The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, July 26, 1916, Image 2
itOUMB TO BK FGKVsCD.
A Mneetbdkd (1?jm?nl-? 'Augusta
" Inveigh* Against Hn< In
Com panic*, Their l'-oiki?**
aam the Insurance Laws of Georgia.
irneqe HermlU-Argia.
In hurt weeks' issue of the Hera Id -
Wo quoted an article from the
Gtironlcle rcHarding delayed
Cat in ?hat city and the pos
aftbtltty of the legislature being called
WPCW to eaaet certain new* laws de?
inen ii to facilitate the equitable set?
tlement of Are luenes. The article fur
atated that a law requiring corn
to pay the face of a policy In
of total loan, regardless of value
the property deetrei/ed. would alao [
demanded by policy-holders who!
re disappointed In tie adjustment*
the Augusta conflagration,
ha Hera. I-Argus commented upon
ateeemerii? made in the Chronl
ta a fair and impartial way. but
? latter paper preferred to read bo?
th* lines and in Its issue of July
gat the subject editorially In a
that leaven no room for mfci
indhtg. In other words, the
. la out for rrr-e-venae
to get eP|n with the comp* -
Its pasjable Influence with
legislature. H%%1* what it sayi:
l*m*t Saoday's (Thrnniele contained
news story, telling oA.i ? ent
?en toot in Aujusia fc> ui,,e ui>< i
? Oearaia i?at?ia\.re \hm necessity
iwattnia e ha nape In theMlre lnsur
lajrs of this State, which would
Im effect of placing the um tu od
asneefhat fairer footing with th>
oompanles In the event of
The article In question said
at present has two of It*
Hfl lit fare loeass unsettled, merely be
aanae Urn tnauianoe companies havt?
arbitrarily saht *aat they will only
an imptrt to ascertain the lent
non-residents PC vAigusta.
??la nearly all af the States of the
In South Carolina, there
i*ted a law tliat where the
riveted by , tne company
rassured can not agree upon an
the Judgee of the superior
of4 the county In which tho
occur*, shall appoint an umpire.
Iff each a law had been In existence)
at thq time of the Ore of
t|d last, The Cfc roaicle build
weald now probably have been re ?
eid a new Union Savings Hanl,
would have been In process o'
As It la, Wither of those
ige hm*s been toijirfed. be^hus*
AIM v t been appraise*! M
tKanci, tha.j
ent 1nuugnt;u>d in August* i
of the State's Are Insur
a waa not Inspired by The
and the Chronicle build
ha? no more to do with it
re several ether local losses,
where the Insurance companies have
ehown a grossly uafalr and most arbi?
trary sphrH la the aetl lern ent. The
trash mi the matter is, ilie Insurance
none pea I en lave had every Augbsta
paltryheddet at their mercy, and In
taagqr iaeiance* used this advantage to
Ulsii awn benefit.
H m\ proeebly, safe to say that no
arbitrary and outrageous treat
I eonld save bqen accorded the as
even If the latter were under
ot being criminally respon?
sable far hin own less. Hut all of this
at nee long a story to tell here.
Yaw thing that brings the matter up
In print?Is an odltorlal from
Iniurunce Herald-Arsus. of At
?vaech noerni to be a sort of or
of the Piaurance in orests of the
th. And. yet. bearing that close
tlon to the Insurant** companies
Journal Is fair enough to say:
"It has bean Impossible to obtain a
clear understanding of the dlfft rent es
that have arisen between tho assured
and the adjaatera at Augusta, but. it
does seers, whatever the .cause, that
serious consequences may be the pos?
sible result of the failure to reuch an
amicable agreement. That thero has
be*ri enaccotintnlde delay in the ad
. < moots at Augusta to an exten; that
? i . lasts on the part of the public
) ? ?? been threatened can not be de?
nied,
"The fire occurred on March 22d
*T ind now, after more than three
,>u>ntha, a number of important claims
? i tin unsettled. Nashvile und Paris
poli< rholders have all received their
money and much rebuilding has al
? / been accomplished in those
" etil* ?. Artists Is compelled to lag
??iii'id.
"J? should be possible tot the ma
of companies to relieve them
selvv-t of the onus In such ea?ea before
the grievance of the public is vented
'Urn business as a whole,
i numerable Instances can be
ed out where the entire frater
aH has been made to suffer because
the mladlrected seal or i bort? om
u,XS of one or two companies or then
rtpreeentatlves.'
?aactly so; but Is the public to be
blamed for waking up to its lights ami
lervst* when a conflagration, such
that Win h visited Augusta on
h 31d last. brings tr* matter
home In a way that the public can not
fall to understand * it may be that
bat for the quibbling"--to doelgaate
St mlldIy?-of a few rortpnnles, the
Augusta public might not have dis?
covered that it has no right* under a
tire insurance policy which the com?
pany is in any way bound to respect,
unless it Is plcuscd to do so.
Hut enough has developed til Augus?
ta wince this great lire to acquaint the
public with a few things about lire in- >
suruncc policies -as permitted under
the laws of Georgia?which the insur?
ance companies, themselves, framed?
that the dour old gullible public nevor
knew before. And one of these Is. j
that in case of a loss, che assured Is
compelled?In fact, is bound under tha
Georgia laws?to let the insurance
company select one of the arbitrators
and the "umpire." That is, where the
assured refuses to be cajoled, or brow
?atcn, Into a settlement without "ar
bi i ration."
And nothing will stop tho^c Augusta
people who have interested themselves
In this vital matter?neither a belated
settlement, nor explanation, nor any?
thing else?from carrying this matter
forward, as far as it run be carried,
in the legislature or before tho courts.
And, yet, none of this is to be done
In the spirit of "reprisal" against in?
surance companies; for the men be?
hind this movement are clear-headed,
conservative bustnes men, and they
would not seek legislation that would
work an Injury to any Interest in Geor?
gia. The Chronicle, Itself, agrees
wtth tho insurance Herald-Ar^us, that
the danger of such a movement Is in
permitting it to go "toe far," and lo
this tho Chronicle is opposed.
But, certainly, it la not going too, far
to ask the legislature, to let somebody, j
besides the insurance companies them
?elves, have a word In framing the
Insurance laws of this State. And, cer?
tainly, it |s* not going top far to ask
that the legislature provide some ma?
chinery for the selection of "umpires"
In case of arbitration of losses, instead
of leaving this vital matter almost
wholly in the hands of the insurance
company, or companies, st Interest.
In this connection, however, it might
be mentioned, in the case of the
Chronicle building, that the insurance
adjusters in charge have absolutely
refused to agree upon any umpire
proposed by the assured, and have in?
sisted throughout upon the latter ac?
cepting an umpire "from the North."
who la In no way familiar with build?
ing conditions in the South. But even
this does not represent all of their
arbitrariness, as will be shown at tho
propor time; for. after taking up three
weeks of tho assured'* time, in an
>ei, '\\ effort to "n.-V-ff th? ?o?s?,'
the UbmrsJfCo representative dnndly
mormci :io assured thai they t*ul
"no piopositton to make" and that the j
matter would "hove *e go to tirbltra-'
tlon"?since which time they havo
roolly and persistently refused to
agree to every proposition that would
have made arbitration possible.
The truth of the matter bp, a more
one-sided and unfair, If not downright ,
dishonest, contract was never devised
than thut under which fire Insurance
companies are permitted to do busi?
ness in this State. If an individual
citizen wore to propose a similar con?
tract?al!-for-me and nothlng-for-you
?with another Individual, the latter
would, probably, regard it either as a
Joke or a piece of Impertinence. And
no man. If be has business sense
enough toy administer his own affairs,
would knowingly sign such a contract
and pay out his good money on it,
year after year.
Yet thhv purposely one-sided con?
tract is permitted under the laws of
Georgia! Which Is only explalnod by
the fact that the insurance companies,
themselves or their representatives,
framed the law.
But. as for that matter, Georgia has
the weakest insurance laws of any
State In the union, and has had all
along; a fact very often remarked, and
generally laughed about by men In
tho Insurance business. As, for in?
stance, we once knew an Insurance
man?a member ef the legislature, at
one time?who, when he could stand
the demands of the insurance compa?
nies no longer, was candid enough to
tell them, that, like the liquor men,
they were making themselves so "ac?
tive" in the matter of State legislation,
and were so opposed to any and all
forms of remedial legislation for in?
surance companies, that they would
sooner or later "pull the house down
on their own heads."
Hut, as the Insurance llerald-Ar
gus well says, the average man never
looks at 1 is lire insurance policy;
never knows what Is in it, or what a
fool contract he has signed?or ac?
cepted, rather?until he is confronted
with a loss and has to make a settle?
ment. Then, it Is up to him?here in
Georgia, at least?to take whatever the
Insurance con i pa n les are willing to of?
fer him; or. else, go into a so-called
"arbitration," where the Insurance
(company usually selects two out of the
three arbitrators; or suspend opera?
tions Indefinitely and go to law about
It.
This, fairly stated, Is In accordance
with the lire Insurance laws of Goor
i.i i as they now stand; though it is
only fair, also, to state Unit a vast
majority of the companies refuse to
take advantage of ibe unholy opportu?
nity (hat this outrageous law gl\es
t' em for oppressing the assured. It is
only when the other kind of compa?
nies?or some adjuster who thinks lie
is better earning ins pay by taking an
arbitrary position in the settlement ol
a loss; while, at the same time, arous?
ing the public to action in defense of
its own rights?seeks all the advantage
that these iniquitous Georgia lire in?
surance laws give them, that the
grotesquely serious nature of the sit?
uation as to the assured comes to
light. It is then we discover who has
been framing the lire Insurance laws
of Georgia?for the policyholders to
livo up to.
It so happens that a number of
States of the union have a provision
in their lire insurance laws which
would exactly correct the situation in
Georgia?a provision for the appoint?
ment, of an "umpire" where the insur?
ance company and the assured can not
agree within a specified time. Some?
thing like the following:
"When in the event of any loss or
damage to property in this State de?
scribed in any policy of lire insurance
and covered thereby, the ascertain?
ment of the amount of any such loss
or damage is, as provided in the pol?
icy, to be determined by appraisers,
one selected by the comany, the other
by the Insured, and the two so chosen
shall have failed or neglecTed^p for a
space of ten days after both have been
chosen, to agree tipon and select an
umpire, it shall be lawful for cither
the insured or the company to apply
to any court of record in the county
in which the property is or was lo?
cated, on live days' notice In writing,
to the other party of his or its Inten?
tion so to do, to appoint a competent
and disinterested umpire. Any such
notice in writing, when served by the
insured, may be served upon any local
agent of the company, and the said
court ?hall, on proof by affidavit of
the failure or neglect of the said ap?
praisers to agree upon and select an
umpire, within the time aforesaid, and
of the service of notice aforesaid,
forthwith appoint a competent and dis?
interested person to act as umpire in
the ascertainment of the amount of
said loss or damage, and the acts of
tho umpire so appointed shall be bind?
ing upon the assured and the company
to the same extent as if such umpire
had been selected in the manner pro?
vided for In said policy of Insurance.'
Surely, there Is nothing In the above
that' would v/ork any "hardship" on
the fire insurance companies if made
a part of the insurance laws o^ Geor?
gia. They are doing business success?
fully under this very provision In
Tpnnv nt^fv States. T'hv the'l .-.1 ?u1d
they be permitted to shape Georgia'*]
UVim.uiCC la.v-i to laut themselves?
Assuming that the Insurance B%;
ald-Argus is as fair-minded all the
way through as Its editorial, which
the Chronicle reproduces in full else?
where, would seem to Indicate, we
think oven it will admit, that not to
have such a provision in the Insur?
ance laws of Georgia can, and does?
as instanced by certain notable losses
growing out of the Augusta fire?work
a dlntinct "hardship" on the assured.
This Augusta fire has brought a
good many things to light in connec?
tion with the one-sided insurance laws
of Georgia, and the Georgia legisla?
ture will stultify itself if it does not
correct these defects at once. It may
be, as the Insurance Herald-Argus
suggests that "the misdirected zeal, or
shortcomings" of a few companies
have brought this situation to light;
but, whatever did it, the situation now
stands revealed as never before in
Goorgia. And It is a situation that no
man who has any respect for" a "mu?
tual contract' ?one In which two or
more contracting parties are supposed
to ho on something of a parity?will
stand a day longer than is necessary
to get from under it.
The Georgia legislature can do no
more important work this summer
than to make a thorough examination
into the one-sided, unfair and dishon?
est lire insurance laws of this State;
and, then, go to work to enact a few
laws that take Into consideration the
rights and interests of somebody, be?
sides the insurance companies.
Heal Estate Transfers.
Hartow Walsh to Johnnie Scott, lot
in city, $100.
A. J. Jones to A. China, as Execu?
tor, 3">7 acres on public road be?
tween Sumter and Wedgelleld, $3 and
other considerations.
w. K. Mills to s. II. Naher*, lot
just outside of city limits, $Sf>.
This. 1?. Mcl.eod to Mrs. Annie G.
Robinson, 10 acres on public road be?
tween Swimming Hons and Bethel
church. $S,r.ao.
Master to H. Diane Tlndal. lot in
town of Privateer, $1?.
Mabel U Belser to Beulah U Mc
Klnney, lot on Balem Avenue known
as "Stuekoy Place," $L\r.0<>.
?Doing hard work in a bent or
stooping position puts a stitch in the
bac kthat Is painful. If the muscles
have become strained, you can't git
rid of it without help, The groat pene?
trating power of Bollard's Snow Lini?
ment will appeal to you most strongly
at such times, because it is the very
thing you need. Prlro 86c, BQo an I
111.00 per bottle. Sold by Blbort'fl
Drug Store.?Advt,
TOBACCO IS PREPARED,
FOR SMOKERSUNDERTHE
PROCESS DISCOVERED'IN ,
r^AKIHl?; EXPERIMENTS TO |
PRODUCE THE MOST DE
iJGHTf 'JL AND WHOLE
SO M F. tOD^CCO FOR CIG;
PROCESS RATENTED !
II - .J?LY^jfi07;;!| I j
s?;IREYNOL?sToa?cbCoMWwi
i!iiWlNSTOMSAL?N.kCi?^'.'?.i|! I
ji ? . bid ininnnruni! I
OiQiES NQT blTE THE
'Jill
P. A. puts new joy
into the sport of
smoking!
YOU may live to
be 110 and never
feel old enough to
vote, but it's cer?
tain-sure you'll not
know the joy and
contentment of a
friendly old jimmy
pipe or a hand rolled
cigarette unless you get on talking-terms
with Prince Albert tobacco!
P. A. comes to you with a real reason for all the
goodness and satisfaction it offers. It is made by
a patented process that removes bite and parch I
You can smoke it long and hard without a come?
back! Prince Albert has always been sold without
coupons or premiums. We prefer to give quality!
Prince Albert affords the keenest pipe and cigarette
enjoyment! And that flavor and fragrance and
coolness is as good as that sounds. P.A. just
answers the universal demand for tobacco
without bite, parch or kick-back I
Introduction to Prince Albert isn't any harder
than to walk into the nearest place that sells
tobacco and ask for "a supply of P. A." You pay
out a little change, to be sure, but it's the cheer
fullest investment you ever made!
the
national
joy
smoke
K.J. Reynold* Tobacco Co., Winston-Salem, N. C. Copyright 1916 by R. J. Rcynolia Tobacco Co*
PASSENGER STATION IMPROVE?
MENTS.
Col. Thomas Wilson in Letter to Mayor
Jennings Explains Situation.
I 1 i p '.I j
Hon. L. D. Jennings, Mayor, Sumter,
S. C.
Dear Sir: As Mr. Reardon, Secre?
tary of the Chamo? >: of Com mere .
apvv lit to write nn n ttele and pul i I
It ir ?:-e [ten. u M. i iy th(
am Writing to advise '"?' as nu.vor
that i. have hud the matt \ of the d
pot Improvements up with Mr. J. R.
Kenly, president, and on the 11th inst.
I received a letter from Mr. Kenly ad?
vising that he had issued instructions
to his operating department to do the
work at the passenger station in Sum
tor in accordance with his agreement
with the City of Sumter. 1 wrote Mr.
Kenly about this matter, suggesting
that if the time was opportune I
hoped he would arrange for the wor);
to be done. I did this on account Of
our street improvements and I thought
it a proper time to have the passenger
station improved also.
No one connected with the Cham?
ber of Commerce, or the city council
or any of the citizens of Sumter have
made any complaint that I know of
or have heard of. The passenger sta?
tion grounds have been maintained In
good condition for sometime and par?
ticularly and carefully looked after
and I think the article written by Mr.
t
Ueardon at this time is very much out
of place. Mr. Ueardon has himself
complimented the railroad officials in
conversation with me recently, for
keeping the passenger station grounds
in such good condition. One of the
Atlantic Coast lane engineers was in
my Office today and advised me that
his department had been Instructed by
air, Kenly to do the work at Sumter
as early as possible,
Yours truly,
Thomas Wilson.
Sumter, S. C, July 19, 1916.
When you feel lazy, out of sorts
and yawn a good deal in the daytime,
ycu can charge it to a torpid liver
which has allowed the system to gel
full of impurities. Hcrhinc cures all
disorders produced by an Inactive
liver. It strengthens that organ,
cleanses the bowels and puts the sys?
tem in good healthy condition. Price
fiOo. Sold by Sibert's Drug Store.?
I Advt.
RenotlonarIrs In Mexico increase.
Vera (muz, July 21,?Reactionaries
in soul hern Mexico are growing
stronger Steadily, Their Naders have
given orders to remain neutral in case
Of war with the United States.
?When the baby is suffering the
double affliction of hot weather and
bowel disorders, the remedy needed is
McGeo's Baby ?llxlr, it reduces the
feverish condition, corrects the yttoin
ach and checks the looseness of the
bowels. Prloe 26c and 50c per bot
Us, Sohl by Sibert's Drug Store.?
AdVt* ^ ?Mlim% A- \*m '- SfcJ mmtAai ^ t?\a
CTjOUDBVRST north of svmter.
Sec tion Between Bannte* and ltisiiop
ville and Around Mayesville Reoeiv
ed Heavy Rainfall.
From the Daily Item, July 22.
The heaviest fall of rain experienc?
ed in this section in a Ions time was
t?lt >'??*??? *?,.'.?. afternoon fcrOUhd the
! .i'.us^ section, Oawego, at. chad's,
.i;tyes\ !U? and the section betweeni
Rnrifilor snci Rlshopville, Which had ii 1
literal cloud burei. The rainfall seems'
to have been heaviest just beyond
Oswego, and from there to Mayesville
the whole country was flooded. Many
farmers had their crops washed
badly, while others had theirs drown?
ed out or at least what portion of them
left by the heavy rains which have
fallen recently. The damage from wa?
ter to or ope Iii thai section which felt
the full force of the cloudburst was
even more than from the rain during
the. storm of last week.
At Swimming Pen! swamp the Coast
Line track was covered to a depth of
tWO feet by the water. At Mayesville
the track was covered about eighteen
inches. The town of Mayesville was
almost Hooded and water poured
down the streets and into many of
the stores and stables, it is reported.
No. 66*6 will cure Chills and Fever.
It is the most speedy remedy we
know.?Advt.
Bridge* and Causeways Restored.
From the Daily Item, July 22.
Supervisor Pitta stated this morning
that all of the bridges and causeways
In the county, which were damaged by
the recent heavy rains, had been re?
paired except the causeway of the
New Shiloh road and a bridge over
Ratting Creek near llagood. He had
not heard of any damage being done
by the heavy rainfall in the northern
and northeastern part of the county
Friday afternoon, save washouts all
along the roads, which damaged them
in places, but did not make them im
pasa?ble at any point.
No. ?;?; will cure Malaria or Bilious
Fever. U kills the germs.?Advt.
Check for Fire Department.
From the Daily Item, July 22.
The Bumter Fire Dcpartmenl this
morning received o cluck from Mr.
Thomas Wilson as a small token of
bis appreciation of their valuable
work at bis premises on Thursday
afternoon. Tue check was for tuen
ty-flve dollars ami was much appre?
ciated by the members of the lire de?
partment.
fA bad taste In the mouth comes
from a disordered stomach, and back
of thai usually a torpid liver. A con?
dition which Invites disease. Herblno
i.; the remedy needed, it corrects the
stomach and makes the liver active
and tegular. Price 60c. Bold bj
?Hbelt's Drug Store.?Advt,
CAUGHT BLIND TIGERS.
??_ ?r |
Policeman D. Cliandler Arrested
Suspicious Characters?Found They
Had Robbed Store.
Policeman J. D. Chandler in his visit
to the A. C. L. station on Wednesday
night came across two supicious
look!i g negroes and he added ?*> In*
vesttgat* tii< m. He stopped one of
tin m and an examination reveled the
fact tnat hi*- p.okets -..ere filled with
? ?int and half pint h of ties of whiskey.
The other negro started oil, u.it ???to
called hack and searched and more
whiskey was found on him. Both of
the men were then arrested and later
upon trial in the police court, they
were found guilty of transporting
whiskey for unlawful purposes.
Mr. Chandler later heard of the rob?
bery of Mr. Denmark's store at Mayes?
ville and after searching for evidence
connected the two negroes with the
robbery of the store, an act which
they confessed when charged with the
crime. Doth negroes are now serving
on the gang and have the other
charge to face on their release from
the gang.
LEAVE FOR ATLANTIC CITY.
Members of Jefferson Standard Hun?
dred Thousand Club on Outing.
From the Daily Item, July 22.
The members of Jefferson Stand?
ard Hundred Thousand Dollar Club
leave this evening for Atlantic City to
attend a meeting of the agents of
thai company at that place for the
next ten days. Those who go from
here are Messrs. \V. B. Usphur, C. H.
Wilson, Bartow Walsh, C. D. Edger
ton of ?umter, and J. Mack Plowden
of Summerton. The Jetferson Stand?
ard Life Insurance Company each
year gives one of these trips to its
agents who have sold over a hundred
thousand dollars worth of business
?during the year.
Serious Auto Wreck.
Mr. Stewart Marvin had a serious
misfortune while on the mail route of
Mr. Wilson Dickson yesterday. Mr.
Harvin had as passengers Mrs. Harvi 1
and their two boys. Just this side of
the Cole place Mr. Harvin turned his
head to hold his boy and immediately
the car pitched into a ditch six feet
in water. Mrs. Harvin was painfully
bruised and one boy was pinioned un?
der the car in the water and rescued
just iu time to prevent drowing.?Man?
ning Herald.
lluh-My?Tism?Antiseptic, Anodyne
-Kills pain, stops putrefaction.?
*Stings or biles of insects that are
followed by ?Wellings, pain or itching
should be treated promptly as they
are poisonous. Dullard's Snow Lini?
ment counteracts the poison. It is
both antiseptic and hOiling. Price 25c
50c and $1.00 per bottle. Sold by
Sibert's Drug Store,? AdvJ, A