Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1915-06-26
SUPERINTENDENT POTTS AND
THE INSURANCE COMBINE.

The Forty.ninth General Assembly
has adjourned. Each representative OF
the People must stand and be judged
according to his record on the impor.
tant issues presented during that SEES
sion. Fire insurance reform was
leading issue. Rufus NJ. Potts, State
Insurance Department. made one OF
the most brilliant and forceful fights
for 1t ever made In the history of this
State for any reform, and yet his bill
failed to receive the legislative sup
port the public strongly demanded.
The legislative fight to break the hold
of the insurance Combine" on the
people Of Illinois had the active assist.
ance Of special committee Of the iii.
nois Press Association. The press OF
the State, regardless Of party. gave II
the full weight Of editorial support.
with few exceptions. II was endorsed
by Illinois fire insurance companies.
commercial organizations, civic clubs
and city authorities all over the State.
But the insurance Combine" would
have lost approx mn0.g 100000 a
year in Illinois profits by the passage
OF law providing for regulation Of
Potts bill shows that the continued ac-
tivities Of their high.salaried lobby.
lists in Springfield met with complete
temporary success.
Although the insurance Combine"
came out victorious, yet the bitter
fight made has been of enormous edu-
cational benefit TO the voters, and this
issue, so successfully lodged In the
past, will not be forgotten In the next
election.
The following extract from a legis-
lative item in the Western Under
writer, an insurance journal Of Chi
cago, fully substsntiates the charge
that the insurance interests were the
sole cause OF the long delay OF the
Senate in confirming the appointment
OF Superintendent Potts. and his con.
irmation did not come AT all until the
Combine" knew for certain that his
legislation was effectively smothered: :
1T Is claimed that some members
OF the Senate who were opposed 10
confirming Superintendent OF Insur.
ance Potts finally vote. 10 approve
his nomination, believing that the
legislation that he suggested would
be relegated 10 the scrap.heap and
would not come up seriously for pas
sage" June 10, 1880
Is II any wonder that the political
power of the Insurance Combine" is
a nationwide scandal. In view Of such
performances a. this?
Potts burned every bridge behinC
him when he took up this fight anl
courageously made himself the large
Of the bitter attacks OF the great In
surance Combine" The Illinois
Press Association pledged its supper
TO him in the beginning, and the in
suTance reform movement should b'
pushed with the utmost yigor durinl
the next two years. This state ncet
no longer remain the favOritc feedini
ground for the insurance combine
as II has in the past, but because NJ
one has had the kind OF courage
necessary 10 demand what we are en-
titled TO. There never was a cleare
issue. The fight h simply 10 Obtain
relief for the people from the eNtoI
Tomato premium rates and oppresslv,
business practices now enforced OF
them by the fire insurance Combine.
A. a meeting Of the Southern Hi
nois Editorial Association held jun
18Th, over one hundred editors bein
present, the following preamble an'
resolution were adopted:
Whereas the Legislature has no
only refused 10 take any action q
relieve the people from the unjus
insurance rates Imposed upon them
but refused 10 allow the bill 10 regu
late insurance companies To b.
brought before the House: ana
Whereas, the Press OF the stat,
has with great unanimity. demanded
4 re-ddiustment Of the rates al insuI
anCe therefore
Resolved that the southern mi
nois Editorial Association viii keep vi
its demand for such insurance legisla
ton as shall give 10 the farmers. mel
chants. manufacturers and all oihe