The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-02-01
GRAFT PROBERS
| TO DO AWAY
WITH BRIBERY
New York Investigation
Committee Recommends
Drastic Action With
Legislators
Also Bitterly Assails Fire
insurance Methods and
May Revo,utionize Bust.
ness.
Especial from United Press.)

Albany, Feb. New York State is
to set the pace in preventing the bril-
berry of legislators. Hereafter if the
recommendations of the Legislative
Graft Investigation Committee are
followed, the man, who is offered
bride and fails to see that the person
responsible is punished. is guilty of
a felony. Legislators are made their
own detectives and must, on penalty
of forfeiture of the right to hold Of
Ace, $500 fine and not more than
10 years in State prison, inform their
fellow members and the prosecuting
attorney Of any attempt to unduly In
fluence them.
Even threats that their political Ca
reers may be interfered with should
they decide to support measures the
Boss does not favor are to be con-
strued as attempts to unduly lnfiu-
ence and must be reported to the au-
thorities. The bill as framed is the
most sweeping proof of advanced leg
islation ever conceived by New York
Legislature whose object. according to
Edwin A. Merritt, Jr, cha rnan of the
committee, VII be absolutely to put
an end to all attempts to influence
lawmakers improperly.
The committee IN its report, which
is composed OF Io0 IypeWIlllSu PoSCo
'tregretfully admits that it was un-
able to defeat the Hughes anti-rac-
ing laws. The several million "slush
fund" raised at Delmonico's by poll
clans, bookmakers and racing men.
which it was alleged was expended by
City Chamberlain Charles III. Hyde
and Former State Senator Frank ].
Gardner, could not be uncovered. ac-
cording to the committee. because the
members of the coterie which raised
the money stayed out Of the 5urisdic-
ton of the committee and defed its
process servers.
"The money used by the bookmak-
ers' organization in opposing the b lis
also could not be traced because all
of the records had been destroyed"
The report states. however, that the
people of the State are now aroused
to such pitch that bribery Is almost
impossible and insists that the passage
of the legislation suggested by it will
put an end for all time to bribery and
like evils.
The committee bitterly assails fire
insurance methods in it's report and
recommends drastic legislation which
is expected to revOlution'ze that bus
mess. It fathers II bills which VII
have fully as far reaching effect on
the fire insurance business as did the
Hughes reform bills on life insurance.
Rate making associations and orga-
nizations. including the New York
Fire Insurance Exchange which prac-
tically fixes rates for the entire Unit
ed States are placed under control
and supervision Of the state insurance
department. The power Of licensing
brokers is taken from the Exchanges
and vested in the superintendent of
insurance; giving or accepting rebates
is made a misdemeanor; VIII lie all in
surance companies doing business in
the state are compelled to report an
nually to the State insurance Depart
ment 'for the benefit of the public"
the amount of insurance issued by
them in the "congested value dis
tricts" Of all the large cities.
Provision is also made for the en-
try into this state to do business OF
the New England Mill Mutual Insur-
ance Companies and similar organiza-
tions. Lloyds concerns are to be per-
mitted to do business in the state II
they will maintain a guarantee fund
of 5000, 900 in addition to unearned pre-
miums while the off ce Of State fire
marshal is created and provision made
for a State building code.
IF the bills as recommended are en-
acted into law, the insurance business
will be revolutionized and the big
stock companies doing business in the
State will be subjected to bitter COM
petition by the Mutual and Lloyds
concerns. The effects will be, accord
ing to the committee, to reduce ma
terially fire insurance rates.