The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-02-22
LAWSON PROXIES
TO Be NULLIFIED
Continued From First Page.

4
in the other they have been guilty of a
serious offense against public morals.
The frank admission that moneys
nave been obtained for use in state
campaigns, upon the expectation that
candidates thus aided in their election
would support the interests Of the COM
pames, has exposed both those who So
hclted the contributions and those who
made them to severe and Just condemna-
ton. The committee recommends the
passage Of an unequivocal and drastic
measure to remedy this evil. Not only
should 1T be expressly prohibited and
treated as waste of corporate moneys,
put any officer, director. or agent max
ing, authorizing and consenting to any
such contribution should be guilty of
mlsdemeanor and the prohibition should
be extended to all corporate contribu-
lions of this character. Il
AS to Lobbying. ...s
',..Nothing disclosed by the investi-
gatlon deserves more serious attention
than the systematic efforts of the large
insurance companies to control a large
part of the legislation of the state.
dhey nave been organized into an Of
fenslve and defensive alliance to pro-
cure or to prevent the passage of laws
affecting not only insurance, but
! great variety Of Important interests to
| which,. thru subsidiary companies, or
thru the connections of their officers,
they have become related. Their op-
! eratlons have extended beyond the
state and the country has been divided
into districts so that each company
might perform conveniently it's share
of the work. '>1-s PR
| - Enormous sums have been expend-
ca In a surreptitious manner. Irregu-
lar accounts have been kept to conceal
the payments, for which proper vouch-
ers have not been required. This
course of conduct has created a wide
spread conviction that large portions
of this money have been dishonesty
''On account Of the absence Of the
necessary witnesses and the lack of
proper vouchers, the committee has
been unable to trace the moneys said
to have been disbursed in connection
with legislation. But while it is suf-
ficiently evident that large sums have
been disbursed for improper purposes
it is also clear that payments for con
fidential OUTLAWS exempt from audit
have furnished abundant opportunities
for misrepresentation. They suggest
the necessity Of requiring strict &C.
counting from those who are RESPONSE
Die for the payments as we'll as from
the agents who have received the
moneys. -..--.--.
i ''Menaces'' in Legislatures.
EFT has been insisted that the in
surance companies have been SO con.
+ tinuousEy menaced by the introduction
OF improper and ill-advised Legislative
measures in many states that they have
been compelled to maintain a constant
watchfulness and to. resort to secret
means to- defeat them. An insurance
corporation, 1howeYers holds a position
Of peculiar advantage in Opposing any
legislative measure which really antag
onizes the interests 'of policyholders.
~" A very large oppropoo4fftiioh- tof the .vot
| ers Of the state hold policies, Of life
to apprise them of hostile Legislative
measures and in addition a department
Of the state government exists for 5thei
protection whose recommendations have
rarely failed to receive proper consider
alton in the legislature. It is not :
difficult matter to direct public atten
ito to an Objectionable bill affecting
life insurance corporations, or to have
opposing argument and criticism effect
lively presented.
Again, if in spite Of argumen
fairly and publicly presented, a 1egisla
ture insists upon passing a law inimica
to the true interests Of the companies
: It is not the officers, but the policy
holders, who must bear the loss, and til
consequences which can readily b.
pointed out are almost certain to brin.
about an early repeal of the obnoxiou
4 legislation. . =. -.: 49,
L ''The employment Of agents to dis
burse large sums, and Of clandestin
r methods to defeat legislation is who'll,
inexcusable. -
Restrict Lobbyists.
"The pernicious activities of como
: rate agents in matters Of legislation dc
mand that the present freedom of lob
, bying. should be restricted They hav
= brought suspicion upon important pre-
= ceedlngs of the legislature and have eS
y posed its members to consequent as
y sault. -. *~
"The legislature owes it to itself. S
Tar as possible, to stop the practice O
{ the lavish expenditure of moneys oste1
a slbly for services in connection wit
!. the support of or opposition to bills an
y generally believed to be used for col
a rupt purposes. The legislature Shout
L attaches to the progress Of measures al
i fecting important interests. ~
a The laws against bribery and col
9 ruption, offences which are difficult Q
proof, are sufficiently stringent, but a
= effort should be made to strike at tn
J root Of the evil by requiring unde
. proper penalties, full publicity with r.
a gard to moneys expended in connectio
= with matters before the legislature. Co:
;, porations should be required to keep a,
: counts and vouchers in which all sue
s payments should be fully detailed AN
y recelpted tor, and an adequate stat,
:. ment regarding them should form PAL
OF such reports as may be required.
. In the case of insurance corpor
: tions the remedy lies first general
r. within the requirement. Of q proper a
4 vouchers, stating in detail the .purpos,
g for which moneys paid for legal e.
penses or in connection with legislatiy
matters have been expended. And, flu
! Their, the company should be compelle
to set forth in it's annual stateme1
to the superintendent of insurance a
u sums SO disbursed, giving the names
I the payees, the amounts paid and II
specific purpose of the payment.
Honorable Lobbying.
~ Professional services in promotir
:, legislation may be entirely honorab
y and are frequently necessary. The cor
- mlttee therefore recommends that tt
y Legislative law be so amended that ever
- person retained or employed for cor
~ pensatlOn as counsel or agent to Or
N mote or oppose the passage Of bills
z resolutions by either house or executi7
e. approval OF such measures shall befO