Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1906-04-20
PRESIDENT ASKS
INSURANCE LAWS.
Urges the Passage of Bill Which
Will Prevent Any More
Scandals.

WASHINGTON, D. c., April H.
President Roosevelt today transmitted to
Congress an important message relating
to insurance legislation. Accompanying
the message were the report and rec
concentrations of the insurance conyen-
tan which was held in Chicago last
February. Among the recommendations
is the draft of bill which Congress IS
urged to enact into law with Sucn
amendments as it's wisdom may suggest.
To End Insurance Scandals.
The President urges the enactment Of
the proposed measure as, he says, we
are not to be pardoned ii we fail to take
every step in our power to prevent the
possibility of the repetition of such scan
dals as those that have occurred In con-
nection with the insurance business, as
disclosed by the Armstrong committee.
Text of Presidents Message.
The text of the Presidents message IS
as follows:
transmit the report and recommendations,
with accompanying papers, of the insurance
convention which met in February last at
Chicago. The convention was called be
cause of the extraordinary disclosures of
wrongful insurance methods recently made
by the Armstrong legislative committee of
the state OF New 4Ofk, the Suggestion liza
it should be called coming to me originally
from Gov. John A. Johnson Of Minnesota
through Commissioner of Insurance Thomas
u. O'Brien of that state.
Describes the Convention.
The convention consisted Of about 1Oo
governors, attorneys general and commits
siouers Of insurance of the states and ter
ritories of the Union. The convention was
seeking to accomplish uniformity of insur-
ance legislation throughout the states and
territories, and as prime step toward
this purpose decided to endeavor to secure
the enactment by the Congress of the Unit
ed States of a proper insurance code fol
the District of Columbia which might serve
as model for the several states: Before
adjourning the convention appointed q
| committee of three attorneys general and
| twelve commissioners of insurance of the
| various states to prepare and present &c
| the Congress a draft of a bill which should
embody the features suggested by the con
Yention.
The convention recently met in Chicago
! and in thorough and painstaking fashion
| sought to prepart a bill which should be al
| once protective Of policy-holderS and fail
| and just to insurance companies, and which
| should prevent the grayer evils and abuses
| of the business, and at the same time fore
| stall any wild or drastic legislation which
| would be more harmful than beneficial
| The proposed bill is discussed at length III
the accompanying letter by Superintendent
Thomas e. Drake, of the department of in
surance, in the District of Columbia.
Urges Immediate Action.
very earnestly hope that the congress
| at the earliest opportunity will enact this
bill into law, with such changes as its
wisdom may dictate. l have no expert
| familiarity with the business, but l have
entire faith in the right judgment and
single minded purpose of the insurance con
vention which met at Chicago, and of the
| committee of that convention which for
mulated the measure herein advocated. We
! are not to be pardoned If we fail to take
every step in our power to prevent the pos
sibil3ty of the repetition of such scandals
| as those that have occurred in the insur-
ance business as disclosed by the Arm
| strong committee.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
| The White House, April II, 1906.