The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-09-29
BILL PASSED BY
 INSURANCE MEN Fraternal Benefit Societies Will
 Be Regulated
NEW COMPANY FORMS
panies of the Southern States Complete Organization and
 VIII Draft By-Laws

Mobile, September 2S.-After a most spirited fight yesterday and today, waged by commissioners from New York, Massachusetts, Louisiana and South Carolina, opposing the measure before the national instance commits sioners' convention, the bill for regu- lation and control of all fraternal ben eft societies, was passed this after noon. The meeting was featured by spirited debate on the part of the two opposing sides
 Commissioner Reau E. Folk of Ten nessee, chairman of the fraternal in surance committee, charged that the New York and Massachusetts depart ments were endeavoring to destroy the fraternal system and that would be the effect of the adoption of the minority report as signed by New York and Massachusetts representatives. The New York and Massachusetts delegation are termed here "standpatters," while the majority, led by R. E. Folk, are called the insurgents.
 This Is the first time after Is ef- forts that the N. F. c. and A. F. A. and the insurance commissioners have been able to get together in support of a bill. The bill as approved today contains all the provisions agreed upon at conference held between the in surance commissioners and fraternal organizations at New York last June At the New York conference the Mod ern Woodmen of America put forward as basis for legislation the principles of valuation and publicity coupled with mandatory requirements that societies showing impairment should be com pelled to correct same.
 Newspaper men and ladies will not be allowed to attend tomorrows ses- sions.
 The bill approved by the national in surance commissioners and which will be supported by the National Fra ternal congress and Associated Frater- mites of America provides for annual valuation for publicity requiring the societies to annually give their mem bers full information concerning their conditions. The standard valuation if the N. F. c. table and per cent in terest giving the option to societies to value on their own experience. provide 1t exceeds 20 years and 100000 lives. The bill further provides that after January l, 1917, societies which by valuation are shown to be impaired must make a better mark triennially of at least per cent of the total de- ficiency.
 The bill as passed includes 23 pages of printed matter and Is entitled a bill for the regulation and control of all fraternal benefit societies recommend ed by the fraternal insurance commits sion of the insurance commissioner con- vention. The fight by the opposition was upon section entitled "exemp- tions,' which read:
 Except as herein provided such so- cieties shall be governed by this act and shall be exempt from all provisions of the insurance laws of this state, not only In government relations with the state. but for every other purpose and no law hereafter enacted shall apply to them unless they be expressly de- signated therein"
 This morning with larger attendance than yesterday, 2s states being well rep resented, President John A. Hartigap an- nounced the appointments to fill vacan- cies on the committees. Presentation of formal papers on the following subjects followed:
 1. "Uniformity in Rulings and How to Obtain Them,'' F. H. Master of South Carolina.
 ?. Present Classification of Insurance in Various States" F. H. Harrison of Massachusetts.
 Discrimination In Life Insurance Pol icies'' T. H. Mcdonald of Connecticut.
 A. "The Savings in Life Insurance by Limitation of Expenses" w. H. Hotch- kiss of New York.
 Chairman Hotchkiss of the executive committee of the national insurance com missioners wired here this afternoon that he would be unable to reach Mobile, and IT.. G. Appleton. the first district deputy commissioner of insurance of the State of New York read Hotchkiss paper, which was one of the most important of the convention.