New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-03-20
ANGRY OVER FUND
INSURANCE MEN TALK
Woodruff Explains His Letter
10 kennedy-Lascyers' Piesrs

~
10 kcnRody-Lascycrs' Viesrs
irineing his hst Gown hard on the table
and speaking with great earnestness Of the
Investigation - the New York Goarc ~
I've I'ree-Nriters now beirg made 10y SUI
por.niendert william N. notchkiss ~ the
state Insurance Department, George 4.
se~-ars. president 90 the Fidelity ard
casualty conn ans. said yesterday:
Il told tho fiue insurance people a NAM
her ~ years ago tina; they had noNioes
IN charge % their legislative affairs:
Ihai lheir only idea seemed 20 lie 10
spend thousands ~ dollars a. Albany, in
stead ~ tFying 20 influence legislation by
argument and proper means. I told them
ihon 80 play honest. ] think they could
haNe lad what was fair by using only
.og.timase means but they followed a fool
ish poHcy. like some q ;he life insurance
companies"
Emanuel "A A. Correa arst vioe-presi-
scl8 o. the HOME Insurance Company, de-
scrihes IN an interview yesterday tho anti
oomQac; bin which was before the New
York legislature several wears ago. and
nis visit % Albany relative 10 IL. Mr.
-orrea said;
Tine only time appeared az Albany was
as e member o. tho committee on legis-
laiion in opposition 90 she 'sntt-oompaci
hG.' which was introduced IN the Legis-
laiure about 1867 forget tie exact date.
The object OF the him was 10 dissolve the
Fire Insurance Exchange and any similar
body. on the ground that they cOnspired 10
raise rates. other members % the COM
mittee and argued that. on the whole, our
exchange had improved risks and reduced
rates. and thereby had benefited the COM
mmiiy There was fuli and free discus
sion of the measure. and IL was rejected.
tieorEe r. sheldon was chairman 81 the
committee, and remained 80 unti his death,
81 1875.
Prefer Federal Control.
'lu 1875 or 1896 nly recollection il ahat
cola,sol fc- The exchange retained James NJ.
lseok a. tIy 10 ESTABLISH IN court That the
Insurance business came unde- the head
az interstate commerce. our hope was 10
get a decision that would plaoe insurance
companies under federal conlroi 70 avoid
the entanelements resulting from being
subject 10 the statutes of the forty-ave
states Of the Union. The lawyers spent
seven or eight months on the case, and
th.ir zee must have been a large one.
while I have been a member OF the
legislative committee Of the exchange no
one has ever been authorized 10 spend
cent 10 secure legislation. and I never
lnew of any company paying money 10 be-
spent Tor that purpose. The committee.
while have been a member have been
opposed 10 spending money 10 prevent leg-
islation. except for couuseIs fees, because
d would he enormously expensive; one bin
would probably be followed by others. and
such strike legislation would have pups
and more pups But ] don't think there
ias been much strike legislation IN New
York"
Marshall 5. DrirEs. president Of the VIII
iamsburgh city Fire Insurance Company.
Nhen asked yesterday what sum his COM
pany contributed 10 the Soeo fund which
air. Kennedy distributed in 1871. replied
that he could not remember Nlr. DriEgs.
who has been member 81 the finance
committee OF tho Board 81 Fire IndcrNIif-
Ers Tor several wears. then said IN reply 10
question as 10 now money was expended:
''The committee ON fire control and that
on law and legislation can spend 500 10
garry ON their ordinary work. II they wish
90 spend more than the stipulated amount.
they must get the consent 81 the finance
committee. Whenever the legislative cosn-
mittee have wished 20 spend additional
money 7 know that the finance committee
has been particular that the legislative
committee should mot spend money 10 in
Guence legislators for or against a bin. eN-
cept 20 employ counsel.
Denies Wrong Use Of Money.
''The legislative committee. avaiing them
selves al Nhat I consider constitutional
night. have tried 10 oppose bills harmful 10
the Insurance business and 10 promote
helpful legislation. ] do not believe that
any legislator was wrongly Influenced Tor
az against a hill."
when asked why the finance committee
had been 80 particular that the legislative
committee should not spend money To I'M
nucnce Legislators. Mr. briggs replied that
he could nor discuss the matter further. as
he had received a subpoena 10 appear be-
fore superintendent Hotchkiss
ln explanation Of his letter 20 Mr. Ken
needy Nh Woodruff said yesterday.
Mr. Kennedy is very intimate friend
OF mine. and has been for many years. lie
lives in Brooklyn, within a block If my
house. II h. "a very natural thing that he
should write 10 me when he wanted 10 get
hearing on lill. and il was a perfectly
natural thing that D should do what 4 could
% obtain for him such hearing
Things have come 20 a pretty pass II
man can't write 10 a friend any more with
uut the chance of being called upon 10 eN-
pain his letter and his friendship. / sup
pose ] have written thousands Of letters ia
an life. but don't know Of one shouldn't
Zoe just as willing 20 have see the light Of
day as I am this one.
AS Lieutenant Governor aud President
al the Senate ] had nothing 10 do With
legislation Ny duties were entirely per
functory IN the Senate. ] Was not on any
committees and had vote ON a bin only
in case ~ a tie. But whenever ! could
was glad 20 CT Tor a friend or his hin
hearing"
Julius n. Mayer. who was Attorney Gen
eral IN 1896 and 1884, explained that MS
knoWledge 81 the course az legislation in
Albany a. that time Was necessarily very
limited. since Governor Higgins. as has
heen the custom with all Governors for
years, had his personal counsel. 20 whom
DC referred an bills which came before him.
Unless a hin contained some special point
that made necessary its reference 20 him
ar. Mayer said he saw nothing Of n.
The only thing ] remember about FIRE
Insurance legislation a the time." said he
is the strain the companies were an under
&C. a result az the San Francisco FIRE"
Saws fle Earned she Money.