Insurance

Frank Knox writes to Theodore Roosevelt about Michigan’s efforts to establish compensation laws. Knox has been working with Governor Chase S. Osborn on this issue. They have been working on a new system to eliminate the current common-law defenses, which make it difficult for workers to win damages from their employers. They suggest creating a state insurance which companies would contribute to based on their industry, similar to liability insurance companies. If an injured worker filed a claim, their award would be paid out of this insurance fund. Knox will be presenting this plan at a meeting of a large Republican club, and he asks Roosevelt to write a statement in support, which Knox can share at the meeting. 

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-09-29

Creator(s)

Knox, Frank, 1874-1944

Charles A. Peabody, president of Mutual Life, and Alexander E. Orr, president of New York Life, play poker with Samuel Untermeyer. Each is holding a handful of “Proxies” in one hand and a pistol in the other. Caption: A quiet game of freeze-out in life insurance gulch.

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Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1906-10-03

“The Yellow Dog” sits on a plank on the shore of a body of water, with its left foreleg around the shoulders of a much smaller man labeled “Corrupt Business,” watching the sunset in the distance. The dog looks back over its shoulder at the viewer.

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Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1906-03-28

Rats are fleeing a sinking ship labeled “Frenzied Insurance” in the background. James H. “Hyde” has already made it to the shore labeled “France” where another rat, Judge “Andy Hamilton” is standing. Richard A. “McCurdy” and his son-in-law Louis A. “Thebaud” are still swimming ashore.

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Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1906-02-28

Thomas Fortune Ryan, J. Pierpont Morgan, John D. Rockefeller, and Edward Henry Harriman appear as sheikhs listening to a diminutive Grover Cleveland, labeled “Insurance Arbiter,” standing at a desk, shaking a stick at them. Caption: What shall we do with our ex-president? – Anything but this.

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Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1906-01-24

The cast of a theatrical production “Robbin’ Hood and his Merry Men” appears on stage for the final song of the production. Shown are, from left, Francis Hendricks as “Alan-a-Dale” playing “The Insurance Lyre,” John R. Hegeman as “Friar Tuck” with a small bag labeled “Loans” at his waist, John A. McCall as “Little John,” Richard A. McCurdy as “Robin Hood” with an animal horn labeled “Bluff” hanging at his waist, James H. Hyde as “Will Scarlett,” Chauncey M. Depew as “Maid Marian” with a bag labeled “Retainer” hanging at his waist, and in the background, Charles Evans Hughes as “The Sheriff of Nottingham.” A diminutive figure labeled “Policy Holder,” his arms and legs bound, is standing between McCall and McCurdy. Includes the lyrics of the song.

comments and context

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1905-12-20

Thomas William Lawson stands among Christmas gifts and a notice posted on the wall, which states “Christmas Greeting to Lawson Put all insurance proxies in your possession on the State House Steps by 11:15 to night or–!!!” Lawson is surrounded by such gifts as a box of “Dynamite Perfectos Smoke Up! [from] Addicks,” a box of “Poisoned Candy Merry Xmas from McCall,” a large box labeled “Infernal Machine Best wishes of Wall St.,” a large jug with a skull and crossbones labeled “Drink Hearty from PA McCurdy,” a smoking bomb labeled “To Tom from John D.” nestled among flowers “From Rogers,” and a sword “From Hyde.” In the background is a Christmas tree with an oil can and one ornament showing a face.

comments and context

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1905-12-20

Thomas Collier Platt and Cornelius Newton Bliss, as police officers, receive “Hush Money” at the door of an “Insurance Co.” from Richard A. McCurdy. Standing in the window of the building are James H. Hyde, Francis Hendricks, and John A. McCall, among others. An insert labeled “Tenderloin Dive” shows police officers accepting a bribe.

comments and context

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1905-12-13

A ship labeled “Life Insurance” is being taken over by pirates labeled “Pres. $100,000, 1st V.P. $50,000, 2nd V.P. $40,000, 3rd V.P., 4th V.P., 5th V.P. [and] Sonny,” who are forcing scapegoats to walk the plank, an “Old Clerk, Office Boy, Pensioner, Janitor, Scrubwoman, [and] The Goat.” The ship figurehead shows two men labeled “Hendricks & Kilbourn.” Caption: After the investigation the strictest economy.

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Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1905-10-11

James W. Alexander, president the Equitable Life Assurance Society, and generically labeled “Life Insurance Company,” drowns in a sea of papers labeled “Exposure, Bribery, Syndicate Profits, Dummy Deals, Wholesale Graft, Fake Transactions, Juggled Reports, ‘Yellow Dog’ Funds, Rake-off, [and] Investigation.” He is holding in his raised left hand a “Receipt for Campaign Funds Republican Nat’l. Com.” The “G.O.P.” [Republican] elephant dashes over a bluff on the coastline, losing a top hat and halo labeled “Geo. B.” Out at sea, lightning flashes labeled “Publicity.” A bouquet of flowers labeled “J.H.H.” (James Hazen Hyde, the vice president of Equitable, who had recently been ousted from the company’s board) has been tossed meaninglessly before Alexander.

comments and context

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1905-10-11

A large elderly man labeled “Life Insurance” holds a cornucopia filled with documents labeled “For the Beneficiaries.” Next to him sits a large dog with collar labeled “Supt. Insurance,” and in front is a group of diminutive figures, a woman in mourning, an elderly man holding the hand of a young child, and a nurse holding an infant. In the background are a group of businessmen labeled “Corruption.”

comments and context

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1905-10-04

A nervous man clutches a “Life Insurance Policy.” Caption: The latest epidemic.

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Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1905-05-10

The “Annual Report of the Fire Proof Fire Insurance Co.” is being reviewed by the directors. Vignettes show the manager of a company taking remedial measures to fireproof his establishment, only to find that his premiums have doubled.

comments and context

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1903-04-22

William Loeb informs E. F. Droop & Sons that the Steinway piano at the White House is insured for $900 until January 11, 1909. This was the amount it was insured for four years ago, and he has always believed it was considered adequate.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-01-16

Creator(s)

Loeb, William, 1866-1937

President Roosevelt cannot visit Plymouth as Arthur Lord has asked. He agrees with Senator Lodge about special inspectors to enforce naturalization laws not being chosen from the civil service applicants. Roosevelt understands if Lodge is attacked in the papers for his stance on the merger bill and praises him for his efforts.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-07-04

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

On behalf of Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt, William Loeb instructs Douglas Robinson to insure the new barn at Sagamore Hill for $2,500. The barn will replace the old hay barn, which she does not think was insured.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-07-03

Creator(s)

Loeb, William, 1866-1937

President Roosevelt is unaware of the statement to which Minnesota Governor Johnson is referring, which was attributed to Roosevelt. He has not spoken to any reporter on the subject. Roosevelt agreed that Johnson’s idea of a meeting of the representatives of the States and the District of Columbia regarding insurance was an excellent idea, and he supported it. Interstate commerce is very different, however, and Roosevelt does not believe that such a conference would be helpful.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-03-19

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

President Roosevelt asks Superintendent of Insurance Drake to read an enclosed memorandum and assumes Drake will not endorse any proposals for legislatures to alter the salaries of insurance company officers. Roosevelt doubts that action would be legally valid and does not suppose there is a serious effort to do so.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-11-29

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

William Jennings Bryan looks from a ship across the water to a sign which touts the achievements of the Republican party, including President Roosevelt, Congress, and Governor Frank Wayland Higgins, who have been passing reforms and bills and building the Panama Canal. The sign concludes, “Everybody working but Bryan.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-01

Creator(s)

Unknown

George B. Cortelyou has had difficult arranging insurance matters because of the pressure on President Roosevelt’s time. He asks Douglas Robinson to wire when they are completed, and to make sure the companies know not to use Roosevelt as advertisement.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1901-11-14

Creator(s)

Cortelyou, George B. (George Bruce), 1862-1940