Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1917-03-07
MEETING OF COMMERCIAL CLUB.
Resolutions Unanimously Passed Ask.
ing for the Repeal Of the Rating
Bureau Law.

The Monday evening meeting of the
Manchester Commercial Club was
held at the Bowen restaurant. A
goodly number of members and sew
eral invited guests were present and
all dined sumptuously.
The first bushes transacted was
the consideration of resolutions call
ing for the repeal Of the bureau rat
ing law passed by the last general
assembly. The rating bureau scheme
did not seem to have friend present
and the following resolutions were
unanimously adopted:
Whereas, The Manchester CONNER
cial club exists for the purpose of
promoting the commercial interests of
the City of Manchester and the terri
tory adjacent thereto, and
Whereas: The laws regulating deal
ings between insurers and insured
are of prime Importance to the own
ers of property in this community,
and
Whereas: The Rating Bureau law,
passed by the Thirty-Sixth General
Assembly, deprives the people of
Iowa of the right to freely procure
fire insurance in their own state from
those having insurance to sell, but OBJ
liges them to accept the rates fixed by
the insurance companies hired men
or by combinations Of insurance COM
panies, and
/ Whereas: These Rating Bureaus do
not represent, in any manner. the in
surance purchasing public; they are
not public agencies, charged with the
duty of dealing impartially with the
insurers and the insured; they are
either hired employees of the insur-
ance companies or an insurance COM
pany, or a combination of insur-
ance companies; there Is no limit to
any rating bureau, but must not use
the rates Of more than one at the
same time. This Is a vicious fea-
ture Of the law for it gives the insur-
ance companies the privilege Of en-
ploying and paying the bureau that is
not expert in exploiting the public
and -
Whereas, The raise Of rates urden
this bureau rating law has In many
instances obligated those purchasing
Insurance to either submit to injus-
tice, engage in a contest, or send out
Of the state for their insurance, there
by losing the protection Of our state
courts, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the present General
Assembly be and is hereby requested
to Internationally repeal said Bu-.
reau Rating law, and either provide for
insurance rating by public officers,
or allow free competition in the sale
OF fire insurance to the property own
ers of Iowa, and be it further
Resolved, That a copy Of these res
solutions be forwarded to Senator
Thos. E. Taylor and Representative
s. w. Klaus, with the request that
they use their best efforts to bring
about this remedial legislation.
William Atwell, division superin-
tendent of the Illinois Central, was
called upon and made catch little
speech and was loudly applauded. He
was followed by Trainmaster Duck
WITT, OF the Illinois Central, who also
pleased the members of the club with
what he had to say. A Mr.. Downs
also talked. ihge@ -
The club having accepted an IN
attend the Parent-Teach-
ers, meeting at the High school the
meeting adjourned.
The next meeting of the club will be
held at the Rest room next Tuesday
evening at eight o'clock. 10