Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1907-04-30
MORE TROUBLE
 0N INSURANCE sWrite No More Fire Poli- cies in Arkansas Till Fur. ther Orders" <" Is the Tn struction.
ROSS BILL CAUSE OF TT
Act Requiring Foreign Companie> to Re Domesticated Thought to Nul- Iify Lee-BroWning BiIl-Some oi It's Provisions.

Write no more fire policies in Arkansas until further orders
 This emphatic instruction has been received by agents Of several of the large fire insurance com- panies within the last 48 hours, says the Little Rock Gazette The orders came by wire. and yesterday agents who had not received such Instructions from their companies were wearing expectant looks. r~ The difficulty this time is over the Ross bill, which requires every foreign corporation doing business in the state to become domesticated. The surface purpose of the Ross bill was to require corporations to become amenable to the laws Of the state in suits.
 Under the old law, and which is not affected by the Ross bill, every corporation which takes out articles of incorporation with the secretary Of state shall pay the sum of so for the first $25,000 represented in capital stock, and g. for each snbse- qnent $2a 900 represented
 Corporations like the British American Fire company, the Vest ern Union Telegraph company, and possibly the several large life in suranee companies, some capitalized at several millions, would thus be forced to pay into the office of the secretary of the state S3O for the first S25, 900 represented in their capital stock and 8 TOT each subse- auent s25,0o0.
 'The bill was introduced for the purpose of making foreign corpora tions answerable in the state courts,' said Mr. Ross in an inter view Mr Ross also admitted that it would prove pretty good rev enue bin for the state. Tt will in crease the revenue about $30o,- 0O0," he said
 Another feature of the bill which is objectionable to the foreign fire insurance companies is that their capital stock is represented in Brit ish pounds or other foreign money. They are in doubt as to the pro eednre under this circumstance The Ross bill does not anticipate equivalents of dollars in foreign moneys.
 The Ross bill was introduced in the house more than three months ago When il was taken np for consideration Mr Ross explained that it provided that foreign COZ porations were to become domestic corporations by filing with the sec retary of state copies of their char ters and copies of the corporate laws Of the country or state they were chartered in.
 Mir. Ross stated that the bill was not to discriminate against foreign corporations, but to prevent dis elimination against them. "'rhc bill means" said Mr Ross. that state courts would he given iuris- diction of the foreign corporations, a benefit that they do not now en- joy, in enforcing claims for dam ages
 Under the present law the foreign corporations only designate a state agent, and when actions arc brought they must be brought through the federal courts.
 There was not a negative re sponse to the roll when the bill wa passed in the house
 The bill later went to the senate and little objection was offered t' if here. It was only after it hao become a law that it's full fore and effect was observed
 Developments today will b watched with great intere [. Th fire companies had just returned [ the state during the past ,eeeh after an absence from inc state Q more than two years. Agents we being restored and the business va settling down to normal basi, when the snddcn news was spraa yesterday that if the present Ia, after investigation. proved as dra. tic as it appears on its face, tn foreign companies will have [ cease business.
 A suspension of business does nc