New-York tribune., 1907-01-25
MODEL INSURANCE LAW
President Urges Congress to Enact
One for District.

Washington. Jan. 24-Presiden+ Roo.a,,o1+
sent to Congress to-day the following messa "a
| iaVoring model insurance law in thA D,stric+
/ Of Columbia:
40 tne Senate and House Of Representatives:
| - transmit herewith a report and subsequent
.eICer from the Superintendent of the Depart
nehI OF insurance of the District of Columbia
tor ,o Ietter OF Mr Louis d. Brandeis. of Bos-
~, psterenoe thereto agree with the
-eooilIuehdation Of Mr.. Drake, that what Is
Heeueo Is an insurance law for the District of
Nolunbla on the lines of the so-caIIed Ames
DILL already introduced in the House of Repre-
% S%ell'HLves revising 1t 20 include in ii all
tne desirable features Of the so-caIled uniform
Dill p,l, with proper qualifications after expert re-
Nlslon this bill could be enacted into law so
comprehensive and just that IL would stand as
model of equity. I regret greatly that there is
nor national power TO deal with this subject: but
~Inasinuch ~ as this seems at present to be the
case. We should az least establish a model law
In the District of Columbia
helieVe that the Department OF Insurance Of
the District or Columbia should be made a bU-
reau in the Department Of Commerce and La
Dor; THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
Ihe White House, Jan "a. 1907.
In the letter of L H. Brandeis TO which the
President refers he discusses at some length the
arguments IN favor OF establishing standard
forms of policies as advanced t-r Insurance COM
missioner Drake OF the District OF Columbia in
his annual report. These. he says. are neces-
sary to secure basis for comparing the cost
of insurance in the several companies and also
10 protect the insured against the insertion OF
improper provisions. He meets the argument
against such forms and contends that II is more
important TO secure reduction I'm cost than to
secure further liberalization He expresses the
opinion. however. that IL is possible TO combine
the advantages OF both restriction and freedom
by a statute which will establish standard
forms but permit other clauses 10 be introduced
In the contract He takes issue with Commits
sioner Drake, who disapproved OF the annual
apportionment and the accounting Of surplus on
policies. saying that the provision seems to him
desirable both 20 the insured and the public On
the question Of limiting salaries TO $4,000 a
year he agrees with Mr.. Drake in opposition
He also takes the position that there IS no
adequate reason for prohibiting corporations
from acting as agents or solicitors. but thinks
that a license should be required i'm such cases
Mr.. Brandeis also agrees that annual state
ments should be required from Insurance com
panies.
In his letter Commissioner Drake saws in
part:
l am fully convinced that the only practical an
PLoach TO uniform insurance Legislation is the en-
for the District of Columbia and the territories
Just and fair alike TO tie insured and the com
should be done and prohibiting that which should
not, and which, with such slight changes as are
Substantially adopted by the 6ieren states can ne
This Is probably as far as the federal power can
later be adopted by the states. for Whatever IS
good insurance and good legislation for Insurance
oming Oregon elsewhere. 4he principles up0n
which u Is based ere as applicable in part OF
This can be done by revising the Anss bill so as
lumbia -