Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-12-27
Mr.. Frye on the Geneva Award

Mr.. Frye on the Geneva Award.
Mr.. FRYK's COMPLIMENTS TO JUDGE POLAND.
The question in regard to the final dis
tribution of the sum remaining in the United
State treasury from the amount Of the
Geneva award. is mainly whether it shall
co in part to the uninsured ship owners,
whose vessels were destroyed by the Anglo
rebel cruisers, or wholly to the insurance
companies, Which insured good many of
the destroyed ships. and got their pay for 50
doing. In the House, Dec. l4th, the subject
being up, Mr.. Frye, of Maine, said
} hold to the doctrine that this nation pro-
eeeded against Great Britain as nation; that
| there was no claimant before that tribunal ex-
| cept the great claimant of the United States of
| America; that having rendered an award of
| fifteen and one-half millions of dollars, that
| money is to-day in the treasury of the United
| States. not in trust for insurance companies or
| private claimants, but is in the possession of
| the United States under no legal obligation TO
| give it out anywhere on earth, but under the
highest and deepest moral obligation TO pay 1t
| 10 those who suffered from the wrongs inflicted
| upon this country BY Great Britain.
| Holding to that view il becomes nv duty TO
| inquire into the business of insurance compa-
| MES because they are the first, the most per-
| s>tent, the most audacious claimants for this
| fund to-day before the Congress of the United
! States; and, sir, they have prevailed upon the
| majority Of the Judiciary committee TO report
| 10 this House bill which should be entitled
- bill for the relief Of insurance companies"
| because it i, bill that gives no relief to any
person on earth except these companies. And,
sir, | call the attention of the House TO the fact
| that il gives relief to the British insurance
companies precisely Is it gives relief to our
own. Those English insurance companies,
| taking advantage Of their own country's wrong
| 10 Us in time of war, made millions of dollars
out of our poor shipowners and importers of
| merchandise; they did a large business in
| these war risks. Every shipper of grain from
! the port of New York 10 the port Of Liverpool
| was insured in English Insurance companies,
| because the shipper desired TO draw in adj
vance. and the only way he could do il was to
| telegraph the insurance in an English company
| in which the consignee had confidence and
would advance upon the bill of ladins.
| Now. sir. ii lN i square dead light between
| the insurance companies OF Great Britain and
, America and every man who lost dollar out
| side of them by reason of these English cruis
er>; and it has been 50 for the three Congresses
| in which have served on the judiciary COM
| mittcc. Why, >ir, in the Forty-second Con-
| gress. when the matter came before the Senate
of the nted States, Mr.. COnklng, in behalf
OF the insurance companies of New York,
offered an amendment, the effect of which
would have been 10 have allowed them TO re-
| cover their losses. That was voted down in
the Senate after discussion by 4 vote of 30 to
l.. The House bill TO pay inculpated cruiser,
losses and war premiums excluded insurance
companies except they showed net loss.
A distinguished gentleman and member of
this House from New York then, aS he Is Il
distinguished member of the present House
Mr.. Potter, offered motion in the House TO
strike out that exclusion of insurance compa-
nies. Ii was discussed, and giants, sir, not
plgme>, took part in the discussion in favor OF
The companies. The gentleman from New
York Mr.. Potter, the gentleman from New
York, Mr.. Tremainc, and the gentleman from
Vermont, Mr.. Poland, no three more powerful
gentlemen in argument could have been found
in this country than were those three. That
motion of Mr.. Potter was discussed, and it was
defeated by vote of - aye> and l5I noes; 4
deliberate Judgment of this House, after. dis
cussiOn. against these insurance companies.
Then came the whitc-haircd man from er-
mont. Mr.. Poland, and he put in specious So
phistic:l disguised court bill, the bill which the
majority OF the committee on the Judiciary have
now reported, and labeled bill 10 refer all
claim, to the court; and Judge Poland
did everything in his power To conf
mend il 10 the House. There were
about thirty members then who thought the
money should be covered into the Treasury
OF the | nited States. and they Joined with
those members who were in favor of the insnr-
ance companies but Judge Poland, bill was
defested BY AZ aye vote Of 63 and nay vote
of I2j.
Again in the Eorty-th Congress the Old
insurance lobby was here in full force and
full power. 4 bill passed the senate 10
pay losses BY inculpated cruisers. The judi
ciary committee OF the House reported
substitute, paying losses caused by both in
culpated and eXculpated cruisers and also
reported in favor OF paying the mutual In
sursuce companies. When that bill came be-
fore the House | made motion to strike out
the mutual insurance companies. Ihal motion
was discussed on the floor ef the House, so
that every man understand II, aud when the |
question was taken upon ii the ayes were lS1 : |
the noes were too insignificant TO count
Mr.. Poland again presented his now famous |
court bill; il was rejected-ayes 81, noes l49. |
The House bill passed BY majority OF 81. |
There was d conference, and finally we agreed |
practically 10 the Senate bill providing that |
further distribution Of the fund should be left |
10 the Congress of the United States, not 10 the |
courts of the United States.
Again, in the Forty fourth Congress they |
came, their patience not worn out, although |
up to that time these insurance companies had
never got but 81 vote, in this House, and the |
lndiciarv committee reported bill providing |
for paying losses caused by the exculpated |
cruisers; also wM-premium claims, and eN-
Guiding insurance companies except they show
4 net loss from their business.
The chairman of the committee on the Judi
ciary Mr.. Knott, moved 10 strike out the clause
excluding insurance companies from the bill.
That was discussed and the motion was de-
feated by ayes s. nays Isl and the bill
as reported fl ON the committee on the judi
ciary passed the House. No action was taken
upon It in the Senate. Now, in the Forty-hfth
Congress, for the first time, the have carried
majority of the Judiciary committee, by one.
The question now comes, Shall their tri-
umph be lasting one Shall the House affirm
the verdict of the majority Of this Judiciary
committee or shall il affirm the verdict Of every
other House that has sat here since this matter
has come undor discussion, and verdict of
every other House bv an immense majority