What Should Be the Attitude of the State Toward the Business of Fire Insurance.. Delivered at Meeting of National Association of Local Fire Insurance Agents in Cincinnati, Ohio, on October 15, 1913 (Classic Reprint) 12+

📕 Excerpt from What Should Be the Attitude of the State Toward the Business of Fire Insurance?: Delivered at Meeting of National Association of Local Fire Insurance Agents in Cincinnati, Ohio, on October 15, 1913I know of no more interesting present-day problem than that which has grown out of the efforts that are now being made, in many parts of the United States, to fix and control fire insurance rates by governmental action. Of course, it is only a single phase of a very large movement that is in progress throughout the civilized world looking toward the strengthening of governments in their powers of control over private business. But, from certain points of view, the business of fire insurance seems, in a very particular sense, to be one which can be better conducted by private individuals than by even 'the most perfect governmental machinery. It seems to possess certain features which make it a particularly dangerous, field for the people in their organized capacity to attempt to enter. A good many kinds of business lend themselves quite easily to the designs of those who would like to see a socialistic State established here with the least possible delay. The idea of governmental operation pre - sents no insurmountable difficulties in a number of cases. But in the case of fire insurance, our present - day reformers and radical thinkers, bent on driving private capital out of the field and leaving this in the exclusive control of government, are confronted upon-the th...