The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-12-05

should be state supervision over these
associations. - =
therefore recommend that an act DC
passed creating the Office OF examiner
or commissioner OF State banks ihsu
ance companies, and building ana ioa'
associations, with such pcv ers az ~"
NAV deem necessary TO protect stocn-
holders. depositors, and polioy-hoiders
therein the salary or fees OF said eN-
aminer or commissioner to be PAN "
said banks. companies, anu ASSOCIATIONS
INSURANCE COMPANIES.
Foreign insurance companies, Ire anu
fire are required 10 deposit with the Treas
urer of the State bonds OF the state
United states. or. certain cities, 70 an
amount equal to five per centum OF ,heir
capital stock. not TO exceed s'V'vW nor
be less than $4,000. These bonus are
held for the security OF the insured ar
i'm case Of the default OF company W
nay au- of it's liabilities. the bonds are
directed TO be sold TO satisfy the same.
IL can work no hardship to require nome
companies to make deposits upon the
same basis. They Will draw the lnteres,
upon the bonds deposited, ana by iurnIsn
ing security to their policy-hoiders, WI"
strengthen themselves in the confluence
of the public and enlarge thelr puS iu,.,,.
No bona fide company, or one suiiNie".s
strong TO do business and merl, coii,
dence. IL seems TO me. would OBJECT anu
II the deposits are required no iiauou.
lent concerns could In the iu'uie ii"PNN
themselves upon the pubic.
therefore recommend that all insur-
ance companies. life and fire. chartered
by this state. and now doing business IN
this State be required. within reasoH-
able time to be fixed in the act. TO ue-
post with the Treasurer or the S'a.o
bonds OF the state. United states OF sucn
cities as you may designate, 10 ""'o""'a
outial TO 1--WE per centum of their respect
i've capital stocks not TO exceed III any
case $4,000 nor to be less than SlV'o"'
and that companies, associations VI gu
cieties doing business on the MUTUAL .,
assessment plan be required TO deposit
the same securities In such amount @'
you may deem proper.
further recommend that no company
association. OF society hereafter charter
ed under the laws Of this state shall DC
permitted to do bushes or issue policies
or certificates Of insurance until II shall
have made the deposit required above OF
companies, associations. and societies now
chartered and doing business.
GOOD ROADS.
Great interest IL being awakened IN the
country at large In improved roads and
! hope you Will recognize the Importance
OF pushing well 10 the frcnt IN the move
ment. That our country roads are gem
orally poor no one will deny. We are
inviting immigration and Offering IN
ducements TO settlers i'm the way OF low
prices for our fertile and rich lands.
but We have done nothing 10 make the
ways over which they must travel ana
haul. II they come among US, smooin
and firm Many States are already NOV
ing. and others are arousing from their
lethargv. Shall we sleep and allow them
to outstrip MS I'm q matter so essential
u our aGvanCen Ont ard progress we
have railroads running in every direction
to TRANSPORT our products 10 market. ana
vet the roadways 10 them I'm many sec
lions are SO bad that the cost of reach
ing them is so heavy az 10 leave the pro-
ducers little profit after meeting the cost
cf production Complaint Is frequently
made that the freight rates are excessive.
This may be true I'm many instances nut
no effort il made 10 reduce the expense
| Of hauling 10 the railroads by improving
the public highways. Y IS my opinion
that nothing improves country more
than good roads. and no investment yields
the fermer more than the money he pays
as road tax. II IL is judidously used.
Ever since I entered upon the discharge
have taken a peculiar interest in the sub
iect / am now presenting. have found
difficulties i'm the way to an enactment
| of such laws as will insure the result de-
| sired, but they are not insCrmountaple'
The Supreme Court Of Appeals of the
| State has held that road service cannot
! be required Of the citizens, and | am
, glad OF IL. for long experience had fully
demonstrated that the compulsory sys-
tenn was 'penny-wise and pound-foolish."
| Our roads, then, must be worked entirely
! by taxation. This IS settled. How
much shall be levied? our existing stat
ute provides that the tax for road pur-
pose shall not be less than five, nor more
than twenty cents upon every one hun
| bred dollars in value of real and per-
| sonal property. An examination or the
/ road levies OF the counties discloses the
! fact that the average tax is exceedingly
small How unwisei IL is no wonder
| that the roads are often found impass-
| able just at the time the farmer wants
| TO take advantage of an advancing mar
ket. and, when they are at their best, he
finds that four horses cannot haul as
I much as two on good road, and mat IL
takes him twice as long to make a trip
as 1t would on a macadamiZed road
During your session plans 20 secure bet
ter roadways will be laid before you. |
| learn by a committee appointed by a
roads convention which met recently IN
| the city Of Richmond. and | trust you
| will give the committee patient hearing.
| and be able 10 evolve some measure which
will rebound to the advantage Of every
section Of our State, by securing better
ways for getting from point to point. and
conveying our products TO the railroads
and markets.
ESCAPES FROM JAIIS.
Within the last two years escapes from
| the jaiis OF the counties hav. been FREE
quent In every instance. think the
| escape has resulted fr)sl the insecurity
Of the jail or The negligence Of the officer
i'm charge IL seems 10 me that all re-
wards offered for the capture OF an es-
| capped person from the jail of any coun-
| Is OF city, and the expenses incurred N
his capture, should be a charge upon
the county or city and not upon the
State 1t is the duty OF the coun.
! ~ or city-not the State-to pro-
! vide safe and secure Jail. and L. IS
the province of the county or city-not
| the State-to provide an efficient officer
and when a person charged with crime
is permitted to escape. the county or city
not the State-should be liable for the
reward and expenses incurred in his cap
ture. | therefore recommend that any
reward offered by the Governor Tor an
escaped prisoner from jail, and the ex'
penses incident 10 his capture and return
shall be paid by the State. and then re-
funded to the State by ihe county or city
| from whose jail the escape occurred, out
Of the next annual levy and tnat the
law be amended 20 this end. This WI
have the effect OF securing safe 5ails
I qsrar trtyh