Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-04
ALL WANT NEW LAW
Po|icyhoIders Will Fight for New
Insurance Statute.
PLANT ABOUT PROXY VOTES
Bills Changing Present Election Sys-
tenn to BE Introduced.
POLICY NUMBERS IN SECRET
Many Changes Are Suggested Which,
It is Thought, Will Remedy
Innumerable Evils.
POLICY NUMBERS IN SECRET

NEW YORK, January At was announced
yesterday that bills would be presented In
the legislature early in this session at the
instance of the international policyholders
committee, to amend the new insurance
laws so as to correct some of the defects
that were developed by the campaign just
closed in the New York and Mutual Life
companies. The amendments will affect
only the laws governing the conduct of
elections in mutual companies, but they
will contemplate substantial notifications
Of these sections for it is believed that
actual experience has shown what changes
ought to be made with sufficient clearness
to enable corrective measures to be passed
These bills will seek, first of all, the aboli
ton of proxy voting, on the ground that
there is no occasion for it in an election
where mail ballot is allowed, and that 1t
can only be awaited of to the advantage of
the administration of the companies and to
the disadvantage of the policyholders
Coupled with this will be a provision that
the policy numbers must be affixed to bal
lots only by the policyholder voting and
making it misdemeanor for any agent or
officer of company to use these policy
numbers in making a canvass. The posi-
ton of the international committee in this
respect is that the use of the policy num-
bers on ballots is to identify the policy
holder voting, who alone is supposed to
know what the number Of his policy is, and
that If the companies are allowed to send
out the policy numbers broadcast to their
agents or to committees working in their
behalf, as was done in the election just
closed no safeguard would exist against
gross frauds.
Voted Ballots Official.
The bills will also make 1t a misdemeanor
for any officer or agent of a company to
electioneer or take any other part In cleo
lions hereafter, and they will provide that
the only valid ballots will be the official
ones. These ballots, according to the plan,
are to be sent out by the superintendent
of insurance at the expense of the COM
panies.-and this will be the only expense
that will be permitted in connection with
the campaign. AS The Times stated several
days ago, when the question of amending
the existing insurance laws first came up,
the international committee believes that
Gov. Hughes will give his support to these
changes in the law.
1t was learned yesterday that D. E.
Dudley, who is field superintendent of
agencies for the Mutual Life, has received
an appointment to the general agency in
Boston, Mass, which up to recently has
been in charge Of F. V. Keep. Mr.. Keep
ously when he discovered that the ex-
penses Of the campaign for the election OF
the administration ticket were coming in
large part out of the company's funds. In
surance men have been. expecting that
something would happen to him for some
time
Mr.. Dudley Fears.
Mr.. Dudley's name figured in the aft
davit made by Thomas Hindman, formerly
the Mutuars general agent for Tennessee
before the insurance commissioner OF
Kentucky in the proceedings which re-
suited in the Mutual being excluded from
Kentucky. Mr.. Hindman said that Mr.
Dudley, as assistant to William II. Wooten
who is now challenger for the administra
ton in the canvass of the ballots, came tG
him in regard to the administration cam
paign and gave him instructions to &C
ahead and hire at the company's expense
such help as was necessary to poll the
policy olders in his territory for the ad
ministration ticket Mr.. Hindman stated
also that he was authorized to make any
special arrangements necessary to engage
his subagents in this work
An interesting sdelight was cast on the
appointment of Mr. Dudley yesterday
eral agent who called about a year ago {
convention of the general agents of the
Mutual in this city. The expenses of this
convention were borne by the company
and there has been considerable talk tina
policyholders would sue the persons re
sponsible to enforce the return of thu
money so spent. The result of the con
George T. Dexter, now second vice presl
dent of the Mutual, but who was then su
perintendent of agencies, to executive of
flee in the company. Mr.. Dudleys presen
appointment came through Mr.. Dexter
office