The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1906-01-30
YHE INSURANCE PROBE
Pennsylvania Legislature Passes
Resolution Ordering Inquiry.
70 INVESTIGATE AcTUARVs FEES

Joint Committee Of Eleven TO Probe
Pennsylvania insurance Department.
Must Report Not Later Than Feb
ruary 6.
Harrisburg. Pa, Jan. 80. 49, The
methods of doing business employed
by the insurance department of Penn
evlyania and the fees OF the actuary
of this department will be the subject
If legislative inquiry. This inquiry VIII
be conducted by a committee OF three
Republican and two Democratic sena'
tors and four Republican and TWO
Democratic representatives. Inc IN
vestiration will be made as soon as the
committee Is appointed and the re-
suits reported not later than Fepru'
airy g.
A Joint resolution authorizing THIS
Investigation was adopted by the sen
ate and house after a spirited debate
IN both bodies. The resolution was Of
fered In the house by Mr.. Pusey. Re
nublican. Of Delaware. and in the SEN
ate bv Mr.. Fox. Republican. OF Dau'
phln.
Mr. zimmerman. Democrat OF Mon
tour. with the aid of his party col
leagues in the house. m"de futlle
effort TO secure the passage by that
body of a resolution as a substitute Tor
that offered by Mr. Pusey. The Am
norman resolution was rejected by an
almost strict party vote. after which
the Pussy resolution was adopted
without opposition. The zimmerman
resolution provided for FIVE represen'
tativos. three Republicans and two
Democrats. and three senators. TWO
Renublicans and one Democrat and
aved no limit for completing the In
quiry.
Tho Democrats Of the senate made an
Intellectual attempt to amend the Fox
resolution so as to allow the committee
10 report any time before the close OIL
tho extra session and extending the
inquiry into allegations that money
had been paid during the legislative
session last winter to promote to de-
feat the passage Of certain insurance
legislation.
| The preamble of the resolution as
adopted by both bodies and under
which the investigation will be con-
Quoted. recites that in a special report
to the legislature one week ago by In
surance Commissioner David Martin,
# was hown that Robert f. Forster OIL
Philadelphia. the actuary Of the depart
ment since May 81, 1891. received
s93 1g1.e9 in fees last year for making
the valuation Of life insurance, not one
cent of which seems to have been re-
| turned into the state treasury.
There was also introduced in both
bodies q bin amending the act Of 1873
creating the insurance department ana
under which the actuarial fees are col
/ lected so as To reduce the cOmpensa-
ton OF the actuary from two cents per
thousand valuation TO one-half cent,
these fees to be paid into the state
treasury for the use Of the state and
not OF be retained by the actuary for
his own personal use, as under the
present system.
The bill also fixes the salary OF the
actuary at $4,000 year. Under the
present system the actuary is paid IN
fees. which amount to more than $780,
600 a year.
Auditor General Snyder transmitted
to the legislature a statement showing
that the state revenues for the fiscal
year ending November 30, 1905, were
S24. 269, 1872. and that the current ex-
penses and appropriations for the state
government during the same period
were s27 562. 96f 81.