New-York tribune., 1909-01-29
WALLIS PAPERS PUBLIC
LEADERS SEE INSULT.
Mdny Ne1C Senators Vote 7cith 4nti-
Hughes Men on Question.
fBy telegraph to The Tribune. ]

lBy telegraph to The Tribune
Albany Jan. 2s.-Under guise OF resehting in
suit the Senate" in the letter Of Frederick A.
Wallis to Governor Hughes, which said that there
was political opposition" 10 his confirmation, Sen
ators Grady. Raines and Aids to-day led fight
which resulted in the making public of all the
documents in the Insurance Department relating
to his Two rollcalls necessary to de-
feat the opposition to this procedure, which was
led by Senators Hinman and Cobb. stanch Hughes
men.
The result showed two things-hrst that behind
the surface fight Is determined spirit 10 take a
fling at the Governor by adding whatever hun1ilia
ton could be added to Mr. Wallis's position; sec
ond. apparently, that goodIy proportion of the
new Senators safe me1. from the anti
Hughes point OF view. since most of them followed
the bipartisan leadership Of Raines. Aids and
Grady
Apparently the decision had been reached to dis
ciplins Mr. Wallis, and thus by implication the
Governor, who withdrew his nominees name over
night No hint OF II given until Senator Grady
arose to ask If the Senate clerk had received the
material requested by resolution from the acting
Superintendent of Insurance. The material was at
the desk and Senator Grady next moved that it
be read Senator Hnman moved that II be re-
ferred to the Insurance Committee, saying that Mr.
Wals's was not before the Senate and that
there was in ventiatng publicly whatever
charges might have been lodged against him.
Senator Grady thereupon became very indignant.
declaring that Mr. Wallis had insulted the Senate.
His Information. he said came from no political
source. and IL Mr. Wallis believed opposition in the
Senate to his confirmation political he should
have the material from the Insurance Department
read to clear away that opinion Senator Raines
also considered the statement in Mr.. Wass letter
a reflection the Senate. Political considerations
had not into the any stage, he said.
The Governor had nothing to conceal in the matter:
his attitude had been perfectly clear and free from
censure. But since Mr.. Wallis had taken this par
ticular attitude the incident could not be dropped
GRADY TWITs HINMAN.
Senator Hinman is in especially charitable
mood to-day" cried Senator Grady Having had
cheek slapped he is willing to turn the other
But I'll guarantee that II he will get Mr. Wallis to
ask for an investigation there will be more enter
tanning developments than this correspondence con-
tains."
At this point the debate was suspended to permit
the Senate to listen to Mr. Root. When It was
resumed Senator Grady declared that the disposf
ton Senator Hinman sought to have made OF the
documents would make them as public as to nave
them read in open Senate.
Senator Cobb, taking q fling at Senator Aids FOR
his conduct in the Cock affair. declared he should
hate to believe that matters in the hands of tbs
Finance Committee. for instance" should immedi-
ately be made public and spread before the world
This is a question whether We shall resolve
| ourselves into an insurance investigating commit
tee" said he. 'and go into the Home Life lnsur-
ance Company's affairs and this mans personal
record for the whole purpose, as expressed here
/
the subject of insults. but confess l didn't know
l had been insulted until l was told so just now
or course IL ii comes to a situation where Senator
Grady thinks should sta Id by him because ne
has been insulted. that's another matter. But
! what advantage this Senate obtain by pursu-
| ing this man-if it is pursut-after his name has
! been withdrawn from public considerations?
on the roll call the result II to "a for Sena-
tor Humans motion 1t was the first lineup this
session. Those for the motion to refer to COM
! mttee we're: Agnew Allen. Alt, Cobb, Cordts.
! Hintnan O'Neil Rose. Schlosser, Travis and VAIN
! wright Those against were; Aids Canrey, DAVIS
! Emerson, Frawley. Gardner, tiledhili, crazy
/ Grattan, Hamilton Heacock Hewitt. Hill, Holden
Hubbs Kissel Mackenzie. Meade. PIatt, Raines.
/ Ramsperger StilIwell Wagner and Witter-I DEM
| ocrats and II Republicans
| Senator Hinman Immediately moved to have the
/ whole affair laid on the table That motion was
defeated 5 10 90 Senators Aids, Davis Hamilton
and Hill changing their attitude that question
| Senator Grady Immediately asked to have the
! document printed and referred to the Insurance
| Committee-thus giving 1t fun publicity.
THE DOCUMENTS IN THE CASE.
! The documents concerning Mr.. Wallis, which were
given out for publication after the session Of the
Senate. do not show that Governor Hushess ap-
| poIntee was guilty OF any very glaring msdeeds
The most serious TO be the issuing of adver-
sin circulars containing statements that were sald
! to be misleading letter from Robert II. Fuller
| secretary to the Governor transmitted to Supern-
| tendent Kelsey A complaint because Of these cir
cuars. 1t complained that certain advertising
| matter of the Home Life Insurance Company bore
in direct violation Of the Insurance laws
| Mr.. Kelsey acknowledged this matter and called
the attention of the Home Life Insurance Company
to it. He received in reply letter from President
George +. Ide of the Home company. declaring
that the matter referred TO prepared without
his knowledge or consent. He says that the crcu-
lar was issued by Mr.. Wallis. and that he wrote
prohibiting giving of such brokerage as he
offered In his card" He that at the same
time he sent a circular 10 all the agents OF the
company on the subject. and that he recalled that
portion of the advertising las being absolutely smis
leading and improper and repeated my instructions
to Mr. Wallis that all circulars emanatng from
his Office should he submitted TO for approval
before their issuance
REFERENCE TO ATTORNEY GENERAL.
Exhibit B Of the correspondence transmitted by
Deputy Appleton refers almost exclusively TO vari-
ous criticisms of certain actions of the Home Life
Company made by examiners OF the Insurance De-
partment which the subject Of considerable
correspondence On some OF these points the Homs
Life requested reference TO the Attorney General
which was apparently made. The main question In
dspute would appear from letter sent by Mr.
Kelsey to the president OF the Home Life TO be
the matter of the criticisms by our examiners OF
the manner in which the Home Life Insurance.
Company invests is funds in mortgages made by
! Individuals upon real estate owned by the latter
On January il of last year 1t appears that the
Home Life wrote the department asking for a
ruling as whether general agent or that COM
nany having a contract by which the company
agreed to nav hin. certain first and renewal COM
missions who sends application for a policy on
his own life is entitled to a commission. The name
of the general agent is not stated
The last document. marked Exhibit {, relates 10
the extension OF the activities OF agency super
visor located in New York in New England terri
tory 1t includes d letter from President lde to
Superintendent Kelsey. in which 1t is stated we
have had for many years great difficulty In secur-
from he q