The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1916-04-20
70 4 CANDIDATE ron re-
EIe0TIoN
Walter Q. Taylor, Commissioners OF
Insurance, Announces HE Dan.
didaoy and Platform

Bismarck, N. D., April i2-W.
C. Taylor today formally annunoc
ed his candicay for Reelection tu
the Office of commissioner of in
surance as follows:
To the republican Electors of
the State of North Dakota: | am q
candidate for the office of commits
sioner of insurance. 1 am now
serving my third term in that OF
flee, and my candidacy is submit
ted on the ground of efficient SER
vice, faithful attention to duty and
a desire to further assist in plac-
ing the entire structure of in
surance on a more substantial
basis is this state. The pro-
gram have in mind calls for the
enactment of complete and har-
monious insurance code, to take
the place of the hodge podge of
laws. many of them more or less
contradictory, which have been
enacted from time to time since
statehood.
The state should have SUPER
vision Of insurance rates as we'll
as of the insurance companies
authorized to- transact business
therein. This applies with spec
ial force to fire insurance rates
but l believe it should also eN.
tended to provide regulation o!
rates charged by surety compan-
les
Insurance is public necessity
no less than railroad. telegraph
and telephone systems. Even
more intimately than any of these
utilities it enters into the very
wool and warp of our social and
industrial fabric. 1t was in re-
cognitiOn of this fact that the
United States supreme court re-
Gently said that 1.-The business OF
fire insurance is SO far affected
with public interest as to justi-
| ly Legislative regulation of its
rates. If reelected | shall re-
new the efforts which were inau-
grated in the last legislature IL
secure supervision of rates.
Life insurance is written either
on what is known as the Illegal
reserve basis Or the assessment
PLAN" So far as assessment
life inurance is concerned, l be-
lieve it's writing should be con-
fined exclusively to fraternal ben.
eft societies, and on adequate
rates. There would not seem tc
be any legitimate reason or de.
mand for assessment life associa.
tons, and this state might wei
follow the example of other states
in expressly excluding them from
it's borders. Certainly the pre-.
sent lack of definition in that par
ocular should be corrected.
Demands upon the time and at.
tention of the commissioner O.
insurance in examining disputed
claims for indemnity. under poll.
cies Of accident and health i'll
suance, has grown alarmingly
This is due to the vague, indie
finite and misleading character
Of these contracts. Standard
forms should be prescribed by
legislative enactment as in the
case of fire insurance and life in
surance.
The state department of in
surance is not merely or primari-
ly recording office. The duties
devolving upon the commissioner
of insurance are highly technical,
and call for an intimate knowledge
of the insurance laws and at least
a reasonable degree of administra
tive ability. These qualifications
can be acquired, if at all only by
experience. In this connection
attention is called to the fact that
in addition to the steadily in
creasing amount of work devolv :
ing upon this office as a result
of the rapid growth Of the in
surance business, the response
bility and lahors Of the COM
missioner of insurance have been
UNNECESSARILY enlarged from the
fact that he has been charged
with supervision of the state hail
insurance fund, the fire marshal
law and the state bonding fund.
1t is true. that the law creating
the state bonding fund is not OPP
erative at present. but it is likely
to become effective within short
time.
The state of North Dakota owes
me nothing. On the contrary,
am deeply indebted to the people
of this state; and in that spirit
in the desire to give better ser
vice to our people than it has been
possible for me to give in the past