Daily Republican., 1879-04-22
FOURTH EDITION.
INSURANCE COMMIsSlONER AP.
POINTED.

The O0tee Unaske0 for Gives t0
J0hn Il. McFee, Esq. Of George
town-'The Every Evenings little
game ScOtched. E
While il lasted the battle for the ap-
pontment of Insurance COMMISSIONS er
was fierce and hot. between Geooge Ii.
Bates, Esq, and g W. S. Nicholson, Of
Seaford, but when the final charge was
made Yesterday upon Governor Hall.
John R. McFee, Esq, of Georgetown,
the dark horse in the conflict. stepped
in and bore off the honors. From the
first Mr.. Nicholson's chances did not
appear very brilliant, and thu contest
really seemed to be between Bates and
any body else that could beat him. The
opposition to Bates arose principally
from the fact that he was a stock holder
in the "Every Evening" Publishing
Company, and said to be one Of its edi.
tors.
The libel suits now pendi x between
tho Every Evening"" and the presi-
dent and other officers Of the Delaware
tate Mutual Fire Insurance Company,
were sufficient causes why the friends
of the company alluded TO should op
pose Mr.. Bates. Some two weeks ago
an effort was made to have Mr. Bates
appointed quietly but the effort becom-
ing known the friends OF the Delaware
State Mutual very naturally oh
Jected to Mr.. Bates and the appoint
ment was postponed. 1t seems however
that the Governor coming to Whining
ton last week was strangly importuned
again 20 appoint Mr.. Bates, and he left
Wilmington and went home fully de
termin-d to issue his commission ap
pointing him, and it is said that last
Saturday the commission was actually
filed out ready to he sent to him.
Several gentlemen in this city, get
ting wind of the affair, Immediately
telegraphed to the Governor to wait un
til he heard from his friends, in conse.
quence of which the commission was
withheld. In the meantime it was dis
covered that a clause in the constitu
ton prohibited any person from being
who was in any way connect
ed with any Insurance company and
Mr.. Bates being a director in the New
Castle County Insurance Company was
ineligible.
This however was an emergency
easily got over, and we are informed
that Mr.. Bates promptly removed that
lnpedment by resigning his director
ship. After that Gov. Hall couldn't
exactly see it, and appointed MIR.
McFee as We have already stated. The
Jtice is rather lucrative one as the
commissioner gets lee OF about Sl2
'ron every insurance company and
very agent in the State and there be-
ng about 10 Of them the fees would
amount to over $500.
The Commissioner also has cCn,Iol n
If the printing of the reports of the !
company once a year, which amounts
o over 800, and can designate what I
)apers the statements should be pub
ished in. 1t will be readily seen what !
nice little plum this would have been I
or Mr.. Bates paper had he received
he appointment. John R. McFee, Esq, i
Who has Oeen the lucky man, is an ex- 4
'rrienced and able lawyer of George
own, about 60 years Of age, and is an
'lder i'll the Presbyterian church of that
owA.
In old whig times being member Of
hat party, he was elected to the Legis
ature, from Sussex county in 1853, and
Z as subsequently, elected speaker OF
he House, but when the whig party
eased to exist he allied hms ELF to the :
Democratic party but he has never
AIKEN very active part in politics.
'he general expression is that the ,
Governor could not have made i better t
election.