Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1909-10-08

holders and policyholders. There ar
!. few men in the convention ADLER thai
Button"
The above is clipped from Rich
mond newspaper, and is deeply signi
ficant. 1t is not Republican candidate
only who are criticising the State Blu
reau of Insurance. That criticism
goes on in the Democratic party as
freely as in the Republican party, and
has done so ever since it's creation. In
the first place it is well known that
the office was created expressly for its
present occupant. He even knew this
| fact so well that when the vote was
taken in the Senate for the establish
ment of the Office, his innate modesty
caused him to retire from his chair
where he sat as clerk of that body and
go out of the hall. This was very fun
ny. 1t made some people in other
parts of the State laugh, and it made
some mad, and they were not all Re
publicans either. In the second place,
independent of place making, there
was never any good cause shown for
the creation of such an office. 1t is
and has always been sine cure, and
ought to be abolished for obvious rea-
sons. In the third place there has
never been any compensatory good to
the public traceable to the office. The
condition of the assured is not improv-
ed by it's creation. Insurance rates
have not been lowered, nor any known
good accomplished for which the peo-
| pie can directly thank the office. But,
we are told, that the people of Virgin
ia have no right to complain even if
these be facts, because the office costs
neither the State nor the taxpayers a
cent. The salary is paid by the Insur-
ance Companies. Like the tariff, the
foreigner pays it's it don't hurt. Think
of it Think of the State creating an
office for the purpose of guarding the
people against marauders, and making
those who the occupant of the office
is required to watch and protect the
public against, pay his salary. If the
pablo was not in danger from the In
surance Companies why appoint a
special officer to watch them If the
public was in danger, should not the
public pay the police expenses We
call careful and especial attention to
the above quoted extract. There it will
be seen who is praising the present oc-
cupant? The Insurance Companies
through their organ, the "Insurance
Reporter" do all the shouting. If the
office has ever received notable COM
pllmentary notice from the public gen.
orally, we have failed to discover it,
1t is reasonable to suppose that when
the Insurance Companies pay the sal
airy of this officer they should command
some of his services, and here is our
unalterable objection to the office.
This officer is compelled to serve two
masters-the State which made him,
and the Insurance Companies which
pay him. He is in no real sense res
ponsible to the people because they
have no voice in his selection. The
Governor picks HIM out, the Legisla-
ture approves.
There is growing feeling of rebel
hon against that policy SO much in
dulged in in this State just now, of
taking out of the hands of the people
the choice of their officers. The policy
indicates positive distrust of popular
and denial of popular
rights. This idea was fiercely fought
when the Nation was formed, and
those in favor of choice by the people
yielded in only few instances, and
,hese are now deeply regretted by
many. The people of Virginia are en-
Iuiring why, if they are allowed to
'lect one officer, they are not allowed
o elect another If one be taken
rom them, why not all
Deep seated indeed is the objection
o appointed officers, but deeper far is
he objection to an office filled by ap-
ointment, and the salary paid by
and of corporations which had become
UGH menace to the public that the
tate felt called on to create a special
Ulcer to watch, arrest, if needs be, and =
them. If then he be State
lficer his bread and butter should y
,me out of the State Treasury. Think :
State official on receiving his sala- r
from corporation returning re- =
'ipt "with thanks" for the prompt :,
ess of the remittance. Would his v
cart not warm on account of the time y
ness of the check? If these corpora
ons pay this officer are they not en- =;
tied to some of his services. Do they "
ot expect it? Will they not get it /? =,
his very provision should damn the -
W that makes such condition pos
BILE, and which puts public func- ..
onary in such an attitude, for it is '.
ritten that even the OK knoweth his -
Vner, and the ass his masters crib. .
show me the source of mans sup ~
'rt and l will show you who is his ''
aster" is automatic
THE UNSTRUNG- LUTES. II
We have not noticed that our United az