The Portland daily press., 1864-09-29

statistical for the conclusions had arrived
at reasons whichare kelyto be satisfactory to men
of business and foresight. All but two OF these he
passes over in absolute silence; and these two he
labors to show that am wrong. But how? he charg-
es me with an error of S152 III 90 in stating the Sin,
come from interest in 863"-and attempts 10 prove
the charge by quoting not from the latest, the N T.
report, but from one of an earlier date For part
of this item. however which does not appear in the
abstract of that report was obliged to rely on the
last annual report of the Directors" Mr. X. will
not question such evidence Amongthe items ofin-
come for 1853 the N. Life Co. in their report for
January lst 1851, gives the following amount of
interest received and accrued, 1868, 40
and the Mutual Benefit eis 4olt.l
Amt interest recetVed, 1853, $3l9,zi2O6
sAm'S interest accrued in 1878, lzl,z1479
aaInM Total 44o,54s75
Showing the truth to be exactly as stated 1t; Mr.
X in his criticisms having left out entirely the
amount of accrued interest
So with regard to expenses. the second point made
by Mr.. X. He daras not deny thai the expenses of
the N Y. Life are within three-quarters of per
cent of being eraetly double the expenses of the
Mutual Benefit Goa fact ofitself sufficient to put
any man of common senseupon thorough investi-
gation since the produeiYeness and to certain ex
tent the safety of his Investment will depend upon
the exI of administration; but he by quoting
from the earlier Massachusetts report instead of the
latest N Y. report. endeavorsto convict me Of err
ror and this although had given my authority for
what said. s9Ea et W 79aa4
Says Mr. X, con the point of dividends, i have but
little to say" Indeed!-nor do I much wonder,
since after all, that is the question between usthe
very gist of the whole controversy. And the little
that he does say. what does it amount to? Take his
own language. "rhe N. \. Life declared 35 per ct
the last year. and could have largely increased the
same, had they deemed it wise to do So" Undoubt-
edly, ''if they had deemed it wise to divide their
capital, or any part Of their capital they might have
done and taken the consequences But the question
is ofcomparatiye ability depending upon actual
snrpus. Take the latest official reports isvery
| point and sec how dangerous question Mr. X. has
managed to slur over with ION this point have
but little TO say"-They stand thus: eoa "a
Mutual Beneit-net surplus, 81. S26 1O2 4e
New York Lille, S4627,S7
Showing difference 10 tho amount of undivided
surplus of l5414 50 in favor efthe Mutual Ben
eft Co. sT - rrtt5sff fa-naE raF
Out of this question abont dicideRds grows the
question OF cost to the assured. have undertaken
to show that by the Mutual Benefit system it will
cost the s225O less every 500 of the pre-
MUM he has to pay than to insure in the New " rk
Life, the dividends Of these two companies being
for the last five years as followsi- -4i..s
~. BIZ iie 1850 1861 1862 1868 1864
Nut Bent 40 pr ct45 pr pr Of 50 pr ct50 pr ct
n T. Life ~ pr CHI pr 3O pr ct IS pr OF 30 pr CT
and the dividends in the Mutual Benefit being not
only declared y, but paid yearly; that in case
OF death or withdrawal they lost that the
1stdivdendis always paid in just four years from the
date of The insurance, and yearly thereafter while
the New York Lie, averages siz and AalS years;
and this difference OF time as stated, will bring
so per cent dividend simple interest up 575 per
at the time the S5 per cent dividend is paid by
the New York Lie Co., making difference in the
yearly cost OF less than $3.50 every 800 of
tual Benefit Co. What would be thought of the
merchant who should lay in stock Of merchandise
paying therefor nearly rs per cent than goods
of equal or better quality could be purchased for at
his own doorf Why not apply the same principle
to the purchase ola Life Insurance polioyg
To the personalities and misrepresentation of Mr.
X. have nothing to say nor do question the re-
spectability or rustwortbiness ofthe gentlemen he
is acting for Certsip il is that of them would
pnt hi, to the statements Mr. K. has put forth
here. And ifthe people of Maine had not very
large and growing interest in all that concerns Life
Assurance, might have been willing to overlook
these who are acquainted with the facts to judge for
Themselves i Il
wARKEE SPARROW, State Agent
Mutual Benefit Life Insurance Co,
Portland, Sept. %, 1864.