The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1916-05-13
DENIES INSURANCE LICENSE.
MINISTER REFUSES COMMISSION
TO NONRESIDENT BROKER.
Acts Under Opinion of Attorney Gen.
eral-Casc May Be Brought to Test
Brokers Law Of Last Legislature
Letter From McLaurin ON Subject.

John L. McLAurin, State warehouse
commissioners. is that mandamus pro-
ceedings will be brought against Fitz
Hugh McMaster, State insurance
commissioner, to prohibit compliance
with an Interpretation recently given
by Attorney General Peoples, that
nonresident insurance brokers may
not be licensed under the existing in
surance regulations in this State. The
question has been brought into prom
inence by the application Of Philip
La Tourette of New York, representa-
tive Of Samuel, Cornwall & Stevens.
Mr.. McMaster realizes that Mr.. La
Tourette might be the means OF re-
neving considerably the stringent sit
uation relative to the insurance mud
die, but emphasizes that the issuance
OF licenses to nonresident brokers is
In violation of the act. Relative to the
application of Mr. LaTourette and the
company he represents. Mr., McIaurin
said:
Il have the promise Of Samuel,
Cornwall & Stevens that If. this H.
cense is granted they will take care
of such business as can not be ham
idled through regular channels on ac-
count OF the withdrawal Of the COM
panies. We are not trying to put
local agents out of business, only to
take care Of what they are unable to
do. I don't want to injure any man
doing legitimate business but do
not propose to allow our. people to
suffer by reason Of a monopoly II I
Ican help 1t. 1t is nothing to me per-
sonaliy or officially. am running
the State warehouse and haven't
.Ititne to answer all the people writing
[me for directions about insurance. 1
Twas Sc years old yesterday and spent
tl4 hours at my desk, 1 can't stand
such = physical strain indefinitely
The letter Of Insurance Commits
sioner McMaster to Warehouse Com
'1lna CnsE MctseurlR Il ras follows. i.
'ts r Replying t6 your recent letter on
lbehAH 81 application OF Mr.. Philip Ia
i lT6urette, who applied for a brokers
llicense. sepding herewith his check
for $25 and his bond in the sum of
$4,000. have to say that under the
Instructions of the attorney general
that I should follow the directions Of
the statute as to whom should Ii
Ecense. and advising me that / should
decline license on the sole ground that
tMr. IATourette is a nonresident Of
the State, II no other ground exists.
and that in case Of contest. he, the
attorney general, would represent this
Office and present arguments to the
court to sustain the law prescribed by
the legislature. have to decline to
issue q license to Mr.. LaTourette on
the ground that he rs a nonresident
OF the State.
I'm all other respects 1 find that Mr..
LaTourette comes within the terms
Of the law in that he is q well inform
ed insurance broker. licensed as un-
derstand in the State of New York
for many years. He has filed the re-
quired bond and in all other particu-
lars fulfills the conditions Of the law.
realize, too. that it is possible that
Mr.. LaTourette might do considerable
towards relieving the present insur-
ance situation in South Carolina as
suggested by yourself, but I have no
option in the matter and as indicated
above. on the ground that he is a
nonresident Of the State, as is pro-
scribed in the last sentence Of section
of the act providing for the licens-
ing Of insurance brokers, I declined
to issue and am returning herewith
Mr.. LaTourette's check for $25 and
his bond in the sum Of $6,000."