The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-10-07
TO STOP MUTUALS CAMPAIGN.
APPEAL TO INSURANCE COMMIS-
SIONERS or ALL STATES
ny the international Committee Charge
mat POlicyhOlders' Money 10 Being
WronESuuy spent Dispute ~ 20 when
AFufstF0ng Law Became EnecuNe'

ny the international Committee Charge
Tnat PolicS holders Money IL BeinS
WronKSuIly spent -Dtspute as 20 when
Armstrong Law Became Effective.
The International policyholders' COM
mIttee has taken action to check the most
recent activities OF the present manage
Tnent Of the Mutual IiTe Insurance Company
in occurring votes for the administration
ticket fer the election Of trustees which
win be held in December.
Il is charged that the management OF
the company has instructed its agents 10
circulate broadcast a form oil ballot on
which the names Of none except those on
the administ rationticket are printed andthat
they are being paid for the work OF secur-
ing signatures to these ballots out oil sd-
vances which the Armstrong law apparently
does not permit. Yesterday thec committee
sent the following letter to all OF the state
insurance commissioner ofthe country:
We desire to direct your attention TO what
We consider TO be one Of the most wiiful oil
the many evasions of the recently enacted
Armstrong Ia ws that has come TO our Rtten-
ton. These laws provide that an Official
ballot shall be mailed 10 all policyholders
(of record December IS last on or before
October rs, 1909.
The nomination OF the administration
ticket was filed on July is! The nomination
OF the united committees ticket and a So
called fusion ticket we're filed on Septem-
Der "a as required.
The form of envelope was promptly ap-
proved by the superintendent OF insurance,
together with the enclosures. which are a
bellot, a proxy and a return envelope.
While the law requires that these ballots
shall be mailed to the policyholders on or
before October rs. 1t Is very evident that they
are going to take the last possible moment
allowed by law to place these ballots In the
mail.
In the meantime there has been prepared
q printed ballot oil a white sheet OF paper.
7xsL inches. headed Ballot for trustees"
and containing only the names of the candi-
dates for trustees on the administrator
tick ct" and these ballots are being sent
broadcast throughout the country TO their
agents practically two weeks in advance OF
the time allowed by law. This Is a political
trick lone at a vast expense TO the policy
holders, and we call on YOU TO prohibit the
circulation Of these ballots in your state.
as il is a direct violation Of both the intent
and purpose Of the recently enacted laws
and will In effect. II their evident purpose Is
carried out, be to confuse and mislead the
~policyholders. We also call your. attention
90 the provision Of the New York law which
VI A"N - AiASt VI hS'NH t
on each ballot. rs no one except the COM
psny and the policyholder himself is sup
posed to know the number Of these policies.
IL was thought when this law was enacted
that IL would be a safeguard for the ballot.
The company have prepared AT the policy
holders expense stencils and have made
stencil slips OF all the names and addresses
Of their p~olicyholders and placed on these
stencil slips the policy numbers and have
sent these slips by the thousands to their
agents TO ia cilitate them in a nvassing for
votes. We call your attention to the fact
that this entire work. which has cost many
thousand dollars. has been done az the ex-
pense Of the policyholders. and we call on
you to prohibit the use of these slips by the
agents in the campaign for votes for the
Administration ticket"
The printed ballot to which the int erna-
tional committee so s~trenuously objects
reads:
BALLOT ron TRUSTEES
OF the Mutual Life Insurance Company Of
New York 10 be elected ~ the annual meetin z
Of the said company on December IL. 1909,
from 10 A. NJ. 10 p. NJ, at the home ONCE Of
the company. 81 Nassau street. New York,
NY.
l.. the undersigned holder Of policy Mo-.
do by this writing vote for the following
thirt y-six persons. and each Of them. as trus-
NNFF VI wv A"hN
Of New York,
Then follows a list Of the men selected
for the administ ration ticket and below
are blanks for signatures. These ballots,
IL is said. are being used extensively in the
house TO house canvass that Is being made
all over the country by agents and solicitors
of the company.
There il some doubt as to the time wher
the Armstrong law prohibiting any adj
vances except upon the first premium
goes into effect, az no time is written int
the measure, but most companies have
agreed that il went into effect Immediately
upon its passage. But the Mutual com.
pany takes a different view Of the matter
holding that the law will not be effective
until January 1 next, and it is declared
that the expenses Of the campaign that
the pres elt management is making in thu
interest Of the administ ration are beinI
paid in part at least out Of the advances
that are prohibited in the law.