The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-03-05
Carroll Insurance Measure
Loses in Senate, % to 10.
Incidentally "Insurance Trust"
and Lobby Given Airing.
Contributed TO THE DEFEAT
Author Says Funds Solicited To
Spread Propaganda.
Members Declare in Favor Cor
rectiOn Kansas Evils.


cally all of its working time during
the morning hours today discussing
,, the Carroll bill providing for state
insurance rating bureau and in GER
tain cases providing for state insur-
ance. After much argument and a
roll call in which a majority of the
senators took occasion to explain their
votes, the measure was killed by the
vote of % to 10.
In discussion of the bill the al
legged insurance trust and the lobby it
maintains at Kansas legislatures were
given g thoro airing. Senator Schoch
made the assertion that the insurance
companies have one of the most DOW
erful trusts in the country and said
, that during the 1917 session of the
legislature their lobby was able to de-
feat some important insurance legisla-
ton.
| Senator Carroll referred to the in
Surance lobby in terms that were not
altogether flattering and made the
assertion that J. C. Peterson, of To-
peka, had requested every insurance
agent in the state to contribute to
funds to help defeat the bill under
| consideration. Carroll read from a
circular letter that was sent out by
| Peterson on letter heads of the Insur-
ance Federation of Kansas in which
all agents in the state were asked to
| jun tII0 leQerdllOn ana IN which a
check for five or ten dollars was asked
to help to spread arguments to defeat
the bill.
! Carroll brought out in a forceful
way the fact that the insurance COM
panies under their present rating sys-
tenn cannot reduce rates more than 10
! per cent, but that they may make ad-
ded charges of from five cents to a
| dollar on the hundred for what they
may decide is a special hazard.
Charges False Reports.
An unvarnished charge was made
by Carroll in his talk to the effect
| that the old line insurance companies
| operating in Kansas. make false re-
ports to the state when they assert
that they have been losing money on
Ihe business they have been doing in
kansas for the last several years.
In voting on the measure more
| than two-thirds of the senators ex-
| planned their vote, especially those
voting against its passage. Two SEN
ators did not vote, asking to be ex-
cused- They were Anspaugh and
Keene. Whitney, who voted for the
| measure, took occasion to say that he
] had been asked to vote against the
bill because it would injure the mu-
| tual companies. He said that if it
| would injure the mutual companies If
would be only because it would give
the mutual policy holders something
/ better and that he was for any bill
| that would do this. Senator Laing
sent written explanation of his vote
to the reading clerk, but asked that it
| be spread on the records without be-
ing read in public.
| Several senators explained that they
were in favor of a measure that would
| remedy the insurance evils in Kansas
but that they were not sure such a bill
as the Carroll bill would do this. Some
voted against the measure because OF
its provisions for state insurance in
case companies should withdraw from
! the state.
To Offer Substitute
Those who voted against the bill
were: Anderson, Bergen. Coleman
Crocker, Doerr, Ferrell, Getty, Hilkey
| Kanavel, Laing. Malone, McClain
Metcalf, Myers. Nighswonger. Nixon
Paulen, Plumb. Pomeroy, Schoch
Smith, Sutton and Thompson.
Those who voted for the passage OF
the bill We're: Carroll, Delaney, GU
lick, Hart, Kimball, Milligan. Montee
Price, Satterthwaite and Whitney
| Upon defeat of the bill Senator Car
roll announced that he would make
an effort to bring out of the commit
tee on insurance another bill he has
prepared which provides for the estab-
fishing of a stamping bureau in the
insurance department of the state and
which in time would give the state
data for the making of rates and fol-
checking up the insurance companies
to ascertain whether or not they are
charging exorbitant rates. This bill
was prepared by Senator Carroll to be
brought out in the event his first bill
failed to pass.