The New York herald., 1879-02-07

State from Lake Ontario to Pennsylvania.
State not only do the mass q educated people grow
in entire ignorance of the grandeur of its physical
features bnt the Director says even to the students
York is unique and its origin as unknown as
that of any portion OF the Rocky Mountains The
is that compiled under French in 1860
map Of Eastern and Central New York on scale of
to the report. which shows that the distance from
Albany to Syracuse on Frenchs map is a mile
and half too great while the distance he
three-quarters of mile too smah. Where
French placed Oswego the waters of Lake Ontario
roll FIVE fathoms deep The of the best
old maps prove to be SO gross that we have data
from which to draw accurately the courses of even
such sue sSsrs as thu the 9pper hson the
the Clyde or Seneca, nor the county and
state boundaries; neither can the the survey
Broome. Binghamton Owego Elmira, Canandagua
and hundreds of other towns and villages until the
map contains only information the correctness OF
which can be vouched for and leaves of the re-
mainder. The blank spaces are an eloquent protest
against our geographical ignorance. The results of
the survey, far as completed, are gwen
in an appendix. which contains list Of the
lattudes. longtndes and intervening distances ana
directions between some two hundred places in the
counties of Albany, Cayuga Della ware. Fulton Her
oswego, Otsego, Rensselaer,. Saratoga. Schenectady,
Schohare, Wayne and Yates. 1t the State survey
continues to supply accurate se9graphlcal miorMa
OF false maps which are now sold to our citizens ut
exorbitant prices
The Judiciary Committee of the Assembly this
evening gave a hearing in the matter Of the Mutual
Andrews Robert sewali, Joseph Ii. Choate, Jr., and
T.. c. Lawton, actuary OF the company appeared fQr
the company. No one appeared on the side OF the
Mr.. Andrews first addressed the committee, saying
that the company was anxious that the Legislature
should be fully informed of the facts in the case.
Notwithstanding papers had been served the com
pany the day after the resolution Of the House
was adopted. summoning it to appear in the
United States Court to answer complaint in
the matter He n proceeded TO relate sdoa the the
rebate plan. 1t found that. owing to depression
in business and the necessities OF policy holders
great many more We're withdrawing from the CON-
pany under the policy surrender privilege than
coming in. and in order to increase the average
vitality OF the companythat is to add new lite to
the company by the admission OF new memoers[t
was deemed not only wise but actually necessary to
put forth the inducement contained IN the rebate
plan.
Mr. Sewall told how the New York plan in
ated explaining the various circulars sent out by
company, the effect Of which was to change the
payment of commission from agents to the
policy holders He then discussed the power of the
company to make the change. citing the opinion or
Mr. Foster of Boston. sustaining the action OF the
the company. which gives to its trustees power to
fix the rate OF premiums, and insisted that
nothing could be palmer than that they We're
empowered to do just what they had done. He also
showed that the company was governed In Its action
entirely by desire to strengthen ITSELF with new
life by the addition of new members, for the benefit
of all; and it had succeeded in this respect even
beyond its expectations It's experience was most
gratifying. and its trustees were fully convinced Of
the wisdom OF their action.
Mr.. Choate reviewed the legal aspects of the case
He said it appeared to him that there ques
ton to the legality of the action of the trustees
The whole case was in a nutshell. These trustees
found their business falling OFT. They had very
large surplus and could have closed their doors and
divided it among the policy holders. who are all
members mutually Interested, but they determined
otherwise. 1t their business to do all they
could for the mutual benefit Of all; not alone
for themselves, for few stockholders, for
there were stockholders other than the policy
holders They. therefore hit upon this rebate plan
for the purpose OF adding new members, and thus
infusing life into the company and creating new
and liberal dividends. such as had been made in
former years. This, he said, the duty of the
trustees. and they had discharged itwith wisdom
which is to be in the increased strength of the
company.
Mr.. Lawton, an actuary. was then asked some
questions to the expenditures OF the company
growing out of the plan His answer showed
them to be small compared with the benefits arising
from them.
The committee then adjourned.