The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1912-03-22

electric wiring, candles and kerosene
lamps left in Easements, incendiar-
ism, and last but not least the form
of policy in use in this state which
is of no benefit to the honest man
but works in beautifully with the
desires of crooks and fire bugs who
have not been slow to take advant-
age of the opportunities presented.
Minnesota Policy Faulty.
1t would seem that sound business
principles had been seduced by vim
dictiveness and the result an abor-
tion known as the Minnesota Stand
ard Policy, which under it's valued
policy clause allows dishonest peo-
pie to collect more than they have
lost and gives the fire bug ample
opportunity to ply his nefarious traf-
fic at your expense. Whenever we
revert insurance from its proper
channel of indemnity into gain we
are placing premium on arson. A
few other states tried this law until
they found how it worked when they
promptly repealed it and substituted
instead the State Fire Marshall Law
to discourage the criminally in
clined instead of encouraging them.
What Can We Do to Be Saved?
Keep our premises in proper order
at all times. Keep gasoline and 9TH
er dangerous commodities in safe
places as far from any building as
possible Have the electric wiring
properly installed and kept so, and
do not let any loose wires come in
contact with nails or other metal.
Use safety maches only and as few Of
them as possible. Do not use match
es, kerosene lamps or candles in your
basement but have electric lights in
stalled with a cutoff switch at the
head of the stairs where possible.
Prevail upon your neighbor to do
these same things and if he won't,
notify the state fire marshal or this
association, because otherwise you
will have to help pay his loss when
the fire comes Look upon the man
who invites fires, or actually sets
them, as an undesirable citizen and
cooperate with the authorities to
prevent him from collecting money
from the insurance companies which
comes out of your pocket. Request
your members of the legislature to
secure the repeal of the present Min
nesota Standard Policy law and SUBJ
stitute instead the form known as
the New York Standard which is
good enough for such states as New
York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois,
Missouri, Colorado, California, Ore
gOn, washington and many other
states and should be good enough for
the great state of Minnesota. All of
it's conditions have been passed upon
by the highest courts of the land, its
motto is the square deal and it favors
the honest man against the dishon-
est one. Secure an amendment to
the co-insurance law of your state
which will permit the man of mod
est means to secure the reductions
granted for the use of this clause as
we'll as the more affluent who have
property in excess of $4,000 and
secure reductions of from 10 to 25.
per cent when this clause is attached
to the policy. The law as it now
stands is class legislature in favor
of the rich as against people of more
limited means.
AS said in the beginning, you are
busy with your own affairs but I be-
ieve now that your interest is
aroused, you will realize that this is
your affair, and am certain that you
will join with us in securing re-
duction of the fire waste as far as lies
within your power, feeling assured
that when losses are reduced to
point where the insurance cOmpa-
MES can catch up and secure rea-
sonable gains from underwriting op-
erations your rates will come down
to meet the new conditions. Rates
follow losses in their movements up