Los Angeles herald., 1910-04-12
HUGHES ASKS AN
INVESTIGATION OF
BRIBERY CHARGES
Governor of New York Declares
Time Is Ripe for Uncovering
All Graft
HoTcHKIsS ADDS EVIDENCE
Superintendent of Insurance Says
$150,0O0 Has Been Used in
Legislation Deals
tAssociated PressI

A LBANY, N. Y, April 11-Declarlng
that the revelations in the recent
IA Allds-Conger bribery inquiry and
the facts brought out in the insurance
investigation by Superintendent of IN
surance Hotch1iss "have caused ev-
cry honest citizen to tingle with shame
and Indignation and have made ire
sistible the demand that every proper
means should be employed to purify
Governor Hughes sent special mes
sage to the legislature tonight recon-
mendlng IAN immediate. Impartial
thorough and unsparing investigation
into legislative practices and proceed
ure, and into the use of corrupt or
improper means for the promotion or
defeat of legislation"
Accompanying the message was n
preliminary report of Superintendent
Hotchkiss outlining the facts devel-
oped at the fire insurance investiga-
tion in New York and setting forth the
difficulties encountered In following up
the various leads that have been un-
covered.
The superintendent says that obsta-
cles apparently insuperable have de-
veloped In the course of the inquiry.
These, In his judgment. warrant fur
ther investigation. but he has no
power to pursue them and therefore
has laid tho facts thus far developed
before the governor for action.
The governor said in part:
This is a promising opportunity TO
pursue the opening trails of corrup-
ton TO reveal illicit methods and
agencies, to uncover the perfidlous in
fuences that have dishonored the state
and thus to aid in securing the whole
some exercise OF it's beneHcent author
ity.
''It may be impossible wholly to Grad
icate these evils, but to the extent that
the nature of tho Illicit intercourse is
understood, and the methods and In
strumentalities which have beeen sue
cessful are exposed, there may be
intelligent effort It remedial action
through both statutes and legislative
rules. The time is ripe, In my Judg-
ment, for a full and painstaking In
quiry, to expose the worst Of public
wrongs, and TO prepare the way for
needed improvements in our laws and
legislative processes.
ADVISES THOROUGH INQUIRY
1T therefore recommend an imme-
diate, impartial, thorough and unspar--
ing investigation into legislative prac-
tices and procedure, and into the use OF
corrupt or improper means for the pro-
motion or defeat of legislation, such
inquiry not to be limited to, but suit
ably to embrace, the matters adduced
in the recent proceedings by the sem
ate, and those presented by the report
herewith submitted Of the superintend-
ent of insurance, that, so far as evil
dence may be obtainable, the actual
facts may be known, that there may be
a full understanding of the methods
and agencies employed in connection
with legislative proposals and well
ds.ff foF ha n
propriate remedy may be made"
Superintendent Hotchkiss, in his re-
port, says the result of the investiga-
tion thus far warrants the statement
that legislative expenditures In New
York by insurance companies were
conspicuous in the years 1901, 1908, 1904,
1866 and 1909, and notably significant
in two or three of such years.
"These disbursements" he said,
"were made by individual companies
in connection with legislation affecting
such companies; by syndicates and
companies apparently willing to do this
work for all. and by the New York
board of fire underwriters, a corpora
ton supported by annual assessments
on practically all companies doing bust
ness in New York, such assessment
being based on premium income, and
whose committee on laws and legisla-
tlon is, by its laws charged with re-
sponsibility of watching over legisla-
tive affairs.
"The aggregate of disbursements of
this character as the records now
stand-such disbursements being large
ly f the treasures of the fire insurance
companies-approxima and probably
exceeds $15O,000."
The message was received with
marked attention in both houses. 1t
was referred to the finance committee
in the senate and to the committee on
ways and means in the assembly.