The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1917-07-12
DO FIGURES LIE?

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ceive. ..-
In the Cavalier County Republican
for June 7h appears an article EMIT
led:
ITO Insurance Commissioner Ols-
ness-Personalities and Falsehoods.'
The article is written by one Geo. H.
Johnston, Wales, N. d. Mr.. John
ston, l have learned, is a banker and
insurance agent. He attacks my ar
ticle on Hail Insurance, which "a SO
generously published by the papers
Of the state recently.
Mr.. Johnston, evidently, courts and
invites the use of figures and no
doubt agrees with the title of this let
ter as far as figures and their use is
concerned. Now then, what is the
matter with our figures? Mr.. John
ston has used a lot of figures to DEM
onstrate that a dollar invested with
the line insurance companies will buy
more insurance than if invested in
state hail insurance.
presented figures to show that
state insurance goes farther, and the
farmers friend of Wales says I am
classifying. Just as I was writing this,
a second article by Johnston came to
my desk, wherein he tries to further
impress upon his readers that the
Nonpartisan Commissioner is a dan
gerous deceiver.
Let me quote: "Was my criticism
unjust, because l only used the 1916
figures? l never claimed to be US
ing m other figures" Here I am
tempted to retaliate by asking Mr..
Johnston, did l or Mr.. Felson, whose
figures were used, falsify, when we
stated that there is a saving OF
$4,000 under the state plan over the
line insurance plan? We presented
facts and figures just as they are
based upon maximum Insurance
Loss" which means 100 per cent.
Did Mr.. Johnston notice that, when
he read my article or, does he fall
sify, when he makes the charge
against my use of figures?
The fact remains that neither of
US have falsified figures. Still john
ston accuses me Of this when he
knows it was not so. The trouble
is this: Johnston is riled up because
we did not tell of the failure of the
State to pay the maximum or full
loss. But even on this point he fails
to get me, for if Johnston will take
another glace at my letter, which
caused him so much o~ffense, he will
find this: "This plan Estate 1nsur-
ance) of insurance has been in opera
ton for six years, with limited sue
cess" Wherein have I misstated
figures? l think the logical reader
will exonerate me of Johnston's
charge.
Now, I stated that neither of US
quoted wrong figures. l never dis
puted Johnston's mathematical CAL
culations. It is the inference to be
drawn and the impression he intends
should be left upon the farmers by his
comparisons that I object to.
Does Johnston mea to tell the
farmer that the line companies will
continue to do business on the 1916
basis? That they will donate the
difference between $19.76 and $4,000,
which represents the cost of premium
under the two plans for $3O4.OO Of
indemnity on 100 acres insured? Let
US grant that this amount is 100000
to the patrons Of stock insurance
companies.
In the first place it is fair to as
sumo that this amount and more had
been extracted from the pockets Of
the North Dakota farmer during the
previous years, Especially by COM
panies who have operated in the state
a long time) and secondly, why does
not Johnston tell of the raise in rates
to w and 2 per cent extra on rye
and barley.
Johnston accuses the Department
of classifying and withholding the
truth. When you mention the inter-
est on the premium under state plan,
that the farmer a ia by taking
insurance with the stock company,
who carries notes with interest, why
not tell at the same time, that it was
only through the state insurance
scheme that the farmer obtained that
privilege, which means thousands of
dollars to the state? Johnston pre-
tends to be so solicitous to the farm
er and so very indignant because the
Nonpartisan Insurance Department
has tried to conceal truths that should
enter this discussion. Why not tell
your readers that the stock company
tried to repudiate all claims for hail
losses last year on the grounds that
it was blight and rust and not hail
that was responsible for the losses,
and would have done so had not In
franc Commissioner, Hon. w c.
Taylor and Governor Hon. L. B. Han
ma given them the choice Of paying
their losses or having their licenses
cancelled in this state.
Another example of funny reason
ing and reckless statements by Mr.
Johnston: 1.-THE Hail Insurance De-
partment of North Dakota robbed the