The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1913-04-30
AN INSURANCE
BILL WHICH IS
BEING FOUGHT
AUTHOR OF BILL, WHO is FROM
voLUsIA COUNTY, GIVES REA-
SONS WHY THE MEASURE
SHOULD BE PASSED TO sUc-
cESSFUL END.
BY FRANK L. HuFFAkER

l
| tive John A. Van Valzah has ad-
dressed the following interesting let
ter to the Jacksonville Board of Trade
regarding his anti-insurance trust bill:
Jacksonville Board of Trade, Jackson
| vile, Fla.
| Gentlemen:-Realizi the state
wide influence of your board, / take
up the matter of relief for the peiple
of the state of Florida, from the Elm
surance trust" better described by the
following quotation from the DeLano
Record:
THE Record Is pleased to see that
DIR. Jno. A. Van Valzah, who is one
of Volusia's members of the next leg
| islature, is out in a lengthy article
| in Dixie in defense of the people and
| in denunciation of these pirate insur-
| ance companies In continuing their
brazen robbery of the public.
"The doctor will make a desperate
effort before the legislature to pro-
tect the people of Florida from these
giant robbers, who have in force the
most damnable trust existing in this
country"
Now, gentlemen of the Board of
Trade, here is a telegram from forty
seven wealthy Jacksonville Insurance
men, who are asking our senators that
they should kill my BILL House Bill
No. g." not Number g." because it
is already killed in committee of the
house. while on the other hand COM
mittee of the house passed my bill
unanimously, every one requesting
that their names be mentioned and
placed on record as voting for it.
Copy of telegram from the forty
seven Jacksonville Insurance men to
the senator and representatives:
I'VE. the undersigned local fire in
surance agents of Jacksonville, do en-
ter our strongest protest against tha
passage of House Bills Nos. and 6S'
These bills will drive every Insurance
company from this state, will impair
the credit of our merchants, and WORK
to the serious detriment of the people
of Florida. Their passage would de-
prive us and all other agents in this
state of our means of livelihood by
destroying our business, which we have
worked years to build up.
I'VE urge you not only to vote
against these measures. but ask your
strongest influence and efforts to Sc
cure their defeat
(Signed) 81. III. Norton & Co, r. r.
Rosborough, Jordan & Norton, Stock
ton & Butts, Philip Frank, James &
Paxon, Arid & Wigs, Haughton &
Osborne, buchanan & McCuen, Chas.
w. Kline Race & Paul Hardacre, FL
more & Co., Palmer & Palmer, Shalor
& Tucker, Grower & Co., Stockton
& Barnett, Mattair & Wilson, Miller
H. Danny, Strickland & Shields, W. M.
McCreary & Co, Bennett & Williams,
Laurence Haynes & Son, Loren ID.
Green & Co.. Philip Walter & Son.
H. C. Ware, VIM. Burbridge, Clifford
& Payne, Jacksonville Development
nf1
Now, I ask these philanthropic
Jacksonville representatives of the
trust, and all of the others from over
the entire state, who are now delug-
ing our senators with copies of the
above telegram, so as to permit them
TO continue to grow rich and rfcher
at the expense of the poor people; 1
ask these gentlemen. and particularly
Mr.. Grower, why he has changed his
mind In reference to my bill, House
Bill No. g." when he stated to me- tell
ing the truth. that it was a good thing
Tor the people and he had no objection
to It. Why do they attach my bin to
mo. SIS" unless it Is q scheme to try
and kill my bill with "6s." In fact 1t
Is intimated that "6S" was gotten up
for that purpose, and given to prom
fnent member to introduce by request,
they. the trust" trusting to his prom
Use to get 1t through the committee
where It died-this member being a
man OF the people and q 'trust-bust-
err In all good faith introduced this
bill, but I daresay now seeing that the
Insurance trust is trying to use 1t
as a club to kill House Bill No. g.
he will wash his hands from any such
dirty work.
/ here enclose you letter from
airing q ca.
Jacksonville, Fla, Apr "a, 1913.
s.Dr. J. A Van valzah, Tallahassee.
Fla.
Dear Strive enclose herewith
copy OF letter we have just received
from an attorney at Live Oak, togeth-
er with copy Of our letter to Hon. st.
Elmo W. Acosta, and we are also send
ing the same letter to Hon. ]. L.
Farris and ]. c. L'Engie.
Very truly yours.
&C. w. Earring Co"
ssHon. st. Elmo w. Acosta, Tallahas-
see, Fla.
aDear Sir:-our papers here are
having a great deal to say about in
surance bills that have been intro
duced at Tallahassee. We, OF course,
appreciate the fact that such laws
would disturb insurance conditions
considerably, but We are well aware
Of the fact that they need disturbing
we enclose you a copy Of letter we
have received from Mr.. ]. L. Black
WELL Live Oak. You will note what the
insurance companies are trying to do
to the firm at Alton. Fla We have
an account tied up at Glen st. Mary
and another one at Lake City, where
the people are absolutely honest. but