The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-03-19

carefully at the chip which the house
of representatives slid along to il. and
found a bug under it. The bug
consisted in an increase of what ap-
peared to be a legitimate claim for
$4,000 up to $4,000. Irritated. the
senate killed the whole bill.
Last summer the st. Paul Fire and
Marine Insurance company and a
number of other insurance companies
which carry fire, hail and tornado
risks in Kansas, brought an injunc-
ton suit to prevent the Kansas insur
ance department from collecting fees
on the hail and tornado branches of
their business for the benefit of the
state fire marshal fund. Some of the
companies paid money to the state
under protest. Some of them it is
claimed, paid but did not protest. The
insurance companies were represent
ed by their attorney, Robert Stone,
who is now speaker of the house.
They won their case by decision of
the supreme court which held that
the state could not collect contribu-
tions to the fire marshal fund on any
but fire insurance business.
For Other Companies, Too.
That left the insurance companies
which had paid under protest with a
about $2,500. Representatives of the
insurance people who appeared before
the claims and accounts committee of
the senate during the present session
$4,000, evidently intending to reim-
burse the companies which forgot to
file notice of protest as we'll as the
expenses of their litigation. The sem
ate claims and accounts committee
sifted the matter down and found taht
the insurance companies had over
stated their case, and the claim for
$4,000 was turned down.
Better Luck in the House.
But they had better fortune in the
house of representatives. The lower
house, having its eyes glued the
educational budget. was not paying so
much attention to other matters The
ways and means committee of that
body got hold of the Williams bill,
carrying $4,000 or so much thereof"
and SO forth and its chairman Mr.
upon the claim in its entirety. Then
the house passed it and sent it to the
senate.
For the second time the matter was
in the hands of senate committee
where, mindful of their previous ex-
perience, the insurance lobby admit
ted that only about 81, 500 of the
claim represented money covered by
their protests and watched the bill
whitfield down to that amount without
saying anything about having been be-
fore the claims and accounts commit
tee The bill reached the floor of the
senate today with a recommendation
for the lower amount. Senator Wal
ter Wilson of Washington. Klein of
Allen and others who had been on
the claims and accounts committee
recognized it old acquaintance
and called attention to the peculiar
conduct of the insurance companies
Nine senators voted for the reduced
appropriation on the
theory that the insurance companies
were legally entitled to the money un-
der the supreme courts decision, but
81 others. including Chairman Shouse
of the ways and means committee
which had made the reduction, voted
against it.
Nothing was said before the ways
and means committee" declared
Shouse, about this ever having been
in the hands of the claims and ac-
counts. / do not believe that the in
surance representatives seeking this
have acted in good faith
with this committee and 1 vote no."