Omaha daily bee., 1909-04-25
WASTE BY FIRE ASTOUNDING
H. N. Kelsey, an Expert, Reviews the
Preventive Legislation.
EXPLAINS WHY RATES ARE HIGH
COngested centers of Cities Contrib
ute Heavily to Yearly Destruc-
tiOn of Wealth by Fires that
Are eventab

In an address to local agents in Iowa on
1.-THE Fire Waste of the Country and the !
Effect of Legislation, Harmful and Re-
medal" H. N. Kelsey, considered an au-
thority, said at the outset:
"I should like to see added to your creed
additional articles of endeavor, giving a
broader scope to your usefulness, with a
view of securing through state and munich
pal legislation, better laws regulating con-
struction of buildings, and improving the
water supply and fire protection devices OF
cities; securing the passage of such laws
as will best conserve the reciprocal inter-
ests of the country and the people, includ-
ing a law providing for the office of state
fire marshal, to be conducted, as are all
other police regulations, at the general ek-
pense of the state; and the abolition OF
laws at present on the statute books, which
are contrary to such interests"
An effort was made during the recent
session of the legislature to create the Of
flee of state fire marshal, but it failed,
The office of fire warden for Omaha, to
be appointed by the mayer, was created, at
a salary of $500 a year.
Talking of anti-compact laws and similar
statutes, Mr.. Kelsey said: There is and
has been little just complaint against COM
panies, upon which to base the oppressive
laws which are on the statute books of
many states. Most of them have found
their way there through the offices Of
some disgruntled individual whose SELFISH
ness received a check from some company
in the adjustment of a loss" In this con-
nection Mr.. Kelsey claims that the esti-
mated rates of such states are the best re-
Election of the measure of worth Of the
business in these states, and that upon the
local agents largely depends the differen-
tlal in fire insurance rates which are
finally obtained on given classes of husi-
ness, and continues:
Merchants Are Careless.
There is good reason why the merchant
should pay your estimated rate price, lie
has contributed more 10 the fire waste of
the country than any other business in
terest. 1t has been estimated that II the
congested centers o cities and towns
were made to pay for their own losses the
rate now prevalent in such centers would
necessarily be doubled.
Notwithstandin tho buoyancy which
fire insurance gives TO commercial credit
in the year 1906 there were lO,6s2 CONNER
cial failures, with liabilities Of Sll9,9 .5l5.
Is II not necessary that fire insurance in
demnity be kept safe and solvent? Is 1t
not our duty TO collect the worth OF our
Indemnity On individual risks, according To
the hest guides FURNISHED US? Local agents
should rot only safeguard the interest OF
their companies. tut that ~ thei- commun
ity as well, in the selection OF risks, and
should not forget the old Biblical admoni-
ton that He that is slothful is brother OF
him that wasteth."
There is always this element of injus-
tice to taxing fire Insurance. premiums;
the careful and provident citizen who In
sures his property not only pays an in