The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1919-06-13
uEbRASkAN SAYS
~ IN III
HAIL INSURANCE
T. LAW on HIS STATE
II II n
BEATS DAKOTA'S
=. AAAA ~
MAKES INTERESTING COMPARE
:: :: SON OF TWO SYSTEMS OF
+. e - GRAIN PROTECTION
LITTLE EXPENSE
* IN ADMINISTRATION
CORNHUSKER STATE SPENDS
ONLY $4,000 AND HAS
$4,000 SURPLUS

E. E. Wolfe, of the Lincoln (Neb.)
Star, who sent a week or ten days
in North Dakota studying the politi-
cal situation created by the Nom
partisan league, contributes an inter-
esting comparison of the North Da-
kota haili insurance law with the
Nebraska law that is of particular
interest just now. Mr.. Wolfe cover
ed the Nebraska session of the legis-
lature, and is the political writer of
The Lincoln Star. He says:
Nothing better shows the differ
enee between the kind of legislation
which A. c. Townley cooks up for the
farmers where he has control and
that which the farmers enact them
selves where they do their own think
ing and voting, than comparison of
the hail insurance law passed at the
late session of the North Dakota leg
islature and the Nebraska law on the
same subject as passed in 1917 and
perfected in 1919.
"Nebraska farmers, under their
statute, are receiving better protec-
tion than those of North Dakota. will
get from the law which Townley has
drafted and passed here. A great deal
mere noise has been made over the
North Dakota act than about the one
in the Cornhasker state! That is be-
cause. the Nonpartisan league needs
the advertising. The; facts, however,
Tie law allows the insurance depart
mont to spend $500 year, and no
more, Ser ssffiee expense charged
u sss ssysariss TIC naH Insurance fund No
money is paid out of the state trea-
sary to support the department.
- An Army Of JobhoIders
But in North Dakota the legisla-
ture followed the Townley idea of
creating manager, a chief inspector,
deputy inspector, ETC., to carry out
the law. Their salaries are not fixed,
but the insurance commissioner may
pay them. whatever he pleases, so
long as the money lasts. They are
to be appointed by the governor, who
is sabservient to Townley. A fund
Of $50,OOo was appropriated by the
legislature to pay salaries and gen.
eEal expenses, with. the proyiso that
it will, be, repaid after 1920, out of the
premium receipts.
TN Nebraska, farmers who want
hail insurance atake it and those who
don't think they need it are not COM
PEELED to. Under the North Dakota
law, you get the insurance unless you
don't want it. If you do fill such
statement, the state goes ahead
anyway and taxes your tillable land
at the rate of cents per acre-$4.S0
per quarter section, which is assessed
as a special tax regardless. For
this, you receive no protection in re
turn, unless you elect to come under
the law and secure it's benefits" :"
The tax goes on every. acre of "till-
able" land, even through it may be
in pasture or forage crops not sub
ject to hail damage.
Compare this with the Nebraska
law under which a farmer himself
decides whether he wants the insur-
ance. on just how much~,and what
sacreage he wants it.; and if he doesn't
want any at all he doesn't pay a
blooming cent II he should come
under ownIey beneficient regime,
he would have Ato kiss $3.50 goodbye
every year. sSs$S5
so sjATEs HIGH +, z BENEFITS 81
:z55 s5: :s LOWER ii:
This Is not all the story. The Neb-
,raska premium rates for hail insur-
ancei In the eastern, middle and west
sern zones classified according to-
2hazard) are 25, 40 and so cents, re-
ispectively. with Y cent per acre ad-
ditional as the assessors commission,
while the maximum loss allowed iss
$40. n This Is at the rates Of ~, 4
and IS per cent, .s.., !. ~. =.
y .'The North Dakota law allows the
Sinsurance commis ssioner to levy, an
q .salssessment i snp q. 50 cents per- acre
on al AIT land NJ Here crops are insured.