Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Fire Underwriters Association of the Northwest (Volume 12) (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1913. Excerpt: ... Mr. Freeman--Ladies, and members of the Association: It becomes my esteemed privilege to introduce the President of our Association, who will now deliver his address. PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS As members and guests of the Fire Underwriters' Association of the Northwest I bid you welcome to this, our 44th Annual Meeting. Many of us have enjoyed these gatherings for several years, but there are very few that attended the early meetings of the organization, who have been spared to mingle with us today. The great majority of the companies that were represented at the first meeting following "The Call" have disappeared and out of forty-three men who were recorded as members at that time, only two survive. To them, no doubt, the child of those early days must seem a lusty and powerful man. From dealing with incorrect practices, irregular loss adjustments, rate infractions and all the minor troubles of the underwriter, they have seen the Association develop along unexpected lines, until today it stands as an educational institution furnishing a rostrum from which is voiced the highest as well as the best thought of our profession. And in this it serves no small purpose for even the casual observer can see the spirit of the times permeating our discussions. If you were to ask me "what do you wish to have as the key-note of this meeting," I would say "Education." We are striving against fearful odds even though we may have but one enemy and that the giant Prejudice. In the course of his address, delivered at a convention of insurance men recently held in this city, a speaker whom we all respect and who, in my judgment, is as free from prejudice as any man of my acquaintance, laid considerable stress upon "our failure to take the public into our confidence." With all our...