The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1915-08-17

Tore lis execution.
The wires OF 4 certain telephone
company doing business in North
Carolina Were not grounded in the
which an employee of the
Southeastern Underwriters Association
thought they should be. The tele-
phone insisted the methods
USED by IL were the safest and best
and refused to change. The owner
and occupants of d building IN which
one OF these phones was installed.
were notified Of an increased insurance
rate OF 25 per cent, unless the phone
was grounded as h agent Of thls as
seclaton required. Had the Norm
Carolina Senate of 1915 enacted Ia.
b1i which came to ii from the House.
the Insurance Commissioner Of IN.
State would have been authorized to
pass upon h rate proposed.
An owner Of a building a first
class city of the State had Installed
fire doors OF the kind prescribed by
the regulations then obtaining. \
hort time & he was notified Of a
greatly increased insurance rate upon
the property of himself and his tea
ant, unless different fire doors Were
used. As a consequence the tenant
notified the owner the rate was pro
hlhluVe. but ne could not obtain
credit unless he carried insurance.
lIICtii ioSS liz Ia u "a
the increased ate the owner of this
building Installed the doors at much
expense. Had the North Carolina
Senate Of 1915 enacted the bill which
came to it from The House, the In
suranCe Commissioners Of the State
would have had authority 10 say
whether or not the threatened rate
was a reasonable one. a little while
the local insurance agent renew
cd - ;4n ~ - Lrf,
g belonging to a brother Of Mr.. Henry
A. Page, at the rate of 3 per cent
which had bene in force some years
, Iu A&s instructed by the company
. to advance this rate to 6 per cent
2 Upon objection being made the C
agent called upon the general man
= ager Of the company. This a%utrocra
replied: These Pages gave as tn
e devil in the Legislature, and deserv,
I no concession on Our part" ffad tn
4 Senate of 1915 passed the bill which
t the Rouse sent to it, the Insuranc,
Commissioner Of this State Woul'
e haVe the power to pass upon tn
n reasonableness of that rate.
So | again say the faliEre to enac
{ the legislation was u~nfortunate> flo
many Ct the property owners in Mort
Carolina.
u 1t Was unfortunate, too, for tn
% State. What is for the welfare Of If
citizens is for the States welfare. Th
defeat of this conservative leglSlatiO
which reduced no rate, but only at
e thorized the Insurance Commissions
e to do 50, after investigation, throw
the question into politics. 1t Will /
e debated ape every stump. Publ.
sentiment will demand it. People wi
fe not be content to pay insurance rate
or penalties fixed arbitrarily in Altar
ia or elsewhere. They will insist som
individual or tribunal, representa-
them shall have power to supervis
" or review. They will not long subm
to conditions which permit any ageI
- or officer Of any insurance conpan
"a to increase an established rate 1C
per cent, and when appealed to rep
These Pages gave us the devil in TT
10 last legislature and deserve no COZ
re cesSiOns from u.s." In the end,
re will be unfortunate for the insurant
W companies. The legislation propose
is was not radical. 1t gave the ~lnsurant
,d Commissioner, authority to SuperVls
If investigate and raise or lower a rat
al Discussion before the people of II
er errors, discriminatory rates, exaCtit
and arbitrary demands, which can
found in every community is not ca
NC cuIated to appeaSe them. 1t is mo
likely that the next legislation pr
v posed will be drastic, perhaps radic1
10 Whom the Gods would destroy, tn
first make mad"
ia Again l say it was unfortunate t
IN legislation proposed was defeated
S. the Senate of 1915.
n How this result was brought abo
nc in the Senate | do not fully undo
re stand, but | do know some OF I
methods adopted and some q I
no arguments used.
j. The insurance agents Of I
State largely opposed. They oppos
ny it ecaus their companies oppose
They opposed it also because the
was a companion bin which interfe
red with their commission put
them upon a contingent, rather tn
-. a fiat basis.
2. it was brought about ny I
organized activity Of some OF the
- l--x 49, 90 ~ ~ nf thl fLf