The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-01-15

LEGISLATURE
number of votes ami often the votes
vary considerable This is because
the voter sees some nuns name ON.
his ballot for elsetor against whom he
has some personal Of other grievance.
and he scratches OF his name. and
thereby casts a faction of vote
against the, very candidate for Pres.
ident he desires elected. Presidential
electors have come 70 be mere automa-
tons. Let us arttcalate the law to the
facts and conditions. This recommend.
alton will strike some persons as vic.
lent and dangerous. There can be no
danger. 7 think, from choosing the
Presidential electors in the manner
suggested. The constitution of the
United States provides (section 2 Of
article %: Each State shall appoint
in such a manner as the Legislature
there Of may direct, a number OF cleo.
tors equal to the whole number OF
Senators and Representatives TO which
the State may be entitled in the con.
grcss; but no Senator or Represents.
tive, or person holdlng an Office Of
trust or profit under the United States,
shall be appointed an eiector." 1t will
be seen that the constitution speaks
of heir selection by appointment, and
leaves the mode and manner OF ap.
pointment entirely with the States.
OF course. there can be no law which
would take this right from the State,
for no law could contrayene the con.
stitution.
Insurance. Laws.
think it Is scarcely necessary toI
direct your attention to the necessity
for the enactment OF laws covering
the matter of insurance ana the max.
ing of proper provisions for the en-
forcement of these laws. This sub.
Itect was before tue last Legislature,
and the attention Of previous Legisla.
lures was called to the want of ade.
quate laws in this State. Nothing.
however, was done. The revelations
of the Investigations of the insurance
companies in New York has called the
attention of the entire country to the
corrupt state of affairs that existed
concerning this mater. It was shown
that immense sums of money were
spent for the purpose of preventing
proper legislation IN the States, by
Hobbies. aud no doubt a great deal of
It spent corruptly. Some suspicious
circumstances happened at the last
session Of the Legislature OF this
State, and no doubt the lobby was
hereof course in the, interest Of the
people. and putting up the argument
that the creation OF the office of Insur-
ancc Commissioners was for the pur.
pose of giving the governor the pow.
er 10 add to his PATRONAGE by the ap.
pointment Of more oescess and bench;
mon. and ito bui.d up State ma
chine" Your typical corrupt lobbyist
is a shrewd fellow. and he, like Satan
OF old. can quote Scripture to good
purpose and fool n good many people
The investigation by the Armstrong
Committee showed that the acts of
tho insurance trust descended even
to the robbery Of. Widows and orphans
Iby the incorporation and embez:
Element of funds which should have
been sacredly secured. The people Of
this. State have no protection against
monopoly ana frdad ether in life In
surance. fire insurracs. accident or
other insurance TIE ardttor has been
paying great deai es attention to this
subject within the last year. and has
been meeting with commissioners Of
other States, who have agreed upon
some legislation which will be pre-
sented to you In the form OF bills, aud
which they think will fairly cover the
subject. think the matter is of sufii-
cient importance to justify the APP
pointment OF a standing committee on
insurance in each OF the houses of the
Legislature. have not had time to
examine critically the bills that will
be offered you. have no doubt they
are fairly good. 80 far as they go. AS
understand 1t in this State there is
no competition among the fire insur.
ance companies. The property in each
town and city is classified by the
agents of the central body. and you
must pay the price they dictate. .ln-
dustrial insurance is a term applied
to short term policies for small
amounts, the premiums of which are
paid monthly or weekly. and sold al.
most exclusively to working people
and others of small means. The price
charged for this sort of insurance Is