New-York tribune., 1910-12-21
ALBANY METHODS immune
Graft Committee Chairman Says
Legislature Runs Beautifully.
MORE INSURANCE DETAILS
State Licenses for Brokers Idea
of Witnesses to Stop Long
Odds Gambling Risks.

nke,v TO be immune from any interference
from the present legislative investigating
committee. according 10 the statements
made yesterday by Edwin a. Merritt, tr.,
chairman. and NJ Linn Bruce, chief coun-
sci
The need of reform in legislative pro-
cedule was called to their attention by the
recent letter OF the City Club, which suG-
eesfeS less privacy about public business
in Albany. but Mr.. Merritt belitued the
suggestions of the City Club yesterday,
.ais they did not touch upon the real
roints of Albany methods and was sus-
tained by Mr. Bruce in both contentious
We've been running the Legislature
beautifully for the last sixteen years. SAID
Mr.. Merritt and faint up to US TO change
II now"
That was MIR. Bruce's sentiment also.
though he phraSed il differently and IN
more detail As the chief counsel TO the
committee looked at it. this cornnlttee-
composed of a Republican majority, wouio
he acting rather indelicately should ii ask
the incoming Legislature, with Demo
cratic majority to change rules OF pro-
cedure under which the Republican ma
ioritv had been working for many years
The matter had been discussed by the COM
, r.iftee Nj Bruce said. and the consensus
Of opinion was practically as he stated
Printed Records as Panacea-
Both Mr. Merritt and ME- Bruce, now
aver. had q. panacea for any possible fut-
ufs corruption al albanE' Inc cl'ali iiio
ef the COMMITTEES thought that the way TO
I re<orr, things would be have the com
! r,Ie-e records .1f everything done upon the
( nnor of either aouse printed, but he dd-
{ raitred that would ne expensive and sup
, posed that with the present tendency
toward economy his suggestion would not
he taken mp
N- RrlJce's remedy was not so costly
He would simply have one typeWrltten
,,tenographic report of all proceedings on
The floor of each house, and also In the
rooms of standing committees OF the i1egls-
fature transcribed and filed away for refer
cnce.
There VIII be no addition, however, 10
,b> official Tecor,d Of the investigation be-
cause of the advancing OF these sugges-
lions. a. each of the committeeman could
sct in an expert capacity with regard 10
legislative procedure without the ald Oh
witnesses. according TO Mr. Bruce
The con1rnittee's session yesterday was
devoted entirely 10 fire insurance moses
Tsnenbaun who testified on Monday. was
recalled to the stand, and as proof OF MS
assertion on Monday that small fire insur-
in this city he produced q list of the
-,rer77lIIn incomes of most of the companies
doing business in New York City. together
with an estimate of their entire risk here
Excessive Fire Insurance Ricks-
Without using the names of the different
companies. Mr. Tanenbauin said that one
Of the strongest of the English companies
had s1a0cn.ao at risk in the Borough of
shines the entire assets Of that company
The large majority of strong companies ne
said. carried about ten times as much hre
Insurance risk in Manhattan as their entire
assets apo TWO small companies, whose
assets did not exceed s5oocp. had each
100000 al risk in Manhattan alone
The witness said he would favor some
state restriction over insurance companies
which would prohibit such long odds gam
hing on the fire risks of this city Also he
p,a,,ld favor the state licensing and bond
ing of brokers instead of The present sys-
TEN. under which brokers are licensed by
tho New YORK Fire Insurance Exchange
and bonded by one If the state woulo
take ND the control Of the brokers. of
whom there are about eight thousand III
1iis city they could easily raise the pres
.nf fee of so a. year TO So or slVt, Sa1d MI
Tanenbaurn. and With the amount thus
raised par for the expense of a state board
,,t rate regulation. to which complaining
r,ol5c.holders could appeal from the judg-
r7,ent Of the exchange as ratemakng
l,cdy.
State Licenses for Brokers.
There arc too many brokers, anyway
he added Men go into the business,
starred b. friends after they've made fail
7ires in other lines. and they ought TO be
Examined by the state just as lawyers and
doctors are examined
clarence L. Fahre. q Brooklyn broker
zas also in favor of state licensing and
ho1dins of brokers. He said that under
she rs-esert system clerks in stores get
brokers licenses TO write their employers
insurance and then turn back to them re-
hates.
Ar Fabre had been through several rate
Mars he testified and the inVaTable re-
suit WAS that after the rate war was over
The policylloder had to pay more than he
had temporarily gained.
As TO the celerity with which the ex-
GLANCE moved when a broker tried TO have
a rate reduced. Mt. Fabre testified that in
aonle instances it had taken him six months
20 got action OF that kind out oe the rate
making body