Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-06-11
REPORTS TO CHAMBER
Mr.. Wise Submits Conclusions
in Insurance Matter.
RECOMMENDS No ACTION
Body Should co on Getting Facts,
With View Of Using Them, n Neces-
sary, After Trial Now in Progress
10 Over.

10 Over.
An interesting feature OF a busy
meeting Of the Chamber OF Commerce
last night was a report by george
helms Wise, chairman of the commit
tee on legislation and taxation, upon
the invest CATION his committee Is
making into the insurance situation.
The report recited various facts. most
of which have been given TO The pup
lie in the trial now In progress before
Justice Brown. and the conclusion
was reached that the Southeastern
Underwriters Association undoubtedly
fixes and controls rates for fire IN
surance in Virginia and other states.
MIR. Wise did not attempt TO go into
an investigation of the details OF the
insurance business so as to determine
whether or not The local rates are ex-
cessive. He recommended that the
chamber take no acton pending the
disposition of the criminal proceed
ings now in progress, saying that the
result Of this trial would show wheth-
err or not the present law of the state
is sufficient to deal with the rate hx-
ing combination. Il was suggested,
however. that the chamber continue
10 gather all Information obtainaDle.
with the view Of going to the next
legislature to ask for the passage Of
statutes. in the event the law as 1t
exists does not protect the public.
Lively Correspondence.
Attached to Mr.. Wise's report were
copies of a spirited correspondence
between Mr. WISE and A. II. Harris
of Richmond, secretary OF the virgin
ia committee Of the Southeastern I'm
derwriters' Association. Mr. wise
wrote to Mr.. Harris asking for GER
tain information concerning the IN
surance bus ness. Mr.. Harris replied,
saying that he did not have the de-
sired information. but that he would
write later. Then Mr.. Wise wrote
asking for a copy of speech deliver.
ed by President Harris, of the under
writer's association, at the Hot
Springs meeting OF that body. Mr..
Harris replied In curt note. inform
ing Mr., Wise that IL there were any
copies OF the presidents address for
gratuitous distribution" he did not
know of it. Mr.. Wise replied, scoring
Mr.. Harris and his association in un-
mistakable terms; telling him that
he had asked the State commissioner
of insurance to secure the desired in
formation for HIM by exercising his
power to investigate the Insurance
companies methods OF doing busl-
ness, and suggesting that in view OF
the arrogant attitude of Mr.. Harris It
was not surprising that the public
looked upon the underwriters with
suspicion Mr.. Harris came back with
a rather warm reply. in which he said
that Mr. Wise had no right to ask
for the information in the first place,
and declining to have further CORE
spondence with him. Mr.. Wise wrote
once more. notifying Mr.. Harris that ne
did not propose TO have the latter
side-track the issue by making this
thing a personal matter: that he was
sending the insurance commissioner
a copy Of the correspondence. and
that as chairman of the chambers CON-
mittee he was seek ng Information as
to the insurance business, and was
not trying to pass upon the question
of whether Mr.. Harris and his asso-
ciates should be behind Jail hsrs for
maintaining a criminal conspiracy
Mr.. w.se's report was ordered nled.
and the committee instructed to con-
tinue IT'S investigation.
Nominating Committee Named.
The following committee TO nomi-
nate officers for election at the an
nusi meeting in September was elect