New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-12-06
FOR UNIFORM TAX
Insurance Presidents, HOzoeUer,
LeaUe Question to Committee.

The deliberations of the morning session OF uie
Association of Life Insurance Presidents helI III
the Metropolitan Life Building yesterday Were
summed ND In a resolution. introduced by Paul
Merton nres,dent of the Equitable Life Assurance
Society by which it agreed that the entire
question of uniform state taxation shouiu DC
ferred to the executive committee or the Lie III
srance Presidents Association to cooperate win
Tho executive committees of the American Lire
Insurance Convention. the Association OF 0Ihle gu
perintendents of Insurance, and the committee VI
CONSERVATIVES of the Canadian Life Insurance As
ISOLATION This resolution adopted UNANIMOUSLY
The meeting brought together executives or rep
resentatives of more than two-thirds OF the NE
insurance companies Of the United states anu - -
ada All of the informal talks OF the con'eillioi
urged the substitution of uniform tax rate 10 re-
r1oco tho rresent system by which the rates levied
non the premiums vary from One-half OF per cent
in some states TO per cent in others A cam
paign of education promoted by agents was dlso
proposed and Endorsed.
n = C,rouea insurance commissioner of Mary
land and president of the National Convention or
Insurance Commissioners, emphasized the .puruen
that the legislators. by taxation of the premiums
imposed upon the pocyholders. The speaker main
tanned that the life insurance companies should not
he taxed for anything further than state super
vision.
Lawson Pl1rdy, Tax Commissioner; George B.
Peak president Of the Central Insurance Company.
of Des Molues Iowa; Sidney a. Foster secretary
OF the Royal Union Mutual Life Company, and
others urged a uniform tax rate
The sentiment of the convention was finally
crystaIized by Clinton A Dean, general counsel
of the State Mutual Life Insurance Company, or
Rome Ca who proposed the formation of a
committee to work in cooperation with similar
committee from the American Life Insurance Com
mittee to convince the leading legislators Of the
Justice Of their His remarks were FOL
lowed by the resolution proposed by Mr. Morton
At the afternoon session L. Goldman of the
North American Life Company of Toronto, Canada,
declared the invasion of foreign life insurance
companies was not resented by the Canadian COM
panles and cited two instances when the COM
panies of the Dominion refused to allow the legs-
lative bodies of Toronto Quebec TO discriminate
against the foreign companies He declared the
influence Of the Canadian companies forced the
adoption of uniform tax for both local and out
side insurance companies.
AS an added force in furthering the adoption OF a
uniform tax rate it proposed that all candi-
dates for legislative Office be called to explain
their attitude the matter of premium taxation,
and the pursuance of this plan was advanced as a
part Of the duties of the cooperating committees
In their educational campaigns
Thomas Love, State Commissioner of Insurance
Of Texas, declared that the high rate of premium
taxation in some states, Texas among them
offset by the exemption from other taxes. He also
presented statistics to show that the rates in Ger
many are on the whole no lower than those of the
United States, which was contrary to the general
sentiment as expressed in the convention.