El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-06-13
E PAsO PREPARES To MAKE
FIGHT FOR JUSTICE IN RATES
CONTINUED From Page one,

c. McGown, ]. R. Blair. A p Coles and
others. who were present. touching on
the general insurance situation and the
application Of the new rates TO this city
The Order.
The order of the rating board 20 the
insurance companies read as follows:
To all the fire insurance companies
doing business in Texas; gentlemen:
A protest has been filed by the citi-
zens of FL Paso. Houston. Orange,
Dallas, FIT Worth, Wichita Falls, ANA
rillo, Austin, and many other cities
throughout the state complaining Of
the specific rates promulgated by the
fire INSURANCE. companies for all these
cities. The specific rates for these cities
were promulgated a considerable time
after the time specified by law On ac-
count of the impracticabilit of writing
risks according 10 the general basis
difficulty in ascertaining the specific
rates by the first of January. the
board consented that you should have
this additional time within which 10 as
certain and apply the specific rates on
the risks written since the first OF
January, this being regarded as a rea
SOna0le request in view of the diff
Guilty of complying with the require
ments of the law. The board has set
the 21st day Of June as the date for
the hearing at which the question as
TO the reasonableness of these rates
will be before the board for consider
alton A number of these cities have
requested that you do not attempt 10
enforce a collection of the new specific
rates promulgated until after decision
has been reached upon matters pend
ing before said board either upon poll
cies heretofore written OF upon those
hereafter written
In view of the difficulties encoun-
tered in applying the provisions of this
law and in view of the changes which
have been made in the rates prevailing
defer the collection of the difference
between the old rate and the new rate
on all policies which have been written
heretofore and which may be written
prior to the determination of the ques-
tions before the board. In view OF the
liberaIity allowed In working out the
problems presented by the law we
think that the request of the citizens
of the state affected by the proposed
changes in the rates is reasonable and
should be respected. Our action in
sending you this request r sanctioned
by the governor and the attorney gen
eral of the state
At the hearing 10 be held on the 21st
all parties at interest will have an OPP
hoped that satisfactory solution may
be reached agreeable to the public and
the companies doing business within
this state.
Hawkins Issues Statement.
The statement of William E. Hawkins
commissioner of insurance and banking,
is as follows:
1.-The resolution which the state fire
rating board today adopted embodying
a request TO the companies that they
suspend the application OF existing rates
and collection of premiums Hereunder
until after the hearing before the board.
June p, and the boards action thereon
does not meet my appreciation or ex
press my views or my opinion of the
law in the premises. I strenuOusIy ap-
posed the adoption of the resolution
upon various grounds and chairman
refused to put it to a vote and asked
that my protest against its adoption be
recorded in the minutes.
Tt is my understanding that the for
mer action of the board. which was
taken before l became a member Of it
to suspend the law or the application
Of the general basis schedules, but a
mere acquiescence in the use of the red
rider until the specific rates could be
worked out and applied.
But my principal objection was that
by this resolution the board requests
the companies 10 violate the plain pro-
visions of the fire rating board law In
defiance OF the provision of the constt-
tuition OF Texas which declares that only
the legislature shall have the power 70
suspend a law.
| 1T is clear. I think, that the rates