The Sun.
London, England, 1864-03-09 00:00:00

together with Prussia in this matter, towards eo
many of the lesser powers of Germany ! There are

dynastic considerations, of course, on the side of

Denmark, having great weight with us at this epoch

a the history of the two countries. But these con-

siderations are but subsidiary to others of a far
weightier import, to considerations of Justice, of

Right, of Honour, all seriously implicated in this

matter. The war now being waged by 53,000,000

against 2,600,000 is a crime against the sense of Jus-
tice,ofßight,of Honour common to all Christendom.

Itaffects the Honour, the Right, and the Justice of
remembering that our fleets are as quiescent in the

matter of this Dano-German war as possible--we
don't know of any more impotent specimen of what

,s vulgarly, but expressively, called Bounce.

Much Austria or Prussia care for these big
words of our loud-talking and bold-writing ad-

ministrators ! They care for it all, so very much,
they are so extremely alarmed by the valiant

attitude assumed by England in this war, that they

prosecute their designs against Denmark with the

utmost possible coolness and deliberation, Latterly

our English Ministers both in the Lords and in the

Commons have been taunting the Opposition with
simply finding fault, instead of finding for them

(her MAJESTY'S responsible Ministers)-what they
have, to all appearance, been quite unable to find
for themselves—A Policy !In other words they
are clamouring to their political antagonists to
tell them what attitude they ought to assume in

,he matter of this Dano-German war. For ourselves

we should feel rather disposed to euggest that if Earl
RUSSELL'S big words and small doings are to
be accepted as typical of the Ministry, as a
whole, we would earnestly suggest to them, one
and all, to E irl RUSSELL and his Colleagues, as
Mr. Punch suggested years ego to poor Xing
BOMBA, when in a like state of bewilderment, to
get under the bed by all means as quickly as
possible.

The speech of the Chancellor of the Exchequer
on Monday evening will be read with the greatest
interest and attention by thousands of readers in
all parts of the country. It deals with a most im-
portant part of our social life, and although intro-
ducing what is is some respects a new end uncer-
tain principle, it shows so clearly the immense evils
already in existence, and the terrible amount of
suffering and pauperism occasioned by them, that
there is little doubt that the project set forward in
the Government Annuities Bill will commend itself
to the acceptance of the country. There is no
quality more generally possessed, or more highly
valued among Englishmen, than that wise and
kindly Providence which induces the head of a
family, while yet in the full vigour of his faculties,
to lay by a store fur the benefit of those dear to him,
when he shall be no longer able to supply their
wants. The principle of Life Assurance enables
him to do this with ease and security, giving him
the reward of his prudence and self-sacrifice before
it is actually due, in the event of his sudden or pre-
mature death, and empowering the man who can
only put aside his twenty or thirty pounds a year
to bequeath to his family an amount which the
prudence of the longest life would not, unaided,
have enabled him to acquire. The immense advan-
tages of such a system to the man of uncertain in,
come and of limited means are immediately apparent,
and the extraordinary extent to which this branch
of business has developed affords sufficient proof of
the public appreciation of its merits. But although
conferring such benefits on its members, if fairly
and efficiently conducted, it must be evident to the
most inexperienced that an insurance company, if
under dishonest or incomnetent
ob
re the
relievingm ean
anxiety. s of management, may
not often
the case among the
wealthy or middle class
creating the direst distress, instead
That this is
is
readily acknow d elcd,
and clearly shown by the
established reputation and accumulated capital of
our large insurance offices
classes there is an amount
disappointment too often occasioned,
; but among the lower
of wretchedness and
long been a matter of regret and i • nclagnation, and
which Mr. GIADSTONE'S project of which haF
Annuities is designed to remedy. Government
rlaesptort of
The
Societies,
the registrar on the condition of Friendly
Which was published in the autumn of
excited a good deal of public attention. It proved
PP
what the applications to our magistrates for as-
sistance had often given reason to suspect before,
that a large proportion of these societies have been ,

those scattered families which have sustained the
loss of their head, we see at once that the position
of the policy holder is almost one of entire helpless-
ness." The hardship of the rules of many of these
societies was also shown by the statistics as to the
lapsed policies. No grace is given, no allowance
made for the inevitable casualties which
often darken a working man's life, and
cripple his industry. The delay of a few weeks
in the regular payments entails the loss of perhaps

ten or twenty years' savings. Such terms are un-
common among the large companies which deal with
wealthy men. Are they then fair or just as applied
to a man whose best efforts and most untiring in-
dustry cannot prevent the failure of his employer,
ferer that lays him low, the accident that breaks a

limb, and leaves it a hard matter for his wife to get
bread for the little ones without paying insurance
premiums. In one friendly society alone out of
86,000 policies made no less than 18,000 lapsed in
five years. Other conditions often press very hardly
on the members, such as the one which stipulates
that all questions requiring arbitration shall be
settled in London, although it has agents in all
parts of the country. How is a poor man to come
from a distant county to enforce his humble claim ?
Worae revelations ware made by the Chancellor of
the Exchequer in the course of his able speech of
companies whose expenditure exceeds their income
by one-third; of dressed up managers, who are
fined half a crown if they neglect to wear the
diamond rings provided ; but a great number of the
failures of self-governing societies arise from the
want of business knowledge and experience among
the managers. The Government scheme, into the
merits of which we shall enter more fully another
day, deserves a full and fair trial, which we have
no doubt will be accorded to it by the House and
the country after a little further investigation.

When people once engage in a shuffling course
here is no saying where they will stop, or to
what devices they may resort in order to gain
their point or cover their errors. The excuses
which Ministers put forward relating to the pro-
duction of the Danish papers are most extraordi-
nary. Every week some new excuse is given, and
they seem pretty determined to try how much
they can do to exhaust the patience of the House,
and fritter away important time, so as at last to
obtain their object. Mr. DISRAELI last night in-
quired of the Premier when these papers would
he forthcoming. The last division that was received
only came up to the end of January. Since then,
as Mr. DISRAELI reminded the House, there have
been " announcements of an armistice, then of a
Conference, and finally, among other matters
of moment, an invasion of Jutland !" The right
hon. gentleman observed that the papers presented
as yet to the House would furnish no particulars
of any of these details; accordingly, he asked
Lord PALMERSTON whether he intended to submit
to them any papers having reference to these very
important events, and, if so, when they might
expect them. Certainly it would be difficult, if
not next to impossible, to form an estimate of the
present state of things. For this very reasonable
query the noble lord at the head of the Govern-
ment returned one of his evasive replies, couched in
terms of such convenient ambiguity that the most
acute observer would have found it very difficult
to detect the exact meaning or come to a definite
conclusion. He said that there was only one thing
which prevented these notifications being pre-
sented to the House, and that was that
negotiations were still going on as to a
conference. He therefore explained that as soon as
these deliberations were brought to a close, he
hoped the Government would be able to afford
the desired information. Of course that means
that some indefinite period must be passed before
there can be any chance of hon. members receiving
full accounts of the very important transactions
which are now taking place. It is really surprising
how Ministers can trifle any longer with these
matters. From beginning to end there has been
nothing open or straightforward with respect to
the production of these papers. First of all, no
mention was made of them in the Royal Speech ;
this in itself was an omission of so grave a character
that it betokened something very wrong. There
are some things which are conspicuous by their
absence, and of these was the non-appearance of
notice concerning these influential and important
communications. After the discussions relative to
the appearance of the Danish papers, a new and. ap-
parently almost insurmountable obstacle sprung up
in the way of their reception. It was told to the
House, and the larger conclave of members who
anxiously awaited them, that a considerable period
must necessarily elapse before their production.
Some very insufficient reasons were given for this
delay, but the result was the same, and some weeks
went by. Every now and then some one of more

or lees weight in the House asked with eagerness
or demanded with energy for some explana-
tion of the cause, or some intimation of the
period of the delay, which was so inconve-
nient and mal apropos. To all these queries
of course some answer was given. Occasionally
the Ministers must have been puzzled to reply, and,
indeed, Lord PALMERSTON found it so awkward to
play the second part in the eternal catechism that
he adopted the expedient of absenting himself. At
last this dodge was discovered and announced to

.he house. There was an end put to that proceed-
ng, but still it h©d served its turn and time was

.•
gained. Now that sums papers have apocared, and
it seemed that curiosity was at last to be satisfied,
sod a correct estimate formed respecting the policy
of England to Denmark, another difficulty presents
itself, and a new source of trouble occurs. No more
knowledge must be received at the present ; thus
far shalt thou read, but no further, has baen pro-
nounced by the oracle of the Treasury. When it is
too late to give an opinion that will influence the

course of events, or to suggest an alteration that

might materially benefit the cause of the oppressed,
then it is to be presumed that a full, true, and par-

titular account will be vouchsafed to the perusal of
!-,crl. members. It comes to this, the Government

have taken an almost unparalleled course respecting
the management ofthese Danish pperN. It will

absolute failures. What are the statistics which
Mr. GLADSTONE gives on good authority ? From
1814 to 1862 inclusive the number of life assur-
ance companies projected was 596 ; founded, 276 ;
ceased to exist, 259; amalgamations, 12; tranfers
of business, 161; winding up in Chancery, 57.
What an amount of failure and distress among
the labouring population is testified by these
figures? For we must remember that a great
proportion of these companies belong to what are
called industrial business and minor insurance
societies, the distinction being that industrial as-
surance depends on weekly or monthly collections.
Where can there be a harder case than of a labour-
ing man who has been stinting himself and deny-
ing his family little comforts for a long period of
years, to find the company collapsed, the money
squandered, and the prospects of his family entirely
destroyed. As Mr. GLADSTONE very clearly pointed
out in his admirable and lucid statement, the espe-
cial hardship of such a case is that the sufferer has
no means of redressing—no actual claim existing
until after his own death. " When we consider,"
said the right hon. gentleman, " the condition of