The Cairo bulletin., 1907-01-11
ROOSEVELT into
INSURANCE MIX
WRITES LETTER URGING THAT
SALARIES or OFFICIALS BE
NOT LIMITED.
INQUIRY into HIS ACTION
May Be orcsrsd BY Consress--Look.
ed u7on as Plan to Influence
Legislation In Favor Of His
Friend, Paul Morton.

Frenc, PAU MORTON
Washin gton. d. c., Jan 10--A sen
satlon In congress based on letter
attributed to President Roosevelt. in
which state legislatures are urged not
10 pass laws limiting the salaries cf
life insurance officials, is brewing
Copies of the letter have reache,.
Emembers Of the house A resolution
VIII be introduced this week calling
on the president to officially acknowl.
edge the letter and to seEd the cor
rospOndence involved TO the house.
At time when executive usurpa-
ton" is laid at the presidents door,
this letter Is to be made the basis
of charge of executive interference
! in state matters. Also congressman
are inclined TO Sc a connection be-
tween the presidents well known
| Friendship for Paul Morton. president
ef the Equitable, and move 10 pre-
vent the limitation of salaries.
President Writes Letter.
The letter is addressed to Thomas
r. Drake, superintendent Of iusur-
anee for the District of Columbia,
and reads:
THE White House Washington.
Nov. 29,-My Dear Mr.. Drake: WIN
you read the inclosed memroandun?
L assume that You will rot lndorsc
any proposal that the legislatures
shall fix the salaries to be paid offic-
ials OF insurance companies. hould
deem srch action of questionable val
idl In law and unquestionably gross
ny mproyer, whether the law would
or wculd not permit II. can harlly
suppose that there Ii a serious en-
Idcavor t3 take such action. Sincere
~ yours
THEODORE ROOSEVELT" N
The insurauce commssiona OF
the states met last summer and ap.
pointed a committee OF fifteen 10
draft reformatory Insurance bills m
be pressed before the legislatures q
the various state Among the propo-
sitions adopted by the committee Of
fifteen was one limiting salaries 10
$4,000 year.
Eetter is Confidential"
The above lette~ vas sent ont by
Mr. Drake TO each OF the COMMITTEES
of fifteen It was sent with the ap.
nroyal of the president aud was &C.
companied by a letter from Superfn.
'endent Drakf Mr.. brakes letter
f,llows
Conditioned upon your treating II
confident ally, ! have received the
consent Of Pre- ident Roosevelt TO
send Won copy OF his letter Of the
2eth, addressed 10 me. which was
accompanied by the original memoir.
andum rpo- the question OF the right
Of the leg slatures TO regulate com
panies. The letter referred to was
also accompanied by a copy Of a de-
cision Of the Court OF Appea's OF
Texas bearing upon the same sub
jeci
i inelose copies Of both dccu-
mcnts think. too. In view ~ he
decision with which YOU are now
made familiar that the resolution
adopted by the committee of fifteen
a. the meeting in Chicago on tho nth.
restricting the salaries Of presidents
of life insurance companies 10 $50.
eo0 per year. would be ricken from
the list If uniform legislative bills
that are being prepared for the pur-
nose Of submitting them TO congress
through The president and through
the insurance commissioners 10 the
foriy-onc state legislatures which as
semble in 1907
For Unlimited Salaries.
Being covfrCnfed with such D..
clsion from the highest tribunsl - a
tate 10 seems TO me that advocating
such a feature in uniform legislation
would arouse unnecessary discussion
in congress an din state legislatures.
and possibly would cause the defeat
of All the remedial measure pfnDns-
ed. would suggest. therefore. thai
y-u communicate with the Hon Thrs-
D. OBricn. 81 Paul. MIN chair
man of the committee Of fifteen. 70
quasiing that the salary res,rictioa
In fhe prospective bills refcrrel 10
bee IeG out altogether. Ulesse De
re hear from you on the biCct
Yours respectively
THOMAS r DRAKE