Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1905-12-13
FEDERAL CONTROL
OF INSURANCE
SECRETARY METcALF AVOIDS
RECOMMENDATIONS.
HIS ANNUAL REPORT OUT
Better Regulation of Corporations En-
gaeec in Interstate Commerce
Urged and Modification of Chinese
Exclusion Law Suggested-Ameri-
can Shipping Grows.

Washington, Dec 1.-THE bureau of
commerce and labor expended s11,272.-
391 the past fiscal year, so Secretary
Metcalf reports. officers and ell
ployes number 9,414, VI whom 1888
are outside the national capital.
The secretary says that the ques
ton of federal supervision over insur-
ance companies has been carefully
considered. The recent Investigations
under state authority of certain in
surance companies show the need of
careful supervision, but it is clear that
The commissioner of corporations, UNI
der the present act, AMI in view of the
decisions of the supreme court, has
no jurisdiction over insurance com
panies Whether the federal govern
ment can supervise and regulate in
surance companies can be determined
only after further legislation and jul
dicial decision.
The inadequacy of state legislation
10 regulate or control in any proper
measure the corporations engaged in
interstate commerce, the secretary
says, has been clearly demonstrated.
The great railway systems ard the
greater industrial corporations extend
ing their operations through many
states, some throughout the entire
United States, are but nominaily SUI
pervised or controlled by the states
from which their charters were OBJ
tanned. Some of these corporations
have shown not only disregard for
state laws, but have become potent
factors in directing the political poll
cies of the state. The federal license
plan recognizes that real supervision,
real regulation, can only be enforced
by a government whose jurisdiction
and power are great enough to cope
with the corporations to be supervised
CT regulated. If the principle under
lying such plan be accepted, it will
not be difficult to suggest the detailed
provisions for carrying it out. The
objection that it would apply to too
many corporations and would UNI
necessarily interfere with small bust
ness transactions is not well taken.
Such supervision should be extended
first over the greater corporations
those which are clearly engaged in in
terstate and foreign commerce, which
By their size and diverse activities
tend to monopolize any of the great
staples, or which have been shown to
be in fact outside the control of state
authority.
The secretary goes into the Chinese
exclusion policy at much length and
urges that this government keep
agents in China to issue certificates to
such Cinnamon as may fittingly be adj
nlitted. OF the exempt classes of Chi
nese applying for admission for the
first time, 500 out of 1854 were al
mitted and 2S4 deported during the
year; while of 61S applying for read
mission as domiciled merchants, 54S
were allowed to land and 20 were de-
ported. During the same period all
but 81 of $50 returning laborers were
allowed to enter There were also al
lowed to enter the United States dur
ing the year ga Chinese persons who
were found to be citizens of this coun
try. having heen born here. Thus the
number Of Chinese persons who en-
tered the United States for the first
time during the past year was 500.
The total number of Chinese admitted
to the United States during the year
was 1905
The Chinese laborer lawfully pos
sessed of the certificate of residence
should be allowed to visit his own
country and return to the United
States without other condition than
his identification at the time of his
return He is now required to prove
that he has unliquidated debts due
him in this country to the amount c
81 900, or property of like amount, 0,
a wife. parent, or child resident here
in order to reenter after temporary
absence. This absence is also linn
tied to one year, unless in case OF
sickness or other unavoidable cause
and even in that event TO two years
The result of this legislation is to pre-
vent Chinese laborers from visiting
their own hOmes-an unquestioned
hardship and one, apparently, that has
no justification, since it keeps suct
Chinese persons in the United States
There is. besides, the further consid
Grafton that the cost of making in
vestigGtions of such claims is very
considerable item in the total expense
of enforcing the Chinese exclusion
laws.
There is still another recommends
ton urged as a means to rendering
the exclusion policy less open to tht
charge of unnecessary severity. Al
Chinese in the United States at some
recent, fixed date should be granted
certificates &C residence, so devised
as to avoid the risk OF counterfeiting
and all Chinese found engaged aftel
the period of such registration in an!
other occupation than such as MAJ
be lawfully pursued. if without sucl
certificates, shall be deemed to b.
unlawfully in the United States, ant
shall be arrested and depOrted from
this country upon department war
rant, as is now done in the case o
aliens found in the United States ii
violation of the immigration laws.
The cost of administering the i'm
Is.r