Delaware Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1843-1874, 1866-05-24

Thero exists 10 the minds Of many persons
Al uniusti6able prs,udice against what 10 COM
monty called Life Insurance: Some regarding
IL as a presum o tious-if not an impiou s-,ri-
ding, with the solemn issues OF life and death,
which are In the hands OF, and known only 70
the nnicient---others AS game OF chance,
nearly resembling a lottery speculstioni whilo
Others look upon it as merely money making
scheme, not very remote in it's moral aspect
frsm the purchase aud sale of lottery tickets,
and some other kinis of gam oling; little 50
disrepuiabe perhaps than some Of them, but
still q species of gambling, and the stake play
ed for the policy holders lie. Now nothing
eau be further removed from ruth than any
OF these supposilions. No Life Insurance. Com
pany pIesumes or pretsnds to assure any one
Of a days or AN hours continuance of lite
but on the contrary they present to the MIND
of every one whom they approach with tneir
proposition, aud in the mostpforcibls manner,
the fact that lite is the most uncertain OF all
things, aud death sooner or later absolutely
iuevit liable; and that since this is so, they offer
to bis acceptance well matured and certain
PLAZA by which he can, while he lives, however
short his term of lie may be, secure TO those
| from whom he 10 liable at ally moment TO be
taken away, aud who can then no longer de-
pend upon his exertiops and care TO supply
| their wants, fixed aud certain sum of money
I
the circumstance when such a provision would
be most needed by them. Nor is there any
chance or semblancs of lottery dealing about
| Life Insurance. From the beginning to the
end 1t rests upon absolute certainties, and the
| verify OF sll.its as ,unpt ons 10 consummated BY
that event which must happen TO all and each
| OF Adams posterity.
Neither 10 1t merely money making scheme
the accommodations from which inure in any
l l. NkA rtrr-
inators or managers OF it. For If the compa'
MES, as 10 most cases, operate as Joint Stock
or proprietary associations their charters limit
their dividends among themselves, to what IL
only q just percentage upon the capital they
have aggregated, and employ 10 their business
and TO his they are surely entitled, as much
SO az any Banking or other joint Stock comPa-
MES. But this objection il it vera well founded
csnnot be urged against Mutual lnsurasc
companies, OF which each policy holder ia a
mem Der, entitled to vote and n voice Ia ali
the Affairs OF the company, aad Is the recipient
| Ut his full share Of the whole amount OF II
earnings aud surplusses, in exact proportion
| to what he has from time 10 time subscribed
10 the common stock by way oil premiums
| the only deduction IRON the mount thus az
gregated being the actual expense of conduc
ting the business The practical operat ion Of
| II strictly mutual company is simply this "A
given number Of men more or less, the more
the better, however; in view of the great un
certainty of the continuance Of life, and con
s;dering that they are bouad 10 make white
they live some sure provision for their fami
les, In case they should suddenly be taker
away from them, which as YET they may no
have been able to do, at least to such an ex
tent as they desire, agree to unite, and taking
the mortusry tables, kept for more than two
hundred years, and which gives with perfec
accuracy the average Of life Of any given mum
Der of persons, they ascertain what each part.
to this agreement must annually pay into
common fund to secure TO his family certain
and fixed sum of money at HIS decease HI
pays of course ust in proportion to the q
mount he desires 10 have assured to his tamil,
or any other beneficiary he may Designate
: Now ifons of these persous should die hsvin
| made but one payment, his family would re
ceive the amount stipulated tor, without tn
slightest detriment to bis surviving associe
tes for the average duration OF life OF the Who'll
company would insure the perpetuity Of th
) common fund, and each family would receiv
the amount thus assured TO IL, as its Garrett
and considerable provider was taken from 1t =
1t was proposed by thia article only to sho
: what Life Insurance, so called, 10, or would b.
we're but only few persons TO unite togelht
i to assure their lamiiies OF it's great benz ht
s but 1t would be easy to show that where thes
= associations embrace a large number OF col
q porators, as is the case in some OF the large
O. and best Mutual Insurance Compaaies in Il
70 country, they become sources OF revenue to u
. policy holders during tho continuance of the
= lives, besides the accumulating and holdir
b Of large reversionary benefits tor their tami
n les at their deaths, We notice by the annu
ct | report of the Massachusetts, Life lnsuranS
IN commissioners that one OF these companies
10 The Come ticut Mutual-and which accordil
"a to their reports seems to be doing much Ia
sr ger business than any of the others embrace
r 10 their report, is actually dividing amoug I
II policy holderS sixty per cent upon the n
is miums they have paid for insurance.
is That every one does not insure semethi
II upon his life In view OF the advantages til
ST Lie Insurance offers, seems strange enough
az that every ono ought to do so, may be
de tempted to be shown Ia a future article. R.