The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-09-19
OPPOSED INSURANCE
BY GOVERNMENT
Isaac Newton Stevens Says II is Not a
Legitimate Government Function
and Whole Idea is Unsound.

White Sulphur Springs, W. Va, Sept
ll9-Schemes for governmental or social
insurance were attacked at the annual
convention OF the International Associa-
tion of Casualty and Surety Underwrit-
ers here yesterday by Isaac Newton Ste
vens, OF Denver, who eontended that in.
surance was not legitimate government
function under a republic and that the
whole idea was unsound.
Mr.. Stevens, who is well known as a
lawyer and writer, said that although he
was champion OF government operation
of many enterprises. he had, after thor
ough investigation, been unable to ascer'
tain amy real or speculative iustifica,
tion for any branch OF our government
engaging in the insurance business" lie
thought the advocacy OF social insurance
in this country was another instance Of
the fact that 1--WE have a penchant for
copying most everything attempted
across the Atlantic, regardless OF the pur-
pose or motive or form OF government or
dissimilarity in popular aims and ideals
OF the European law making bodies from
those OF our own country
I'VE have. as a rule" he said "a maze
OF statutes covering some phase OF every
conceivable real and theoretical form OF
government known to mankind-irom
the most absolute autoeracy to the most
ideal anarchy
The object Of society is the proao-
ton of happiness; of government. the
protection of that happiness from injury
bv the evil minded and wicked members
of society.
Il believe that good health. good NOR
ais and civic safety all require that
whenever man or woman shall be en-
ployed to render any service Of any kind
a life sustaining, fair, decent compensa-
ton for such service should be paid,
These and many other regulations for
the safe guarding and promotion OF IN.
diyidual rights and individual health and
individual enterprises, and all matters
of protecting the good members OF socl-
ETY. from the wicked members OF soci-
etv. But when it comes to the govern
ment undertaking paternal control OF
the private business affairs OF the maj
vidual, or the laying Of the foundation
for individual dependence upon the state
instead of upon personal ambition, INIT
atve and independence, then it hehooves
law makers to take careful soundings or
the sea we are traversing to ascertain
whether we are headed for a restoration
of sixteenth century monarchy or the
esta blishment of twentieth century
feudalism. with all of the serfdom OF
the former European institution and with
infinitely more power in the hands OF the
rulers than any feudal herds ever pos
sessed.
"If the government principle of insur'
ance is sound why not make il apply TO
all classes of society instead of to few
particular classes 4 society?
of, as the champions of this sort of
insurance claim. its object is to conserve
life and health, why discriminate in the
choice of classes whose lives and health
shall be protected either wholly or par
tally at the expense of all the people
and wholly through the operations of the
peoples government! Who is to be the
Judge of what li~cs are most valuable
to the republic that government may
make special provisions for their preser-
walton?
"The fact is that if life and health can
only be conserved. or can best be con-
served, by the government taking over in
whole or in part every industry and en-
terprise that has a bearing on life or
health, then we should have social
dairy, social Touring MILL a social bak-
cry, a social slaughter house, social
farm, a social garden, social hennery,
a social pig-sty and boundless other So
cial undertakings,
"The supreme question confronting leg
islative bodies in our country concerning
matters of this nature is, and always
must be. can any possible benefit to be
derived by a few persons or by few
groups of persons compensate for the de-
struction or dwarfing of individual de-
velopment and personal patriotism that
must inevitably follow such proee-
dure?"