The Devils Lake world and inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1915-1920, 1917-05-31

DEVILS
duty rs q state9ohicial, when / call at.
tention to the Insurance problem. We
have in our stare four plans Of insur-
ing crops against hail: Self-insur-
ance, so-called line insurance, mutuai
insurance and state insurance. OF
these plans, the line insurance is the
most costly to the North Dakota
farmers, because such companies are
operated for profit to the stockholders,
and because most of them are organ
lied in other states, thus taking large
sums of money ont of North Dakota.
The state mutuals charge practical
~ the same rates as the line compan-
les, but they return to the policy
holder pro-rata whatever funds might
be left, after Ill operating expe
have been paid. AS will be seen, all
the money under this plan is kept in
the state.
AS for self-insurance, this is the
cheapest of all .:he plans, because here
nothing is paid out in salaries, divi-
dends, or overhead expenses in gener-
al, and no time wasted with agents
and adjusters. But, as the cheapest
is not always tie best, many find this
to be true about self-insurance. 1t dc.
ponds on the circumstances. A great
many farmers W money, and are
paying high rates of interest on their
debts. In many instances, it means
success or ruin to save or lose a good
crop, especially under stress of abnor-
NAL times like these.
Will Seek Protection.
/ therefore take it, that the provi-
dent farmer will this year more than
ever before, look to one or another of
the afores mentioned insurance sources
for protection IF his crops, and with
your permission, let me call to YOUR
attention, at last, but not least, we
have the state hail insurance. This
plan OF insurance has been in pera-
ton for six years, with limited sue
cess. This for several reasons some
OF which r as follows: The law
provides that the assessor shall take
the applications when on his rounds
assessing property. But, as the as
SCISSORS duties end before the season
for writing the bulk of hail insurance
begins, very lit lie business is written
by the assessors. They can write in.
surance at any time later, but the fee
is only one-half cent per acre, and few
will make the extra trip. Anothe,
reason is that cash must accompany
an application for state insurance.
This is a great handicap and loses
much business for the state, especially
since the banks offer to carry notes
taken for insurance without interes,
until fall.
In my opinion the greatest handicar
to a general patronage is, perhaps thu
utter lack-uf fusndsEfor boosting ant
publicity. The great majority of farm.
ers either know nothing about thu
plan, or they have a warped view Of
1T because of opposing influences be.
lifting the real merits Of the propo
sltlon. The saddest of it all is tina,
many assessors Rave refused to carr,
blanks or even mention state insur
ance to the farmers, thus violating
the law, which makes this one of hi,
official duties as much as asking how
many horses a n an has subject to as
sessment, is his duty.
Is Cheapest to All.
Allow me to point out why I thinl
a farmer should patronize state in.
surance: Because it is his own in.
stltutlon and all the premiums arr
kept within the state. 1t is the cheap.
est of all Except self-insurance)
that is, the most economical because
OF the. extremely low operating ex.
pense: yet it is adequate and safe be.
cause you get exactly what you pa,
for.
With apologies to W. W. Felson
auditor of Pembina county, I present
the following comparative table:
State Plan: Premium on 100 acres
at Soc, $4,000; Assessors fee, SOC;
Maximum insurance loss $500.
Old Line Plan: Csc rate, Premium
on $500 insurance, $52; Maximum in.
surance loss, $500.
This shows a saving of $3.50 unde,
the state plan.
Would Pay to Borrow.
In case of $50 had to be borrowed
for six months at the rate of ten ne,
cent, the cost 1nder the state plan
would be about s32 or a saving OF
$40 over the old line plan.