The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1905-12-08

States should in this respect follow tho
policy OF other nations by providing
adequate national supervision of COM
nerclai interests which are clearly ma
tionul IN character. My predecessors
have repeatedly recognized that the
foreign business OF these companies is
an Important part OF our foreign COM
mcrcial relations During the admin
astrations ~ Presidents Cleveland.
Harrison and Mckinley the state de-
,partmcnt exercised Its influence.
Through diplomatic channels. 10 pre-
vent unjust discrimination by foreign
countries against American insurance
companies These negotiations Illus
tratcd the proprioty of tho conErcHs
recognizing the national character OF
Insurance for In the absence Of fed
ernl legislation the state department
could only give expression to the
wishes OF the authorities Of the several
states. whose policy was Ineffective
Through want OF uniformity
repeat my previous recommended
ton that the congress- should also con-
slider whether the federal government
has any power or owcB any duty with
respect to domestic transactions In in
surancc of an interstate character.
That state supervision has proved In
adequate Ia generally conceded. The
burden upon insurance companies. and
therefore their policy holders. Of CON
dieting regulations Of many states. is
unquestioned, while but little effective
check Is imposed upon any able ana
INSCRIPTIONS man who desires to OK
plot the company In his own interest
at the expense OF the policy holders
and Of the public, Tho inability of
state to regulate effectively insurance
corporations created under the laws NJ
other states and transacting the larger
part of their business elsewhere w
also clear AZ remedy for this evil
OF conflicting, ineffective. and yet bur
densome regulations there has been
Tor many years widespread demand
Tor federal supervision Tho congress
has already recognized that interstate
insurance may be u proper subject for
federal legislation. for In creating tho
bureau of corporations II authorized
II to publish and supply useful In
formation concerning Interstate cor
purations, Including corporations en-
gagged In insurance" II ia obvious
That II the compilation Of statistics be
the limit Of the federal power, II Ia
/ wholly Ineffective to regulate this
. form Of commercial intercourse be-
tween the states, and ns the insurance
husinuRs hoP outgrown In magnitude
the possibility Of adequate state SUI
perviainn, the CongrcaA should care
fully cnnsidcr whether further lcTiala-
tlnn can be had What iF said above
applies with equal force to frntrrnal
and hcnCyni, organizations which
contract for Ne insurance
! Under tn, subject Of national revenues
tho president makes "a plea for the cnnct-
mcnt Of reciprocal arrangements between
this and other countries. but d0ee not ASK
for any tRrin legislation nt the present
time. In the sam" connection he asks for
economy IN appropriations
Business Methods in Departments.
on the subject Of graft" IN the several
government departments that have been
under Investigation b" says:
At various times | have instituted
Investigations into tho organization
aud conduct OF the business OF the OK
ccutivc departments. While mono or
these Inquiries have yet proGrosscd
far enough to warrant final conclu-
siuns, they have already confirmed
and emphasized the general imprca-
sion that the organization OF the de-
partmcnta ia often faulty In principle
and wastoful In results. while many
of their business methods nrc nnu-
quatcd and inefficient There e. every
reason why our executive govern
mental machinery should be NJ least
us well planned, economical and
efficient as the hest machinery Of the
grrnt business organizations. which nj
present Is not the case. To make II
so Is "a task Of complex detail ana ca
scntially executive In it's nature, prob
ably no legislative body no matter
how wise and able. could undertake" II
with reasonable prospect nt success.
I recommend that the congress con-
elder this subject with n Wow to pro-
vide by legislation for the transfer,
distribution consolidation and assign
mcnt OF duties and executive nrEnniza-
tions or parts Of ORGANIZATIONS, and
for the changes In business methods,
within or between the several depart
ments. that will bcst promote the
economy efficiency and high character
Of the government work.
Federal Elections,
On the subjec.-of fedora. elections he rec.
ommcnds NAT It be made unlawful for po.
utical parties to receive campaign con
tributIons from the corporations, and also
that II be made unlawful for corporations
20 give such contributions, and In this con
, ncction he says:
Contributions by corporations TO any
purpose should be forbidden by law
directors should not be permitted 10
use aturkholdcrs' money for such pur,
poses. and. moreover, prohibition OF
this kind would he, as far na II went
an effective method OF stopping the
evils aimed at In corrupt practices
rrte No. only should both the ma
tional and the several state legislh'
lures forbid any officer Of a corpora.
/ lion 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 lcgisla'
ton save by tho employment OF coun'
sel In puhiIc manner for distinctly To-
gnl services.
rba HAGUE Eonference,
The Hague conference mhu wv SUI
ject Of arbitration gcherhiS 10 uta,Iu
of at considerable length anu IN I'M.
connection an explanation IL even o.
this governments conncctioh WIN "a,
coming conference IN 'ho ''i'""'"e
words
The first conference OF nations nelp a.
The Hague In 1899, being uhapie 10 uss
pose OF all the business before u. recon-
mendeG the consideration ana settlement
of plumber OF important questions 10y
another conference TO De ehiied suose
quently and at an early Date rhes'
questions were the foHowing' " IN
rights and duties OF neutrais; 10 th'
limitation OF the armed FORCES on lhh'
md saa md of military budgets, CD tni