The Greenville morning herald. [volume] (Greenville, Tex.) 1890-1956, 1910-06-17
A PRETTY KETTLE or FISH.


embarked in paternal legislation OF
the rankest kind While the law may
have its good points, It is of doubtful
ozpedieucy and is more or less bun
Clio from start to finish, and the bung.
ling appears to all be against the PEG.
pie Subsequent legislatures may
amend 1t so that 1t viii give more pro
lection to the insuring public but at
present it is one-sided affair. An
Insurance trust has been created, thu
right OF contract denied. the agent ana
the insurer as to time and terms of
payment Of premiums, rates have
been systematically increased In some
cases TO the point OF extortlon anG
altogether the insurance business has
been disorganlzed and demoalized
The purpose of the law-to prevent
discrimination in rates, to give the
large insurer the same rate as the
big one-and to reduce rates where
they were VIGOROUSLY unjust, was all
right. but the insurance men got in
their 'jokers' and the companies ap,
pear so far to have entirely the best
OF It Among other things instead OF
providing that existing rates should
not be increased until approved by
the rating board. the law provided
that Insurance companies could make
and charge any rate they saw proper
aud maintain the same until reduced
by the board. If the companies de,
cided to contest the ieasonableness OF
the rate in the courts then the in.
surer will have to pay the increased
rate until the end of interminable lii,
cation was reached aud no rebate can
be collected. So outrageous has been
the increase in the rates in many clti.
es and towns and so widespread the
dissatisfaction that the Rating Boaru
backed by the Governor and Attorney
General have appealed to the lnsur.
unee companies not to take advantage
Of their rights within the law, but col.
lect ON The basis Of the old rates un
til the board has had a chance to pass
upon the new rates. The Insurance.
companies will doubtless be slow to
heed this humniating official cry.
While they have their hands in the
pockets of the people they will doubt.
less take out all they can get hold OF
Commissioner of Insurance and Bank.
ing Hawkins refused to Join the COY
ernor aud Attorney General and the
Rating Board in their plea for mercy
for The public and held that If tn
companies complied with such reques,
chat they would be violating the law
ana that ne would cancel their per.
mits and forfeit their charters to do
business in the state Hawkins got
on his fighting clothes good and strong
and there is pretty kettle of nsh
stewlng at Austin Governor Camp
bell has asked for the resignation OF
Tie Commissioner and that gentleman
has declined to give up his job, claim
ling that be has done nothing to
warrant such a drastic course upon
HE part of the governor. The Her
aid is not posted as to the merits OF
the fine legal points involved in the
situation. II the insurance companies
should see proper to lorego taking
advantage of the law that was passed.
largely at the suggestion OF their
lobbyists, that is their business. hut
we do not expect them TO be so PIN.
anthropic. They have a chance to
take several pounds OF flesh before
they can be restrained and they viii
no doubt take to the limit that the
traffic Will bear The Herald does not
believe in socialism, but it would b.
bette for the state to go into the in
surance business and insure the prop
erty Of its citizens at actual cost OF
risk and operating expenses rather
than create am insurance trust and
turn them loose upon The people or
better sdl, iepem the Fire Insurnnc,
Rating Board law. turn the companics
loose and prosecute them whenever
they violate the states anutm laws
--O-
The reward OF faith is more faith.
of hope, more hope, of love, more
...,.... T4t.