The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1908-10-20

Harry R. Cunningham, state auditor, and candidate for reelection =
on the Republican ticket. was born ID Philadelphia, Pa, April 2. 1868; :
received 4 common school education there, and moved 70 Kansas - ~ =
years OF age. Was employed then in the land once at Wakeeney. :
Kan. arose to be- chief clerk ana served in that capacity until 1859, :
when he came tt Butte, Mont, and entered the employ of the Daily 4
Inter Mountain which he served in various capacities for 9 number :
Of years. In 1894 he was elected tcsthe Fourth Legislative assembly o. !
this state, liz which legislature he served with marked 3abtAttRand :
distinction. II 1896 he was appointed ne clerk In the United States :
senate, Washington, p. c. which position he held until 1900, when he :
Electric company as accountant, and, later again reentered the news :
paper neld. In 1904 he was married to Miss Adelaide e. Mason ofNew :
York city. They have two children. He isa prominent member OF the :
Masonic fraternity, the Mystic Shrine. the =. =. 9: Elk m F raternal
Order Of Eagles. @#& # 4#Ns$t s8&%a gM# )
Mr.. Cunningham entered upon the duties OF the once of state auditor !
on January 1, 1906, and since that time has brought the auditors once :
proper to the highest possible state Of efficiency, having inaugurated
the most perfect system Of bookkeeping In addition e this. the Mes
Of the once have been thoroughly gone over and perfectly indexed
from the beginning Of the territory and IS far back q there is any
record, up to date.
It is especially to the insurance department that the auditor has
directed his personal attention, and this department has been brought
to a position of prominence and reputation, not only in the state Of
Montana, but in the country at large. It was through MI. Cunninghams
efforts that the 25 per cent increase in he insurance premiums, levied
by the insurance companies after the San Francisco fire. was taken on
at least nine months, ii not a year. sooner than it would otherwise have
been accomplished. This alone saved the Insurers OF the state many
thousands OF dollars. Az a result Of MI. Cunninghann's personal efforts,
through the Board Of Fire Underwriters Of the Pacific, the rescheduhng
OF the different cities OF Montana was begun and forced to as rapid 9
completion a possible. resulting already in the rerattng OF many OF
the prominent towns of Montana, and the assurance that others, now
in course OF inspection, will be reached and completed within q very /"
short period Of time. This reIratng has brought about material and
substantial reductions in every city where the same has been applied,
and will unquesionaby result in the same benefits to the insurers y
those towns which = yt 70 pc covered - - 1pectea 'al 'nns w
all be completed within q few months, and. when accomplished, several
hundred thousand dollars a year will have been saved the fire insurance
polcyholders in the state OF Montana.
In the supervision and control Of life. fire. accident and miscellaneous
in the admission OF new companies and IN y resuiaton or those
which have heretofore done business Wildcats have been publicly
exposed and insurance Of a doubtful character frownedg upon by the
department through the columns Of the public press. and the people
warned a to the danger Of tranaactng business with unlicensed cor
porations OF this character. There is 70 state in the Union which -
better protected BY it's insurance department than Montana, nor ia there
q department which occupies q higher position in the insurance world
than the one in this state supervised by State Auditor Cunningham.
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