The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-08-26
OFFICERS OF LAWYERS
THE AMERICAN EAR ASSOCIATION
 HOLDS ITS ELECTION.
special Feature Of the Day Was Ma jorfty and Minority Reports Pre- septed by the Insurance
 Law Communication.

Narrasansett Pier, R. l.. Aug. 25.-- The delegates to the annual meeting of the American Bar Association held their first sessions here today. The election of officers for the coming year was the principal business scheduled.
 The annual dinner took place this evening.
 The special order for today was the consideration of the majority and lni- nority reports presented by the fnsur- ance law commission. The majority re- port, signed by Ralph Breckinridge, Burton Smith. Alfred Heminway and R. w. Mercer, recommended legislation by Congress providing for the Federal supervision of insurance, the repeal of ali valued policy laws, uniform fire policy, the terms of which shall be specifically defined: the repeal of all retaliatory tax laws; stricter incorpor- ation laws in the several States in so far as they affect the creation of in- suranee companies and a Federal stat ute prohibiting the use of the malls to all persons, associa tions, or corpora tions transacting the business of in- suraance in disregard of State and Fed erai regulations.
 The report says In part:
 The officials of the leading compa- nies, life, fire and accident, recognise
 
 favor of national supervision. and they generally favor 1t, if thereby the State departments to which they must now make returns will be superseded. The leading State insurance commissioners are also in favor of Federal supervi- sion. According to tables compiled In the bureau of correspondents, twenty eight States in the year 1902 received from insurance companies, exclusive thn. '. expended in the supervision of those companies.
 "The iniqufty of such condition Is obvious. for 1t lays an unnecessary bur den upon all who seek to provide for their families and to avert disaster from fire through insurance. It is es- timated that the expense of Federal su- pervision would not be over 10 per cent, of what State supervision now costs.
 "A Federal regulation requiring an accounting of the uses made of the im- mense sums accumulated through the prudence. sacrifices and thrift of mill lions of policy holders will prevent im- provident and improper investments and extravagant management"
 The minority report, presented by W. R. Vance. declares that no reason has been shown why the business of insur- ance should be regarded as interstate thE FCPVEt H6yAt 1t is clear that the regulation and con trol of the business is beyond the powers of the Federal Government It Is the opinion of the minority that Fed eral supervision, If it were constitu~ tionaiiy possible would remedy many of the existing evils. but that such supervision is not possible without a constitutional amendment. The report characterizes existing methods of State raw,,loft0n ttYnazf 1efarftya e fhav are inefficient in preventing wild cat" companies from engaging in the busi- ness and are needlesSiy expensive to the poiicyholders, who, in the laat analysis, bear the expenses incident to the business.
 The convention passed the following resolution concerning President Roose- velt's endeavors to bring about peace between Russia and Japan:
 Resolved, That the American Bar Association desires to express to Presi- dent Roosevelt it's warm approval and admiration for his efforts to try to bring about peace to the millions of people abroad who are devastated and made desolute by war; and that it hopes that he will continue to use his utmost endeavors to aid In every way possible those who are trying to end the war between two great nations who always have been friends to his coun- try"
 After a discussion. the whole ques- tion of insurance law was left to the in- coming committee. The committee on real estate titles. etc, which Fecom- mended more uniform mortgage laws throughout the country, was adopted, as was the report of the Committee on Patent Laws. which recommended the establishment of a special court for the consideration of patent cases.
 Officers were elected as follows; President, George R. Peck. Chicago; Secretary. John Hlnkley. Baltimore; | Treasurer, Frederick E. Warhamg. AL bany, N. Y. Executive Committee. PFes- ident, Secretary and Treasurer ex- officio elect members; NJ. 8. Dickinson Boston; Ralph W. Breckiuridge, Omaha, Neb.; c. A. Munroe, Los Angeles. Cal; | Theo. S. Barnett. Norfolk, Va; William P. Breene, Fort Wayne. Ind.
 A Vice. President, representing each State, also was chosen.