The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-29
VALUE 0F DQG AS ASSET ADMITTED.
Burglary Insurance Rates Lower For Those Who Give
 lodging To Canines
STATE CAPITAL BUREAU THE AGE-HERALD

THE AGE-HERALD
 Montgomery, Ala, Nov. 21
 Recognition of the dog around the house as an economic asset was given in Alabama Tuesday when a well- known insurance company incorpor- ated in one of the eastern states, filed notice with the state insurance com missioner that hereafter It's rates Tor burglary insurance would be reduced for those families that gave free board and lodging to canine pets' The reductions, it Is stated, apply to both new business and renewals,
 One clause of the notice speclrleS that if the dog happens not to be on the premises at the time a inert or loss occurs, that will not invalldate the policy.
 The schedule of reductions Is stated in the following clause
 "If a dog is kept on the premises and the applicant is willing to have the following indorsement attached to the policy, the rates for residence burglary, theft and larceny insur- ance may be discounted as follows:
 Private residences, detached, 10 per cent; private residences in city blocks, 10 per cent; two-famiiy houses, 10 per cent; summer or win ter homes eff occupied less than eight months in any policy year), per cent; apartment houses, per cent, Breed Is Not Specified.
 The notice is silent on the breed of dogs that must he kept to insure these reductions. Hence. it Is in- ferred that any men Der Of the ca nine family is eligible to qualify human family to be in line for these lowered rates,
 It is thought that the insurance company believes that any loud mouthed canine is protection against burglars, whether his pedi- gree be registered in kennel associa- tions or whether he be waif picked up off the streets and cared for by his human friends.
 STANDING INVESTIGATED
 Reports of special examiners sent to Memphis last week to investigate the standing of the Commercial Chemical company are expected to pc hen.ical company are expected to be placed before the state securities commission in a few days, one Of the examiners. Mayer w. Aldridge, hav- ing recently returned from Memphis. J. w. Cunningham was the other OK aminer appointed by A. G. Patterson, chairman of the securities commis- sion.
 These companies have asked per- mission to sell securities In Alabama and their cases will be set for hear ing in a few days.
 BRYCE URGED REFORMS
 Many penal reforms of the present day-some of them now part of the regime of Camp Kilby-were anttci- pated 35 years age by Dr. Peter Bryce then superintendent of the Alabama Asylum for the Insane. This was re- veaied Tuesday when officials of the state department of archives ana hls- tory unearthed a pamphlet contain ing the reprint of an arucle oy aoe pe' Bryce contributed to the July, 1888, issue of the Alienist and Neurologfst' a medical journal published at St. Louis. Judge William Tayloe Of Uniontown inquired of the history de- partment if such pamphlet coulu not be found in its collection, and search revealed the interesting brochure.
 The article in question was called Moral and Criminal Responsibility" Among excerpts of especial Interest to the present day is the following regarding the regime in penal lnstl- tutions:
 Ut is further evident, as the pro lection of society is the end aimed at' and reform the only reliable means, that the terms of confinement TOT criminal offenses should be indeter- uinate-that Is, longer or shorter, ac- cording to the nature of the crime and the evidence the criminal may give of his thorough reformation.
 INTERVENTION IS SOUGHT
 Intervention of the Alabama pub lie service commission in the case set for hearing December at Hatties- burg. Miss, before interstate com merce commission representatives and the Mississippi railroad commits sion, affecting the integrity Of through line to Mobile, was predicted as very probable today by A. G. Pat terson, president of the commission
 The commission Tuesday was in re- ceipt of letter from R. G. Cooo' traffic manager of the Mobile Cham Der of Commerce, written the previous day. asking the commission to take action in the matter. This letter stresses the state wide importance of the subect by saying that the con tinuance of e through line from Natchez, Mss, to Mobile Is essential to the use of the docks of this line and thus to the carrying out Of the purposes of the port aid amendment.
 The Hattiesburg hearing involves the sale of the Hattiesburg branch of the Gulf, Mobile and Northern railroad to the Tatum interests. The Mississippi Central railroad claims if it does not control the Hattiesburg branch from Hattiesburg to Beau mont, it would be unable to make US entry into Mobile. The Mobile Cham Der of Commerce is, therefore, striv~ ing to protect the interest of the port under the proposed change in railroad arrangements and Is seeking to enlist the aid of the public service commis-