The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-02-12
HUGHES AFTER
KELSEYS SCALP
Governor of New York Again
Asks Removal of Superin-
tendent of Insurance.
INCOMPETENCE Is CHARGED
MESSAGE LAID ON TABLE BY
SENATE.

Albany, n. Y, Feb. 11.-GOv, Hughes
today renewed to the senate his rec
ommendation of last year that Otto
Kelsey be removed from office of state
superintendent of insurance on the
ground of incompetency. Last year the
senate refused by a vote of 27 to "a to
remove Superintendent Kelsey.
Governor Hughes bases his renewal of
the recommendation on the report of
Matthew C. Fleming. the governors
special commissioner who recently in
vestigated the insurance department
and transmitted with his message a
copy of Mr. Fleming's report. On mo-
ton of Senator Baines, the message,
without comment, was unanimously
ordered printed and for the present
to be Laid on the table"
Inefficiency Apparent.
While admitting the magnitude of
the work of the insurance department
and that it's task has recently in
creased, the governor says that side
by side with these departmental activ-
tiles there grew up wasteful and cor
rupt methods which scandalized the
country and brought the supervision of
pOrtant interests of the holders of life
insurance policies into contempt"
From the insurance investigation of
1905 says the governor, lit appeared
that if its energy had been we'll di-
rected and the department had been
efficient in the true sense most Of the
scandals which were revealed could not
have existed
KeisS's Opportunity.
The governor says further that he
appreciates the unusual conditions
which confronted Superintendent KEEL
sey upon his taking office but adds:
But he had conspicuous advantages.
He took office with abuses ascertained;
with the derelictions of the department
known: with clearly defined obliga-
lions which were not left for him to
discover, but which were writ large
in the minds of all the people of the
state. He was also equipped with ad-
ditiOnar powers"
Mr.. Kelsey took Office on May IS.
1905, and has now served more than
one-half his term. At the time Mr.
mony he had served for d year and
five months. He had had full opportu-
nifty to show whether he was equal TO
his important duties But the facts
submitted establish beyond cavil that
the present superintendent has not
measured up to the standard which
the state must maintain and upon
which, in Difference. to the vast inter
ests involved, it is my duty, so far as
my power goes to insist. 1t must have
been clear to any one competent to be
its chief and to establish it upon a per-
manent basis, that a thorough over
hauling of the department was neces-
saTy. The superintendent has had a
free hand; he has had abundant time;
bet the house has not been cleaned"
Credit of State Involved.
The concluding paragraph of the
governors message is as follows:
1.-The matter now presented to you
involves the credit of the state. The
conduct of the department should eX-
hibit that care, thoroughness and vigil
lance which viii guarantee adequate
protection to the interests of the poll
cyholders and at the same time justly
insure the standing and promote the
success of the companies bearing the
seal of the departments approval.
This. ] am convinced. can be obtained
in only one way, and that is by having
the department placed in other hands.
The interests of the state require that
a change should be made.
4 therefore recommend that Otto
Kelsey, superintendent of insurance.
be removed from his office"
INDICTMENT QUASHED.