The Washington times., 1906-10-02
Address to Delegates at
Opening Session by
District COmmiS-
Sioner Macfarland.
ABLE RESPONSE MADE
BY PRESIDENT BARRY
Insurance Commissioners OF
United States Begin 9th
Annual Session
Here.

''Ir, when taking out a policy OF life
insurance, q man would exercise the
same caution and Judgment that he does
when trading horses or purchasing a
suit OF clothes. there would be no such
outcry Tor legislation 10 protect the
p0licyholders as We have heard during
the past year. But we must recognize
the fact that this degree Of caution and
Judgment never has been exercised by
the iusuring public and doubtless never
will be"
This statement. embodying one of the
dominant notes of the speech, is con-
tanned in the address delivered this aft
eTnOOn by James v. Barry, commits
sloner OF insurance of Michigan, and
president of the organization of 1nsur-
ance Commissioners of the United
States. now assembled in its thirty
seventh annual convention at the Ar
liugt0n Hotel
Alr. Barry spoke in reply TO the ad-
dress Of welcome delivered, on the part
OF the people of Washington, by Dis
trict Commissioner Mcfarland
The president OF the insurance COM
missIoncrs spoke with emphasis when ne
declared that publicity, rather than the
enactment OF many statutes is the sur
est way of controlling and preserving
intact all the best methods and high
Ideals of the life insurance business.
He said he thought the publicity coming
from the Armstrong committee work
had done more good than would ever
be accomplished by the Armstrong laws
Address Of Welcome.
Commissioner Macfarland, in welcom-
ing the insurance men, who numbered
today $50. said;
I'VE appreciate the significance Of
your assembling here at this time.
when the mind OF the country IS espe-
cIauy interested IN the insurance ques-
tions and when we are all anxious TO
secure a model insurance law for the
District of Columbia, We of the eNeCu-
tive government of the District have
Eeen planning FOR such a law for sew
eral wears, but IL is Wen, perhaps, that
our OVerWOrked insurance department
was not able 70 SET TINE 70 prepare
bill, since We now have by the delay
the advantage OF all that has been learn
ed i'm the Insurance Investigations, and
i'm the deIiberatiOn Of your conventions.
We have the fruit Of more thought than
has been devoted To any other business
question in the last teW years It IS
10 be hoped that az an early day we
may have on the statute books law
that shall htly embOdy the ideas that
ought 20 be laws
President Barry's Reply.
In replying. Mr.. Barry said:
"In my judgment the time will never
come when the companies will be sue
cessfulIy managed either by statute or
supervision. Business management is
not the province Of either OF these
agencies. That in the last analysis,
must necessarily be left 10 the honesty
and Judgment Of the administrative OFF,
GERS of the companies held. by publicity,
to strict accountability 10 their policy
holders
NY individual judgment is that the
great remedy for whatever evils have
thus far been found in insurance, or
whatever may be found IN the business
in the future, lies in fun and complete
uublicitv i am clearly or the opinion
that more actual gocd has been accom-
piished by the publicity lHcldeLt 20 IAV
Armstrong committee investigation than
viii ever be accomplished DN lne arm
strong laws, so-Called, and this obserNA-
ton is not meant 10 be IN any sense
reflection upon the recent Ne" 1SlA
enacJmenJs. I simply desire 70 eInPha-
size my belief in publicity Tather thaL.
in wholesale legislation, designed 70
cover every detail as an effective rem
edy for evils of whatever nature.
Publicity to Remedy Evil.
.It cannot be successfully gainsald,
I think. that complete publicity viii 90
away with campaign contributions syn
dicate transactions. nepousm, yellow
dog funds. extravaganza, and waste
fulness.
Restrictive legislation, unaccom-
panied by publicity. simply promotes
evasion.
I'VE have seen it impressively demon
strated within the past year that no
man is great enough to defy an aroused
public sentiment
In addition to the sessions OF the in
surance commissioners. which viii last
two more Gays. the committee appoint
ed by the Chicago conference of gov
eTnOrs. attorneys general and insurance
commissioners is at work here. IL viii
report TO the convention this afternoon
or tomorrow morning, its subject being
the best method of securing uniform in
surauCe legislation.
Tomorrow morning the report OF the
subcommittee on standard forms and
standard provisions for life insurance
D0Iicies viii be submitted 10 The conven-
ton and acted upon.