Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-04-17
PRESIDENT URGES
INSURANCE LAWS
Special Message Sent to Congress
OH the Subject This
Afternoon
SUBMITS DRAFT OF A BILL
Measure Drafted by the Insurance
Convention at Chicago Endorsed and
Congress Pressed to Take Some Ac-
ton That Will Prevent Corruption
in Insurance Concerns.

Washington, April liz President
Roosevelt today transmitted to con-
gress an important message relative
to insurance legislation. Accompany
ing the message were a report and the
recommendations of the insurance con-
vention which was held in Chicago
last February. Among the recommen-
dations is the draft of bill, which
congress is urged to enact into law
with such amendments as it's wisdom
may suggest. The president urges en-
actment of the proposed measure, as,
he says: I'VE are not to be pardoned
if we fail to take every step In our
power to prevent a possibility of the
repetition of such scandals as those
that have occurred in connection with
the insurance business as disclosed by
the Armstrong committee
The text of the message follows:
ITO the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatives: 1 herewith transmit the
report and recommendations, with ac-
companying papers, of the insurance
convention which met in February last
at Chicago The convention was called
because of extraordinary disclosures of
wrongful insurance methods recently
made by the Armstrong legislative
committee of the state Of New York,
the suggestion that 1t should be called
coming to me originally from
Governor Johnson, of Minneso-
ta. thru Commissioners of Insurance
Thomas d. O'Brien, of that state.
The convention consisted of about a
hundred of the governors, attorneys
general and commissioners of insur-
ance of the states and territories OF the
u,.ioR. Tie convention was seeking to
accomplish uniformity of insurance
legislation thruout the states and ter
ritores, and as prime step toward
that purpose decided to endeavor to Sc
cure enactment by congress OF proper
insurance code for the District of Col
umbia, which might serve as model for
the several states. Before adjourning.
the convention appointed a committee
of three attorneys general and twelve
commissioners of insurance of various
states to prepare and have presented to
congress a bill which should embody
featuceS suggested ny tIlS SOuNSilloAl.
The committee recently met in Chicago
and in thoro and painstaking fashion
sought to prepare a bill which should
be at once protective of policy holders
and fair and just to insurance COM
panies, and which should prevent
graver evils and abuses of business,
and at the same time forestall any
wilder drastic legislation which would
be more harmful than beneficial. The
proposed bill is discussed at length in
the accompanying letter by Superin-
tendent Thomas e. Drake Of the de-
partment of insurance, District of Col
umbia.
II very sincerely hope congress, at
the earliest opportunity, will enact this
bill into law, with such changes as its
wisdom may dictate. I have no expert
familiarity with the business, but
have entire faith in the right Judgment
and single minded purpose of the con-
vention which met at Chicago, and the
committee of that convention, which
formulated the measure herein advo-
Gated. We are not to be pardoned
if we fail to take every step in our
power to prevent possibility of repe-
tition of such scandals as those which
occurred in connection with the in
surance business as disclosed by the
Armstrong committee.