The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1916-03-29
0DOM DEFENDS
INSURANCE LAW
CHESTERFIELD MAN SAYS CON-
PANIES ARE TRYING TO
BRIGHTEN THE PEOPLE.

Chesterfield, March 20.-W. P.
,Odom, representative from Chester
field county, and co-author with Sen
.ator Laney of the anti-compact bill,
is proud of his work in connection
with the insurance legislation. Mr..
Odom succeeded in transferring the
bill from another legislative commit
tee to the committee on agriculture.
of which he is chairman. Il am
proud of my work in this matter and
indeed grateful to the members of
the house who stood so firmly by the
bill. 1t is one of the biggest things
which could have been done," he
said. Discussing the bill, he said:
"The insurance companies are try
ing to frighten the people through
out the State on account of the
passage of the anti-compact law.
A great many of them have with
drawn from the State, claiming that
it is impossible to do business under
the terms of the act. 1t will be no
ticed, however, that they are not
complaining about the feature of the
bill that forbids combination of in
surance companies to name rates,
but they are very violently opposed
to that feature that gives the insur-
ance commissioner the authority to
review rates as to whether they are
discriminatory or unjust, and also
they claimed to be opposed to the
making of an oath that they have
not during the previous year violated
the terms of the act.
What of Charles Bill?
"It would take a very credulous
person indeed to believe that these
constitute the real objections to the
act. If these are the real objections,
why did not the insurance compan-
les fight the Charles bill, which
passed the house without discussion.
This Charles bill provided for the
same review of rates by the insur-
ance commissioner as does the anti
compact law. Why is it that this
feature was unopposed in the one
bill and now so Objectionable in the
other? Explanations are in order.
Of course, it would not be good pol
icy to come out in their true colors
and state their real objection to the
law, to wit, the forbidding Of a
combination of companies to make
rates on fire risks.
"No thinking man who has kept
up with the insurance news since
the passage of the anti-compact law
could swallow without pinch of
salt the statement that the insur-
ance companies are not acting in
concert in withdrawing from the
State. This must have been arrang-
ed at that New York conference of
insurance companies which took
place at the time Gov. Manning was
hearing the opponents of the bill.
"This is contest between the
people of the State of South Carolina
and the big insurance companies,
and it is up to the people to stand
to it or forever hereafter crawl like
snakes. I fully believe the state
ment of Mr.. Seibles when he says
the insurance companies are not
withdrawing through revenge. do
believe, however, the Withdrawals
are in pursuance of deliberate de-
sign concocted in New York to CO.
cree and intimidate the people of
the State. They hope to create a
state of decentralization so that there
will be such a demand for the re-
pudiation of the anti-compact law
that the next legislature will repeal
it. Should this happen, Lord have
mercy upon US. In this case the
Southeastern Underwriters associa-
ton would secure much stronger
strangle hold upon US, and their ar
rogance in the past would be as
nothing to what we would have to
endure in the future. Shall we sit
idly around and allow these foreign
insurance companies to dictate to a
sovereign people? God forbid.
State Must Be Unafraid.
"It is the duty of the people of
this State to elect men to the next
legislature who can not be frighten-
ed by threats and who can not be
influenced by fear, favor or gain.
This battle must be won regardless
of the cost. We must not bend the
hinges of the knee that thrift may
follow fawning, but we must stand
together and defeat the designs of
this insurance monopoly. AS long
as i am h WeuDST VI LuS ASS1SIoGuiS .
/ will vote against the repeal of the
anti-compact law should every COM
pany in South Carolina withdraw to
the north side of the north pole. l
do not fear that we shall be without
insurance, although I fully believe
all the large foreign companies will
withdraw. We will just sit steady
in the boat and paddle in the middle
of the stream while the different
chambers of commerce and insur-
ance agents associations are meeting
in Columbia to concoct plants to de-
liver the State over to the big in
surance companies. Wherever and
whenever there is business that can
be done at profit, some one will do
the business.
During the argument on the floor
of the house the opponents of the
bill argued very strenuously the
absolute necessity of having a COM
mon rating bureau, and if each COM
pany were forced to maintain a sep
arate organization the expenses
would necessarily be increased,
l. 10 Law