Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-06-19

war. To do so would be TO snow the
weak spots in their armor. Not only
is this unreasonable, but it is contrary
to common sense. IL is unfair tor
the commonwealth TO suppose they'll
do this and not agree as To the rates
That | think Is the kernel OF this
whole thing. II that be the purpose
of the association it's a lawful pur-
pose. II produces uniformity and ey-
cry business man wants to know what
insurance he must osrry on his build
ing. Uniformity of rates is a good
thing so long as those rates are not
oppressive.
Lessons Fire Hazards.
This combination does reduce
rates and what is more important It
reduces the fire hazards. The effect
Of this association is 10 reduce the
fire waste. We are not posing as
benefactors of the race above our
fellows. but the lower the hazards,
the lower the rates and the more
profitable is the business. We have a
man come to this city once each week
to tell the insured how they can re-
duce their rates by reducing the
hazards" Here Mr. Bachelor went
on to tell about the sprinkler sys-
TENS introduced by the insurance
companies and declared that a per-
son could not go into a hamlet in the
country and not see the beneticient
effects of the association.
Our friends say let us go back 10
the old single company way of doing
business-let the little companies go
down to wreck and ruin before their
larger competitors. That may be
good court room policy. but its not
good public policy" Mr. Bachelor
| went on to say that the rate ascer-
| ia ming feature is one thing and the
| compact to maintain rates is another.
| be unfair 20 expect that the companies
I would combine TO ascertain rates and
| they not maintain those rates.
Says Law is Not Applicable.
After reading from Judge Tafts
| opinion in the steel pipe trust case,
Mr. Bachelor contended that the
| main object of the association Is not
| in restraint of trade and that the law
is not applicable because there is no
| such restraint as he expected TO snow
| later. The main purpose of the as
| ISOLATION, he said, is not to fix rates.
That is only incidental, the main pur-
i pose of the association being to build
| up a good healthy competition and
| enable the component companies to
do business safely and avoid the dis
| aster which has befallen so many OF
! them in the past. Judge TAFT, he de-
| clared. says that if the main object
is lawful the result in the partial re-
] straint OF trade is not unlawful.
After quoting Beach on modern law
| contracts, Mr.. Bachelor argued that
the association is not in restraint OF
trade because the main purpose is not
there. There is no monopoly. he de
| clared. THE very nature of the busi-
ness prevents anyone from mOnopo-
| LIKING 1t. II all of the non-board COM
panies were members of this associa-
citation still there wouldn't be a mo-
nopoly." In support of this conten-
ton. Mr.. Bachelor read from New
York case where railroads had COM
b'ned to fix, rates, but each company
holding the right to draw out in ten
days. The court held that this was
not monopoly in restraint of trade.
Compets on Commissioners.
Mr.. Bachelor declared that the non-
board companies compete in commits
sions paid the agents and that those
companies get all of the cream" OF
the business and the association COM
panies get the "claushber" That
shows that there is competition de-
clared the speaker IF the assocla-
ton had this all powerful cqdgel IN
its hands wouldn't it use 1t to break
up this kind of business? The indie
pendent companies are able to take
care of all of the business and are
anxious for it. There are some TWEEN
tw odd mutual companies in the
state who want this business One
of them came here and tried
to live. but the community
WOULDN'T support 1t. There are
some three hundred other
companies doing business here would
MT those companies come in and do
business. The law gives anybody the
right to organize a fire insurance
company. You can't monolopize the
business of writing contracts. You
might as well talk about drying up
the ocean as talk Of monopolizing
contracts of insurance
Here Mr.. Bachelor read from Port
hartman again to show that it was
not possible to monopolize the trade
Porf. hartman said in his lecture that
the organizing Of Insurance compa-