We feel highly honored in your selection of Hartford for your meeting place and I beg to assure you that in no city of the world can insurance interests find a more congenial atmosphere or a more cordial welcome. I need not tell insurance men of Hartford; you are all familiar with the history of its great insurance companies, and in that history is written much of the best achievement of the city. On an earlier occasion it was said that Hartford always welcomes good things within her borders and-insures most of them. I am not at all certain that we shall succeed in insuring many of you, but I do know that you are one and all most heartily welcome here. We are proud of the fact that you have chosen Hartford for this meeting, proud of the great companies you represent, and proud of the splendid protection they have afforded to the vast human interests committed to their charge. We welcome you therefore in all cordiality and sincerity to our hospitalities and homes, and trust that this meeting will result in great good to the interests represented and to each and every one of you personally. May your visit here be a happy one and may you carry with you at its close, the most kindly and cordial memories of Hartford. And I beg you particularly to remember that during your stay here the representatives of the city are at your service for every assistance that courtesy and hospitality can suggest. I bid you most cordially welcome to Hartford. [Applause.]

President Dolph-Ladies and Gentlemen: All the delegates who were present in Indianapolis will recall the very cordial invitation we received there to hold our next meeting in this city. It seems to me that it would have been quite proper to have had the gentleman who extended that invitation on the platform at this time, but it has been arranged that the president of the association shall make an address of welcome, and I want to say to you who have not met him I trust you will make yourselves acquainted with him, because he is a good fellow. I have great pleasure in introducing Mr. L. C. Slayton, president of the Connecticut Life Underwriters' Association. [Applause.]

Mr. Slayton-Mr. President, Delegates and Others: The Connecticut Life Underwriters' Association is sen

sible of the high honor conferred upon it by the selection of Hartford as the scene of this convention, and as president of this association it is a pleasant duty to come

here this morning and in their name extend to you a hearty welcome. We are glad you are here, for we feel a reasonable pride in this little state and this beautiful city so widely known as an insurance center. We are grateful for an opportunity of bringing you into closer acquaintance with us. But above this reason, which appeals very strongly to our pride, we are glad you are here, because of the benefits that will accrue to us as individuals, and in a broader measure as an association The enthusiasm which the promise of your coming has brought forth, is in my mind an indication of the greater enthusiasm and strength of purpose which your actual presence and the work you will accomplish in this convention will inspire in us as association members, with the result that we shall go forward from this day to answer those doubting Thomases who stand aloof asking "Why should I join your association? What good are you doing?” in a manner they cannot fail to understand -the lasting benefits of this association and the work it is endeavoring to do. Gentlemen, it is an easy matter to tell you we are glad to see you here and to give you many excellent reasons why we should be, but you will find the evidence of the sincerity of my word in the efforts we have made for your comfort and happiness while here. We are glad you came, and we hope when you leave it will be with pleasant memories of Hartford and Connecticut. [Applause.]

Hon. Joseph A. Goulden-After listening to the very able and instructive addresses delivered by his Excellency the Governor and his Honor the Mayor it does seem to me that we ought to show our appreciation by a rising vote of thanks to those distinguished officials. I would therefore move you that this convention show by rising its high appreciation of the kind and able ad

dresses delivered here this morning as well as for the cheerful words of welcome, and extend to the Governor and the Mayor a hearty vote of thanks for their presence as well as for their encouragement at the opening of this sixteenth annual convention.

The motion was carried by a rising vote.

Mr. J. W. Iredell, Jr., Cincinnati, O.-I hope you will include the president of the local association in that motion.

President Dolph-We will include it, in the absence of any objection. Ladies and Gentlemen: We had hoped to have had with us this morning all the presidents of the local companies. They may come in later. We have with us at this time the president of the Phoenix Mutual, Mr. John M. Holcombe, whom I am very happy to introduce to you. [Applause.]

Mr. Holcombe-Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen: It is not expected of me that I should take your time this morning in either attempting to instruct or amuse you,

but simply to have the opportunity, of which I am very glad, to meet you collectively and to let you know in a word how glad I am that you have come to Hartford. It seems to me that it was a particularly fortunate selection of a place for your meeting. We people in here, in what they call the country in the bigger cities, have been charged many times with being slow and old fashioned and reluctant to accept new and improved methods. Let me hope if we are guilty of a fault of that kind, your presence here may help to open our eyes and give us some of that broadness which possibly we may have lacked in the years gone by. And let me also hope that if conservatism and old fashioned methods are not altogether out of date we may perhaps give you some thoughts while you are here that may guide you in your future actions.

I believe in your associations. It seems to me they have been of great benefit to the business. But you

have never come together in any annual convention at a time when it was possible for you to accomplish so much good as it is today. There has never been a time when the public attention has been so much drawn to the subject of life insurance; to its methods; to the character of the men who are engaged in it; and you, if you will, can do much towards shaping public opinion and toward eradicating those faults, which we must admit have crept into the business in the past. And it will be for you to help those of us who are in the home offices to make our business in which we are all interested-our interests in the home office of the company don't differ in the least from yours-it is for you to help us make this business of ours what it ought to be-the best business in the world. [Applause.]

President Dolph-We also have with us the president of the Connecticut General, Mr. Robert W. Huntington. Mr. Huntington-Gentlemen: I am here through the courteous invitation of your president, to say a word of welcome on my own behalf and on behalf of the company I have the honor to serve. We are glad to have the members of this convention assemble in this city to give definite form to the aims and purposes of your association for another year. This association I take it banishes company; that is to say, I mean when you enter a meeting of the association leave company behind, and become simply a life insurance man operating with his neighbors for the good of the cause. [Applause.]

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It is right that it should be so. We hear a great deal in these days about "co-operation, not competition, being the life of trade." As you all know, competition, at least in our business, is far from obsolete, and it sometimes occurs to me that those who talk most about co-operation mean concentration. It seems to me that we are passing to an era of concentration, and that we are destined ultimately to emerge upon a broad plain where cooperation and honest competition can exist side by side.

I believe this association is doing all in its power to hasten this much to be desired state, and I am therefore proud to be allowed to say to you, welcome to this city, and to have had this opportunity of meeting you and saying a word to you this morning. Gentlemen, I thank you. [Applause.]

President Dolph-The next business of the convention is the roll call. In connection with this part of our program it has been decided to change the method somewhat, for the reason that much time has been given up to this feature of our work which it seems to us could be used to better advantage. We have therefore arranged to pass cards to delegates, on which we shall ask them to write their names, the names of their associations, stating whether they are delegates or not, and their local addresses. These cards will be afterwards collected by pages who will pass through the aisles and get them.

Mr. Louis L. Hopkins, Boston, Mass.-Pardon me. There will be quite a number of new delegates or alternates who will arrive a little later in the morning or afternoon.

Mr. Ernest J. Clark, secretary-We will pass the cards again this afternoon for those who have not arrived.

President Dolph-There will be no objection to the chairman of the delegation assuming a little responsibility in this matter and seeing that the names of the delegates who arrive later are handed in. The next business is the reading of the minutes.

Mr. W. G. Carroll, Philadelphia-I move that that be dispensed with.

The motion was carried.

Secretary Clark-Mr. President, I wish to make one correction in reference to the Philadelphia Association. There is a typographical error in the name of a company which our friend Mr. Carroll represents. I regret exceedingly that it occurred, but it is almost impossible to compile a directory of this character without having one error in it. Mr. Carroll represents the Connecticut General, and not the Provident Life & Trust.

Mr. William Scott, Philadelphia-On behalf of the Provident Life & Trust I want to say that we should be very glad to welcome Mr. Carroll into our ranks. [Laughter.]