The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1913-04-17
Statement of Attorney General
Barker Regarding the Insur-
ance Situation.

Barker Regarding the lnsur-
ance Situation.
Upon my return this morning l
learned that the insurance companies
doing business in Missouri have is
sued statement to the effect that if
the antitrust law is going to be en-
forced they will withdraw from the
state and the people OF Missouri will
be without insurance.
This is of such serious nature that
it demands immediate attention.
Prior to the passage Of the Oliver
Rating Bill in 1911 there had been
for many years competitive insur-
ance rates in the State of Missouri,
and the people of the state were we'll
satisfied with the conditions which
existed. The Oliver Law destroyed
competition in rates, and provided
that the Insurance Commission should
establish rates, and provided penal
ty for any insurance agent who wrote
below the rate established.
The present Legislature repealed
this Oliver Law, so that the insur-
ance situation is now the same as it
was for fifty years prior to 1911.
All this department asks of the in
surance companies is that they return
to the conditions which existed prior
to the passage of this Oliver Law in
1911; that is restore the competitive
rates which existed in Missouri for
fifty years prior to the passage of
this act.
Certainly the insurance companies
cannot complain of this request, be-
cause they grew wealthy under this
condition for fifty years, and if they
made money under the rate which
they then charged, they certainly can
return to those rates again.
l do not attach any Importance to
the threat of the insurance companies
to leave this state, because do not
believe the fairminded heads of these
companies will resort to any such re-
taliation.
If the insurance trust throughout
the United States is strong enough to
compel every insurance company OPP
Grating in Missouri to leave this state
upon moments notice by simply
passing resolution directing them
to do so, then, indeed, the people of
this country are to be pitied, and it
calls for patriotic action on the part
of the citizens of this state to orga-
nize to protect themselves against loss
by fire.
All we are asking of the insurance
companies is that they return to the
conditions which existed prior to
1911, and am sure they will see the
wisdom of this and will do so.
l am reliably informed that the in
surance rates in Missouri are today
thirty-five per cent higher than in the
state of Iowa, and higher in proper
ton than any state in this western
country. If my information is cor
rect, then the insurance companies,
in justice to the people Of this state
should reduce their rates and estab-
lish competitive system.
Upon what authority can the in
surance companies Of this state ex-
pect Missourians to pay thirty-five
per cent more for their insurance
than citizens of Iowa and other states?
This department has no desire to
drive any legitimate insurance COM
pany from this state, but it is indeed
a serious condition, in view of the
threat which these companies now
make to leave this state.
1t simply resolves itself to this: If
the insurance companies are going to
leave this state now because we OBJ
ject to the outrageous rates which
they are charging and which are
higher than that of any state in this
part of the Union, then they willlater
leave if we refuse to permit to raise
their already prohibitive rates.
l do not believe that the people of
Missouri should be Disseminated
against, to the extent of paying thir-
ty-five per cent more for their in
surance than other states, and l hope
the insurance companies will rescind
their threat to leave this state and
will continue to write insurance here,