Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1905-12-11
Insurance.,

The great insurance companies al
ford striking examples OF corporations
whose business has extended so Tar
beyond the jurisdiction OF the states
which created them as to preclude
strict enforcement of supervision and
regulation by the parent states. Re-
cent events have emphasized the I'M
portance of an early and exhaustive
consideration of this question, to see
whether it is not possible to furnish
better safeguards than the several
states have been Ale to furnish
against corruption of the fragrant kind
which has been exposed. It has been
only too clearly shown That certain
of the men at the head Of these large
corporations take but small note OF
the ethical distinction between hon.
esty and dishonesty; they draw the
line only this side of what may be
called law-honesty, the kind OF hon.
esty necessary in order to avoid fall
ing into the clutches of the law. or
course the only complete remedy for
this condition must be found IN an
aroused public conscience, a higher
sense of ethical conduct in the com
munity at large, and especially among
business men and in the great pro-
fession of the law, and in the growth
of a spirit which condemns all dis
honesty, whether in rich man or in
poor man, whether it takes the shape
of bribery or of blackmail. There is
need of a far stricter and more uni
form regulation of the vast insur-
ance interests of this country. The
United States should n this respect
providing adequate national supervi-
sion of commercial interests which are
clearly national in character. The iIa'
ability of state to regulate effective
ly insurance corporations created I'M
der the laws of other states and
transacting the larger part of their
business elsewhere is also clear.
The congress has already recognized
that Interstate insurance may be
proper subject for federal legislation,
for in creating the bureau of corpora
lions it authoized it to publish and
supply useful information concerning
interstate corporations, including cor.
porations engaged in insurance. 1t
! is obvious that if the compilation OF
statistics be the limit of the federal
power, it is wholly ineffective to
regulate this form of commercial in.
| tercourse between the states, and as
! the INSURANCE business has outgrown
| in magnitude the possibility of ade.
quate state supervision, congress
should carefully consider whether
further legislation can be had. What
is said above applies with equal force
to fraternal and benevolent organiza
lions which contract for life insur.
ance.
Federal Elections.
The president recommended the
enactment of a law directed against
bribery and corruption in federal cleo
lions and it should include severe pen
alties against him who gives or re-
ceives a bride intended to influence
his act or opinion as an elector; and
provisions for the publication not only
of the expenditures for nominations
and elections of all candidates, but al
so of all contributions received and
expenditures made by political com
mittees." If it is possible to secure
by law the full and verified publication
in detail of all the sums contributed
! to and expended by the candidates or
committees of any political parties
the result can not but be wholesome.
All contributions by corporations to
any political committee or for any
political purpose should be forbidden
directors should not be permitted to
use stockholders money for such pur
poses; and, moreover, a prohibition
Of this kind would be, as far as it
went, an effective method Of stopping
the evils aimed at in corrupt practices
acts. Not only should both the ma
tional and the several state legisla-
lures forbid any officer of corpora
| ton from using the money Of the cor
poration in or about any election, but
they should also forbid such use OF
money in connection with any legisla
ton save by the employment of coun
sci in public manner for distinctly
legal services
! Peace.
The coming Hague conference was
eulogized The president declaring
that "no object is better worthy the
attention of enlightened statesman
ship than the establishment of q
surer method than now exists of Sc
curing justice as between nations
both for the protection Of the little
nations and for the prevention of wal
between the big nations. To this aim
we should endeavor not only to avert
bloodshed, but above all, effectively to
strengthen the forces Of right
Speaking of the Monroe doctrine the
president said that, in the first place
| we must as nation make 1t evident