
writers; and if ever the people needed
an inspiration to employ their su-
preme franchises, known as the lnitia-
tive and Referendum, they have It in
this case, and it should be done forth
with, compelling the Legislature to
intervene
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