Mr. Jackson to Mr. Hay.
Berlin, December 8, 1898.
Sir: Referring to my dispatch No. 624, of the 25th ultimo, I have the honor to inform you that on the 29th I presented the representatives of the New York Life Insurance Company to the Prussian minister of the interior, and that since that time these gentlemen have been in almost daily communication with that official or those under him. From these gentlemen I understand that every opportunity has been given them to present their case in a thorough manner, and that an agreement has been made according to which two of the subordinates of the Prussian ministry in question are to go to New York early in the new year in order to make an examination on the spot of the business methods of the company. This company has admitted that it had been impossible for it to comply with the Prussian regulations heretofore, but that changes and improvements had been made in its system, and that now it could comply in every point.
I have also to inform you that the embassy has been able to obtain the desired facilities for the representatives of the Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York, and that they have been informed that Professor Klein would receive them at Göttingen to-day.
Referring to my dispatch No. 633, of the 28th ultimo, I have the honor to inform you that last night’s North German Gazette calls attention to the fact that no mention was made of the imperial insurance bill in the recent speech from the throne, and adds that the bill was published in the Imperial Gazette for the purpose of subjecting it to public criticism, but that it is not probable that it will be submitted to the Reichstag at its present session, as the Imperial Government will await the opinions of the insurance advisory council and other qualified bodies before deciding definitely upon its terms.
I have, etc.,
P. S.—Since the foregoing dispatch was written a letter has been received by Mr. Jackson from Mr. George W. Perkins, second vice-president of the New York Life Insurance Company (see instruction [Page 286] No. 589, of September 27, 1898), in which he says, “Allow me to once more renew my thanks for the many, many ways in which you have been of assistance to Mr. Weeks and myself in our ‘trials’ and tribulations,” and incloses the statement which the Prussian minister had authorized him (on the eve of his return to New York) to give to the newspapers, of which the following is a copy:
The North American Life Insurance Company, New York, has, since some time, through two representatives, entered into verbal negotiation with the minister of the interior. We have it on good authority that the officers of the company have been received in audience by the minister of interior, on which occasion opportunity was offered to them to tender proof that the company represented by them is now in a position to comply in every respect with the requirements of the Prussian supervising authorities. We further understand that several conferences have taken place between the officials in the ministry of the interior. In consequence of this, a rumor has been spread that the Company New York would, solely on the basis of these negotiations, be readmitted to do business in Prussia. This rumor, however, is unfounded, the fact being that the Company New York has requested the minister of the interior to delegate two officials of the ministry to New York, as early as possible at the beginning of next year, in order to examine the company at its chief office. It is therefore evident that the company can not petition with the minister of the interior for an immediate readmission for resumption of business before this examination shall have taken place.