Bemidji Daily Pioneer Newspaper, July 22, 1910, Page 4

FIRE Property Owners “Federation BULLETIN NO. SOUNDING THE KNELL OF COMMISSIONS. IN FIRE INSURANCE Insurance Commissioner’s Views. In a former Bulletin we quoted our state msur- ance commissioner as having declared against the high expense charged by the fire insurance com- panies for collecting and distributing the fire in- surance premium tax, stating the expense ratio of of the American .companies.to be about 45 cents out of every g1 of premiums collected, also that agents’ commissions was the largest nem, and he adds: “It the companies are unable to reduce the com- missions to a reasonable figure, it would seem that it can be done only by legislative enactment, and this may prove to _be necessary in. the -very near future.” Commissioner Hardison of Massachusetts makes the same suggestion and affixes the following: “That 40 cents out of every $1.00 in premiums should go to an agent for his commission in placing a policy seems a rather large amount when com- pared with the 6o cents which goes to the com- pany for paying losses and all the other expenses, To be sure, not all premiums are subject to so large a commission, but the tendency is in that direction. Commissions have advanced on the preferred class of business to 40 per cent in some cases at the present time, with a tendency still up- ward.” The Massachusetts commissioner further states that the increase in.agents’ commissions now amounts -to about seven-and one-half-million dollars ($7,500,000) more, anually, than on lower commission basis of ten years ago. Then hegoes.on with the following-terse conclusion. The black type is ours: “Now, this is all a very natural outgrowth of the method of carrying on the business on a commission basis. The companies waat the business and their demand works up the commission instead of lowering the premiums. Were the business done direct with the customer, the natural way for the companies to get it in competition would.be by.reducing the prem- iums and thus the competition.would inure to-the .in- sured’s benefit. -~ But as the business is done: through agents, who have come;to control it,.the competition of it must be in form attractive to the agent. _The assured is eliminated.” Our Federation has, in a.mild way, charged the in- suring public with being “Asleep at the switch,” and here comes an insurance commissioner from one of the most staid and couservative commonwealths. of the Union, making the emphatic -assertion that the premium payer instead of being asleep, has been “eli- minated” from the-fire insurance business. This is a condition well understood in the inner circles of fire underwriting, but the Massachusetts commissioner haa only told half the story This elimination of the assured as a factor in fire insurance not only gives free rein to agents’ commissions but the incendiary peculator is treated by the public with courteous in. difference. ‘When the unreasonable and unnecessary ex- pense which now 'attaches to the stock company «System” is ¢‘eliminated” and a healthy check is applied to incendarism by vigorous punishment of that crime, and equitable rates applied we can-cut off two-thirds or more of the present fire tax in the smaller cities and towns, The Property Owners Federation is endeavoring to bring the public to a realization of these unruly conditions. As secetary of this Federation I have published many stubborn, ugly facts that have met with no defense from the representatives of the stock companies. There 1s no defense. Relief can come only by a change in the system and that change when it comes will ¢‘eliminate” the local comissioned agent, and itis plain that the ¢sys- tem” will fight, and fight-hard for its life. Calummy is Not Argument Having no legitimate weapons of defense the *'system” has turned polecat, as Judge Lindey put it, in his recent article in Everybody’s magazine, and is making attacks on the writer’s personal character in an effort to “eliminate”.him or-to-impede the - pro- A rank falsehood has been set afloat by represent- atives of the “system” -that I had robbed a certain insurance company when I was in its employ. The Answer is ¢To Whom It-May Concern: «This certifies that Mr. K. Neutson .was em ployed by the directors of this company, about six-' teen years:ago, to:secure applications for-the for- mation of this company.' He did his work ably and conscientiously. At the close of his one year of successful campaign he was paid a final payment by this company to balance his agreed compensat- ion. He has always treated this company -fairly and he has my best wishes for his .future success Respectfully, (Signed by the Secretary) Since the foregaing was.put.in type my.attention has been called to a-statement:made by .an officer of a prominent Western-company ‘at a recent -meeting of officers and field men of the Northwest, that he had a a letter from me stating that for aconsideration I “‘would undertake to;secure legislation-that would put the Mutual companies.out of business in: Minnesota,’”| I immediately called:on the gentleman -who frankly admitted that he had:no such letter.‘ and that I had never made such a statement.to him." As the Hon. Mr. Hartigan, State Insurance Com- missioner, was present.at the meeting .referred to I called at the commissioner’s office withaut delay and stated that I had been charged with a crime that directly concerned :the :insurance department and I expressed a deep desire to have the matter looked in- to at once. The party in question was called and he of conrse had to make'the same.admission he did to me. Well! Another one nailed. This canard was evidently started for the _purpose of prejudicing the mutual companies against -me, as it was first administered-to -the secretary of: nne of those companies. I will not violate my own appreciation of fair play and a “square deal” by publishing this man’s name, but I have now laid his case before the :insurance de- partment and our governing board, and I will give him personal attention later. According to the old lady’s philosophy that *all things have their compensation,” so every -falsehood “nailed to the wall” will impair the influence of the successors. Here is:a pertinent extract from Judge Lindsey’s letter above referred to: «Pavl Thieman, of the Post,came upon a young brood of slanderous lies that had been“recently hatched-ont. He spoke to apolitician-about theni. ‘You know Judge Lindsey,’ he said. ‘You don’t realy believe those stories, do you? «¢No,’ the politician-replied, ‘but we’ve got to get the little” — some way. A lot of - people will believe them,’ «‘Oh, you citizens of the United States—who are ‘not fit to govern’ yourselves-—the manufacture and circulation of these stories is one of the oper- ations of the powers that:govern you,” \ ““Beware of the Beast when he turns Polecat,” ST . The undertaking of our-Federation to deal with the entrenched abuses in fire ipsurance, as manipulated by the stock company “system” -involves immensely larger capital intereststhan did the campaign of Judge Lindsey andhis associates.agaiast the misrule:of the corporate “interests” of Denver. Every known art of corporate -warfare will undoubtedly be directed against us, and it will be impossible to make fair pro- gress as long as a majority of leading hlymess men are willing to be “eliminated” from - the ‘business - of distributing the fire insurance tax. Now,gentlemen of the oppesition, please confine your remarks to the'facts in ‘the .case. Treat your business as'though it was:legitimate and depend on the survival of the fittest, which is the only rule by which to measure the final finish; but.for:the, sake- of the people with whom you come in .contact, don’t turn polecat. Respectfully, K. Neutson Secretary. POLIGE-DECLARE RAWASHOT SELF Reject ‘Story That>Burglar Killed Railroad>Man. NO “TRACE “OF “INTRUDER BulletxWhich Caused:Death® Fits Re- Vvolver:.Carsied aby :Dead “Man: and Erom: :\Which -One//8hot :Had Been Fired—Relatives .and | Business As- :sociates Insist That Fatal Wound Was Not Self-Inflicted. Chicago, July'22.—Further police in- vestigation into the mysterious. shoot- ing of Ira G. Rawn, president of the Monon railroad, at his Winnetka sum- mer home, is at an end as far, at least, as the Chicago police are con- cerned. = After a day of thorough investiga- “on Assistant Police Chief Schuettler and Captain Stephen “Waod of ithe Chicago detective .department .an- nounced that they :were through-with |: the case, as they have rejected all theories of Rawn being killed by bur- glars, hired assassin or & private enemy. The only conclusions by them is that Rawn tookhis own life. . The attitude of ‘the Rawn family, the police say, who ‘did -everything they could to hamper a thorough:in- vestigation, helped -considerably - in reaching this conclusion, but there ‘was nothing found :that would bear out the story told by.members of the family that two shots.were fired or that forcible entry had been made to the ‘house. ‘The family, however, still maintains that Rawn’g:death-was not by his-own. hand, but that .he was:killed -im a| struggle with a burglar. .. No Trace of Second Bullet. ‘The police say that no trace of a <8econd cbullet .can -befound -and ‘that: thecbullet which killed Rawn fits the revolyer which he carried and from which one shot had been fired. The marks on the doors, which at first were suppoged -to-have-been made by & burglar's jimmy,:are-found to:be on the :inside instead:of the outside and tIré supposed bloodstains, on the prave- ment outside preve to be:nothing.more isuspicious than:red -paint. President Rawn was facing .an.in- ‘vestigation by theilllinois Central rail- road :of “repair frauds,” aggregating $1,600,000, perpetrated -while he -was operating vice president of that road. At the present time there are civil suits-pending-against some of the Illi- nois -Central officials :and Rawn :was the: star-witness:in-these .cases. ‘He was, placed:on the stand, -but -at ‘his own request the investigation had been delayed.from time to time. Rawn’s close business associates de- clare ‘that there-was ‘mothing :in his business affairs that would cause him to take his life. ‘On the:-contrary they point to a letter written late Tuesday in which Rawn asked for transporta- tion for his private car over the Northwestern line to Cisco ILake, where he intended -taking his family. Theyalso refer to preparafions made for a long deferred honeymeon trip to Europe this fall. NUMBER:0F ' TOWNS AREDESTROYED Fire-Conditions -Critical -in “the Kaotenay. Distriet. ‘Winnipeg, July 22.—The latest re- ports from Sandon, in .the Kootenay :district. of the Rocky mountaius, state [t that the town is in imminent danger. A train crowded with refugees i ‘Feady-to:leave. - Three-Forks;Teported gress of the work-of our’ Federation, Members of his family heard him say, “What do you want. here?”. and two BUHELAH l[LLs shots .were - fired .immediately - after- ward. i g ; nr. When they hurried to the first floor Mr. Rawn was. lying-dead at the foot of the stairs with a bullet through his heart. The murderer or murderers Pl‘ eSidEIlt ,Of Honon ¥R.ute esg‘?fize‘:act that the murder w:us com- Slain by Robber. mitted by.a hurglar was_estahlished by the findjng of “jimmy” ymarks (on the door, which had been forced open. Climax to Reign of Terror. The assassination js the climax to a reign of crime that has-driven the residents .of .the North Shere subuflw almost to a frenzy. Mr. Rawn was fity-five years old, Floor of His Summer Home at Win- ;a‘{ins been born Aug. 20, 1855, at elaware, O. .He. entered the railway netka, lil., -Dessends. toxinvestigate |-C "= T 1870, begmnlngt:: a tele- and Meets Instant Death—Had | graph operator for the Big Four. Risen From Telegraph .Operator to | risingto be trainmaster with 7 " || road, he went to the Kentucky Central Headzof* Blgissystem: railway in 1887 as-master of transpor- Chicago, July 21.—Ira 'G. Rawn,|tation. Two years later he became president of the Chicago, Indianapolis | division superintendent and superin- and Louisville railway (the Monon | tendent of transportation of the Ghesa- Route), was shot through the heart | Pe2ke and Ohio railroad. In 1890 he 5 was made general superintendent of and instanily:killed by.a burglar who the Baltimore and Ohio Southwestern. entered his summer home in Winnet- He became general manager of that BULLET THROUGH HEART Ira G. Rawn, Hearing Prowler on First ka, a suburb fifteen-miles north of| system in 1904 and’in 1907 was made | Chicago. vice president in charge of operation The ‘burglar forced open the ibase-| of the Illinois Central:lines. 'About a ment . door .and. was.heard prowling'| year ago he was elécted memden about tha first' floor .by Mr. Rawn, | the Manom who wenl down stairs to investigate. 4 AEEEATIVIE DARE DIES OF A BROKEN HEART Chicagoan ‘Expires After Attending Wedding of Girl He Loved. Chicago, July '22.—After he' had shaken hands with the bride and smil- ingly wished her all possible joy and thappiness ;in her :wedding to.the jman of ‘her choice John Tyka, twenty-one Years:old, returned to his residence .and died—died of a broken:heart. Karpiak, went to his room and found him there. - Fearing there would be a :suspicion in the minds of some she called physicians and-the police. They ‘searched " for signs of suicide, ‘but found none. They said the strain had -been too much, that Tyka's heart was broken by the wedding of the girl he loved. SOME ’:fimmss WRECKED Severe Wind-Storm Hits Lake Minne- tonka Resorts. Minneapolis, July 22.—A terrific wind storm hit Lake Minnetonka re- sorts .and did: great damage. *.Cottages -were blown .down, :win- dows broken, trees uprooted” and sev- eral persons injured, none seriously. “Frank B. -Peterson’s cottage was _blown to pieces and E. C. OMason’s house torn off its'foundation: The_ “cot- tage of V. Renberg was pushed over Lon its.side and several other cotta blown over, or at least so badly: _to-be untenantab! An hour later his aunt, Mrs. Julia | burned, is-still dn-existence,:but. sur: rounded by fire. The total destruc- tion of Whitewater -and McGuigan is confirmed. ' Fires are closing in on Bossland, -the eenter ‘of a big mining district. At Kenora, Ont., 100 miles I east of here, bush fires.are.within a. vmile of the town. Farmhouses on. the ‘ A flro i outskirts hayve been destroyed and the stown s ‘filled: ~with .smoke, - ibrigade-has heen- out. thirty-six ihours continuously fighting off the fire. Resi- dents. are .packing valuables, .prepar-. ing for a hasty.departure. In Crows Nest pass the forest fires are still burning and much- valuable timber has been:econsumred near New. Michel. Women and children have left Sandon ion rescue. trains, leaving the:men to.fight the! fires. At Slocan and Kaslo the fires will burn out if the weather remains calm. A hundred men left Nelson for Kaslo to assist in the fight. Many ranchers of the Arrow ‘ Park district: lost everything. The only fatdlities reported -are ‘the: five :miners at Lucky Jim mine, who' suffocated in a' tunne). “Population <of Rhode Island. ‘Washington, July 22.—Census -re- ‘turns:'show that ‘the state of Rhode Island ‘has 542,674 population, an” in: crease of 26.6-per-cent as compared with 428,556 in 1900, GRAIN AND:PROVISION PRICES Minneapolis :\Wheat. Minneapolis, July 21.—Wheat—July, $1.26; Sept., $1.17%; Dec., $1.15%. On track—No. 1 hard, $1.29: Northern, . $1.2714@1.29%; 00. +Hogs—Light, $3:60@9.00; mixed, $6.50@6:50;-.g00d: t0 ‘choice cows :and heifers, $6.50@7.00; veals, $5.50@7.25. < Sheep—Wethers; $4.26@4.50; Hogs—$8.00@8:60. $3.76@4.00; - yearlings, spring lambs, $6.00@6.75. Duluth Wheat. and-Flax. Duluth, <July .21.—~Wheat—To .arrivi and on track—No. 1 hard, $1.28; No. f 1" Northern, $1.27%; No. 2 Northern, $1.25%3; July, $1.26%; Sept., $1.19%; Dec., $L161%; May, $1.16%. Flax—On| track, $2.67; to arrive, $2.55; July, $2.67; Sept., $2.55; Oct., $2.41; Nov., $2.40; Dec., $2.3i Kl Chicago Grain and Provisions. | Chicago, July 21.—Wheat—Sept., $1.07% @1.07%; Dec., $1.09%; May, $1.12% @1.13. . Corn—Sept., 637% @64c; Dec., 623c; May, 63% @64c. Oats— Sept., 39%c; Dec., 40%c; May, 43c. Pork—Sept,, $21.75;- Jan., $18.25. But- ter—Creameries, 23@27c; dairies, 23 @26c. Eggs—10@17c. Poultry—Tur- keys, 20c; chickens, 14%c; springs,’ 17c. Chicago Live Stock. Chicago,. July ..21.—Cattle—Beeves, $5.00@8.40; Texas steers, $3.60@5.70; Western steers, $5.00@6.90; stockers and feeders, $4.10@6.40; cows and heifers,; $2:65@6.60; -calves, $6.76@9. $8.25@8:80; heavy, $7:.95@8.65; rough, $7.90@8.15; good to choice heavy, $8.- 15@8.65; .pigs, $8.65@9.05. Sheep— Native, $2:66@4:25; yearlings, $4.00@ 5i00; -lambs," $4.60@7.25. Attention! ‘Next Saturday we will give a demenstration on Ansco Films & Cyko Paper ‘Mr. Brown who is with the Ansco Co., and a re- cognized expert in this line, will be in charge. 1 For further information | call'or phone us. “Our prices are somewhat lower than others BECAUSE These:are Some of the Many Advantages Geo. T. Baker & Co. charge ‘We buy the larger part of our stock direct from the factories, saving the jobbers’ profit. We do not have the expense of high rents and other large expenditures that the stores and firms of the large cities have, and so can afford to sell on a small profit. that we have. ‘We have makes and grades that others have not and can not obtain. We are factory agents for several of the large watch factories. Watch Inspectors for Great Northern, M. & 1., B., F. & . Railroads 16 3rd"St. ‘Gity (Drug Store Block) Near the Lake ‘x FHEN you take photo; An- i c;ease A e fi;; dainty -of getting results -by having your ‘zeameraloaded with {4 Then sprint or |etus print your negatives-with Cyko Paper-andyouwill have clearer, “softer, deeper, :more artistic Spl id -assortment ‘of cameras, pure :chemi- “als, _all - photographic “Gity “Drug ~Store* Do You Own Any Real Estate? “Write U BemidjiTownsite & Improvement o .This is usually about the first question asked when you come to a new location. E'm‘,u“a ought to own a piece of property, if only a building lot. No investment is so save or certain to enrich jtg’ owner within a few years as desirable real estate in a rapidly growing city. Keep Your Eye on Bmid" with its beautiful Lakes, Homes, D Churches, Schools, Prosperons Banks and Substantial Wholesale and Retail Establishments. The superior railroad facilities and extensive trade territory enjoyed by BEMIDJ], insure for it the attention of investors of lar e means and the location within the next few years of many dditional lines of industries. Lot Us Show You How Easy 2,800 a5, copps acavived MONTHLY PAYMENT PLAN at 8 per cent. for FULL information or Call on H. A. SIMONS at . Bemid]i, our local agent. 404 New York Life Building ST.<PAUL MINNESOTA ’11he Grooks on ‘Lumber Co. Wholesale Lumber, Lath znd Building Mat:iia' ‘Pepper & Son "Wholesale Liquer :Dealers ‘Telephone 439 Major Block Melges Bros. Co. Whelesale Commission Fruit and Produce’ Hardware Co. Wholesale nnd Retail Bemidji ‘Manufacturers, Wholesalers and Jobbers The Following Firms Are " haroughi Reliable and Orders Sent to Them:Will:Be Promptly Filled at Lowest Prices BEMIDJI GIGAR GO, Model Ice Cream, Snowflake Bread and Deelishus Candies Made at Manufacturers. of | High Grade Cigars| The Model Wholesale Bakery, Man- facturing Confectionery and Ice Cream Factory 315 Minnesota Ave. BEMIDJI, MINN. Tom Godfrey, La Zada, Queenie, Imported Leaf, Bemidji Leader NORTHERN GBHGEIIY COMPANY WHOLESALE GBIIGEHS Send yourMail Orders to BEO. T. BAKER & GO0, ‘Manufacturing ‘Jewelers and Jobbers They are especially ‘prepared to promptly fill all.orders in their various Ghe Given Successars to Jobn Fleming & Co. et