New-York tribune., 1908-01-19
HUGHES ON INSURANCE.
4 PLEA FOR FAIR PLAY.
Gorcrn0r DfHrers address at Metro
polifan Managers COnrcntiOn.

Fair play to ali interests" was the keynote
Of an address that Governor Hughes delivered
Yesterday before a convention CT Eve hundred
managers Of the Metropolitan Life Insurance
Company. in the metropolitan Building at No
Madison avenue. The Governor made the occa-
sion one for a discussion OF the present life in
s,lrance laws, of which he traced the develop
rnent and commended them as something that
could not ne thrown aside without danger of a
recurrence Of those evils which they de-
signed to prevent and had succeeded in elm
mating
Thc Governor was introduced by President
Heeeman. who appeared before the Armstrong
committee and faced Mr. Hughes. the counsel
for the investigators When Mr. Hegeman
ferred tc that and said. AS YOU all remember.
! had the honor of cooperating with Governor
Hughes in F very important public movement"
1here were shouts Of laughter. which did not
subside when the life insurance president added:
We were both retained by the State Of New
York. Now. ] am sure that while were to
ccther I did the hardest work. All he did was
30 sit back and ask questions. At times. l re
member. ! perspired profusely. He never raised
a hair When Mr- Hegenan suggested that
1Ir. Hughes might be the next President of the
tinted States. there was loud and prolonged
applause
The Governor showed now the Armstrong
committee had gone about its work 10y saying:
In The first place we wanted to know the
facts and I have no sympathy with any aglta-
Tion with any efforts of So-calied reforms
,hich endeavor to go off in reckless attempts 20
change conditions without patiently endeaYorlng
understand the facts ana 10 oeaI acCoI QhS -
the facts And when We had got the fac1S' 50
fsr as time and industry permitted, We sought
10 provide measures which would prevent a re-
.-,lr-ence of the evils that had been disclosed
First we wanted 10 take the insurance business
cut Of politics.
Political contributions TO carFpaign FUNDS. me
Governor said. had been stopped because lais l.
? democracy. and have got 10 live ny me
PRINCIPLES of a democracy If it occasionally
hurts YOU. stand il, but believe IN the lnco'-
,upred voice Of the public and keep our lesis-
1a-ures pure~ Other things that had been ae-
,ornrlished he said. had been the putting OF the
control Of insurance companies into the hands OF
officials interested IN insurance instead Of IN the
possession of banks and corporations, the DE-
srructiou of the opportunities for personal as-
trandzerent and the elimination Of the ex-
travaganoe due to the high pressure methods Of
competition
in taking up the question OF proposed changes
81 the Armstrong laws the Governor showed that
lie believed that conservatism was the life of the
insurance business He said:
Now ] believe that every man is worthy Of
his hire, and there isn't any department of effort
which ] wouldn't like to see men advanced
Ne are ali seeking 10 get in every department
0T life a larger life. more ample income, COM
forts and a participation in all that our clV1Ii-
zarion makes possible. That is Aulericanism.
that Is what every boy thinks OF when he starts
o1r in the world what every man wants: and
no one would limit 10 the legitimate effort
except this That in every line OF business
what is paid must have proportion TO what that
business can stand, and the whole question OF
life insurance 10 what is paid is not the vol
Vrne Of business that can be written. not the
glowing report that be spread with i'm
lressive totals 10 the results Of d year
which sound great 10 the men who don't know.
Hu: what il will honestly bear 10 the men VINO
so know. because the payments are compatible
with the interests OF the business and Of those
zvi1o depend Oh it
l.oead. Some say. Throw them down: leave
rbe doors wide open: the insurance business is
reformed: there viii he difficulty Of the sort
previously encountered MY friends. human
nature has not changed either III out of the
insurance business The conditions Of competi-
1on have TO- changed; the natural struggle for
first place is the same The great thing IS To
-ry 10 have restrictions which are needed To
shave -nern fair. and there has not been any
legislation that know anything about in many
Years Th1f has received so much attention and
has had the benefit of such expert consideration
the part of insurance men as the legislation
ga New York State.
II there is anything wrong, let experience
dernonstrate st; but my friends, would say. in
al frankness TO you II seems 10 a mistaken
rolicy 10 throw down the barriers which are
erected. not for the purpose of preventing men
from getting insurance. not for the purpose Of
preventing those who are soliciting insurance 10
secure what they should fairly receive, but to
mean fair play all interests" and an abso-
lure prevention Of the recurrence Of those evils
which the business cannot stand
President HegeInan presided al the dinner Of
The managers in Delmonico's last evening. 9th
ers who made speeches were Haley Fiske, vice
president: George H. CASTOR. second vice-presi-
dent, ard T o. Ayres, fourth ice-president-