The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-05-25
ROOSEVELT KEEPS HANDS OFF.
PRESIDENT NOT TO INTERFERE
IN EQUITABLE MIDDLE.

VIII Not Yield to Merchants AssOcla ton
Observation-Disclosures Report About
Federal Governments POwer-W. +.
King NRntJ Nat. mai In ESTE at n.
WASHINGTON, May 2A.--The various efforts
that have bsen and are being made to in
duce President Roosevelt to advocate IA
a measure Of Administration policy legi =
lauon Favorable to Federal control or
supervision Of the insurance business,
have mad no impression whatever on the
President, and it may as we'll bs understood
that be has not the slightest intention Of
taking any action on the subject at this
time
This statement may be emphasized by
the additional Information, obtained from
a source whose authority to speak cannot
be questioned, that the President has de-
voted no thought to the matter, not only
for the reason that there is question as
TO tia ri ,bt Of the Federal Government
to undertake any such supervision, but
bsoa lss he has not vt seen any necessity
q giving the subject close study or atten-
ton,
As has bsen said In the Washington do
rpatches 10 The SIN and also In THE St'N's
local column, William f. King. formerly
president Of the Nj rchants' Association of
New York, has written several letters to
the President urging, as necessity arising
from tho Equitable tangle. that means
be provided for Federal supervision of
iri'urance
Whatever favorable construction Mr..
kE G may have PLACID on the Presidet is
brief respol Sc, it was Intended to be purely
perfn Glory and not to commit the Presi-
dent to any course of action. 1t is probably
not goil G too far to sa. ,hat MIR. Roosevelt
has l.o desire, as he certainly at the preseLt
tins has no Inter. ton, to encourage any
aglta tion .of tie Federal control propose!
ard has grave doubts as to the Necessity
ss well as, the right OF the gel. eral govern
ulslt to exercise supervision over Esur-
alec.
The Presidert had a talk to-day with
Clarenos Wlitmla preside-t Of the Mer-
char. ts'' Association Of New York, ard it is
said that il. th II Lriet il terview Mr.. WHIT
man urged Ar. Roosevelt to take up the
Equitable row with view to ordering a
Federal ilvest5 lion or to maxi e recon-
me- datio;s 70 co. gr So T. regard to legls-
latioA. The Preaiae4t did not give .hr. !
Whitman y G. courageme,t I.
As a matter Ct fact ths Bureau OF Cor
pc raiiJils mas teen engaged IL looking
int, the Querg Ilpn II the right Cl tne GoV-
eminent t. els. that degree CT super |
Nisicn over | .slrance q, mpani,s whicn IT !
now exercises .ver cDrp~ rauJ rs d ing
an interstate rusjness, Until the tureau
submits a rerot u tire Pr sident he i'll
not give any r. Us at emit Il {, the SUI
iect .r c. niIse the suggest ns that are
/ eng made 20 lin.
Ia his ANIMAL report, which was trans
mitted t. {, ngress on Dec. p last, Z IN
nlisi ner f I. rpo rati ms Garfield. called
aLLenti to the fact that the G, urts uad
auci led thai insurance was not interstate
In spite Of tbs assurances from Wash
ington that III, +. esdent Wi! not interfere,
WI lam +. King, ex-president Of the her
chants Asstor.iion. announced yesterday
that the enswer which he had received
from Mr.. Roosevelt 10 the suggestions made
by him for q national investigating COM
rnitee, as, on the whole. favorable. The
re ID nts letter, he said, contained thi,
sentence:
The Depa -ment of Commerce and
labor ia now carefully going into the
matter to see whether the Government
las any power or not.
NJ. Ming announced that in case the
Government hTd no power to investigate
the scandal, he wi personally endeavor
: ra ise a fund OF $500 as n working basis
FIR committee organized to take the
II att ar I'D in an intelligent manner