Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1907-01-11

In February, 1906, conference of
governors. attorneys general and in
surance commissioners was held at
Chicago to consider and further the
adoption Of uniform insurance legisla-
ton. A committee appointed by that
conference has given careful consid-
GRAFTON to the subject since that date;
its report will be before you and be-
speak for, it your most earnest consid.
Grafton.
The recommendations of the COM
mittee consist OF seventeen proposed
bills, which may be summarized as
follows:
The adoption of standard policies,
or at least standard provisions in all
policies, so that for the future ambig-
uous and fraudulent policies will be
unknown and open competition be-
tween the companies introduced: the
abolition of the deferred dividend sys.
TEN, to which is traced many of the
evils to which I have referred: COM
pulsory accounting for present surplus
funds held by companies heretofore
operating upon the deferred dividend
plan; regulation of salaries and invest
ments; preservation of vouchers for
expenditures. Prohibition of discrim-
lnation in provisions to secure COM
plete publicity through annual reports
are proposed as measures which, while
leaving the details OF the management
to the officers of each company, will
result in fair competition, ample Sc.
cnrlty and proper use of funds, while
request accountings and full publicity
will force honest and economical man.
agement
Problem Of Expense Limit.
How to limit expenses is perhaps
the most perpleXing problem connect
ed with this entire question; eminent
actuaries radically disagree; the Off
GERS of many of the smaller companies
scattered through the West and South
claim that if the provisions of the
New York law upon this subject were
to be generally adopted it would result
in their humiliation and most power
full monopoly in the business of life
insurance be established. Under these
circumstances believe the committee
acted wisely in combining itself to the
establishment of what may be termed
great landmarks for the guidance OF
: the companies and the public If these
fail the state must go further in it's
control of management.
Another bill of prime Importance is
that regulating the election Of direc-
tors in mutual companies, providing
for the Introduction of a representa-.
tive form of government and cumula-
tive voting. If large mutual com.
panies are to be managed solely in
the interests of policyholders they
must be afforded the means of ex.
pressing their desires; the blind trust
heretofore reposed in the manage
ment of those companies has in some
instances been woefully abused.
The bill reported by the committee
prohibiting political contributions will
meet the approval Of all. This prohi
bition should extend to all corpora.
lions and if our law at present is not
sufficient to prevent such contribu
lions it should be amended so as to
make it effective.
1t is not necessary for me to refer
further to the work of this committee
than to say that each of it's recon.
mendations meets with my hearty ap
prevail.
Alleged Lumber Trust.
Section 5168 of the Revised Laws
provides that no person or association
OF persons shall enter into any pool
trust agreement, combination or un
derstanding whatsoever with view OF
restraining trade within this state, OF
which would tend in any way to limit
control, or maintain, or regulate the
price of any article of trade, manufac
ture or use within the state and also
provides a serious penalty for viola.
ton of this section of the statute.
Although this statute has been in
force and effect for several years
there have been no prosecutions OF
punishments for violation Of the law
though it is generally understood and
as a matter of fact positively known
that combinations in violation of this
statute have been effected and to such
an extent as to menace the public wei.
fare.
call your attention to the fact that
the price of lumber of all kinds has
gradually risen to point where the
building Of homes and the use of lum.
Der are almost prohibited. This Is
not due in any great measure to tariff
conditions, nor to the decreased prod
uct of lumber, but is the direct result
OF combinations between manufac.
turers, jobbers and even retailers:
and while the statute provides that
the attorney general and the several
county attorneys shall begin and con.
duct actions and proceedings neces-
sary to enforce the provisions of this
section, or that any citizen may do so,
no attempt has yet been made to de.
stroy the monopolistic control Of the
lumber markets by those engaged in
this industry. I believe that an ap-
preparation should be made and placed
In the hands Of the attorney general