New-York tribune., 1906-04-20
INSURANCE BILL SAFE.
CREDIT GIVEN HIGGINS
Senators in Caucus Vote to XII
White amendment.
IBy Telegraph to The Tribune. !

hotly fought caucus pledged themselves TO strike
out Of the General Insurance law the White
amendment passed yesterday and put through
the entire measure in form entirely satisfac-
tory TO the special insurance committee Sen
ator Armstrong; motion to reconsider the vote
by which the White amendment emasculating
the bill was passed will be taken up to- morrow,
the amendment wiped out. a slight alteration
authorized by the Armstrong committee sub
sttuted and the bill passed as party measure.
Credit for this work is given to the Governor
In difference 10 the objections raised by Sena-
tor White and some other Senators who voted
for his amendment from scruples about the wis
dom OF allowing the lists of policyholders of the
mutual companies to be public property all the
year, Senator Armstrong at the caucus con-
sented TO have the scheme changed slightly
Therefore he Will present tomorrow an amend
naent which Will provide that after the policy
holders lists have been file for the full five
months named by the bill as originally drawn
they may be withdrawn by the respective COM
panies- If in the two months allowed by the bill
Tor Independent nominations for directors no in
dependent ticket is put forth the companies
may then withdraw their lists. This is to let
lhem protect themselves against their competi-
tors. 1t does not weaken the bill at all. Senator
Armstrong says
GOVERNOR ACTS PROMPTLY.
when Governor Higgins realized the impor-
lance Of the White amendment and how fully
II would nullify the carefully worked out plan
OF the Armstrong committee he took prompt
vigorous steps to rectify the mistake He sent
Tor Senator White and had a long interview
With him. which left the Syracuse man con-
Vlnced or the error Of his ways. He sent for
! Senator Raines and discussed the situation
vigorously with him. When Senator Raines left
'he executive chamber he had promised in his
capacity as majority leader of the Senate to
call caucus OF the Republican Senators and
use his utmost efforts to see that they killed
Senator Whites amendment and pledged them
| selves TO pass the entire bill. Not content with
that the Governor personally saw various other
Senator's some Of whom had voted for the
White amendment, and argued with them until
he convinced them that their attitude was open
TO doubt. When he finished his task there re-
naained no doubt that the bill would pass the
Senate the Armstrong committee wanted 1t
and that the credit for its passage would belong
entirely TO the Republicans of that body
The storm raised by the passage Of Senator
Whites amendment and the carefully executed
manouvres which passed It was not confined
to this city. From all over the state kilograms
poured in on the Senators to-day urging that
it be taken up again and defeated. Even the
insurance men who swarmed through the Cap
itol did not look happy. for they realized that
in the very boldness of their attempt to weaken
the bill they had overreached themselves.
Mr.. WOODRUFF EXPLAINS.
Timothy I. Woodruff. president Of the Provi-
dent Savings Life Insurance Company, came
here to-day. He had rather warm talk With
the Governor on the insurance situation. The
rest of the day he spent explaining that he had
nothing TO do with passing the amendment or
preparing it Senator White. who comes from
Syracuse is acting as personal counsel TO Mr..
Woodruff In connection with the insurance COM
pany's affairs The combination at this juno
ture. was not a happy one for either OF them.
Senator White had considerable explaining TO do
before it became generally recognized that he
vas nor acting in the interests of the insurance
company in offering his scheme 10 avoid publish
ing the lists of policyholders. Mr.. Woodruff said
knew nothing about this amendment until l
read about it as l was coming up here TINS
morning I certainly had nothing TO do with
its preparation on my honor. l knew, though
as far hack as last December that Senator White
objected TO this plan as being improper, since
Il would give opportunity for schemers Win
money 10 capture an insurance company ana
use IL for their own ends. did not know that
he intended 10 try 70 amend the bill IN TINS par
ticular.
So far as my company goes, II is a stock COM
,sry and would not be affected by this provi-
sion In fact IT would be benefited, since il
Gould have its rivals lists of policyholders, and
~ We would use such methods might influence
am opposed the provision compelling the
waking public of the lists, but certainly would
rot try TO interfere in this way with the bill
BEFORE the Senate met this morning the Gov
ernor had begun TO create more sentiment for
the reform bill and Senator Armstrong and Sen
a-or Tully of the special committee, had been
working for it,
THE GOVERNORS STATEMENT.
The Governor issued a statement setting forth
his objections 10 the amendment. making clear
the administrators view. He said
learned with regret Of the adoption by the
Senate Yesterday of an amendment to the Dill
amending the insurance law generally, when
took out Of the bill the provision whereby policy
holders were assured of information TO the
names and residences of their associates
The progress OF the insurance Legislation re.
norted by the Armstrong committee is 1alloWeo
/ nv the people with the keenest interest | feel
that the public demands that these plls bs
| enacted into law substantially as reported ana
looks with suspicion upon all enorts 10 amend
II would. in my judgment, be a matter for
serious concern and deep regret II punlic opinion
sbonld hold that the work of this session on IN
! eurance was marred by the defeat OF any OF the
J committees bills.
When the bill taken up Senator Grady,
after criticising the newspapers for the way
! they had recorded the sentiment against amend
/ ing the bill offered a few more amendments
/ designed 10 permit the agents TO receive larger
| commissions than the limitation Of expenses
specified by the committee would allow. Sena-
! TOR Armstrong argued against them for three
/ hours staving of vote until the plan ar
ranged on could be put into effect. At one
point IN his argument he pointed TO the gal
leries. where sat half dozen insurance officials,
YES. know there are some insurance people
/ up there. and l want them TO hear what l am
% THsF-l HaRTF- n nj 1Tfur