Buchanan County bulletin and guardian., 1868-07-31
For the Bulletin.
INSURANCE.

becoming SO extensive, and well established
tha. it is unquestionably within the province
of journalism to iuform the public mind re,
garding its nature, necessity and merits.
The time has passed for any to object to ins
surance on religious grounds. for it is evi>
deut that We can as reasonably object to
building . house for protection agains. the
inclemencies of the weather, thus guarding
against contingency, the resources OF
which are beyond our control-as to OPP
pose scheme, the object Of which, is TO
guard against losses by fire and death. This
conceded, the first question which arises is,
Who should thus protect themselves Our
answer is, by ell means the poor man, or
those in moderate circumstances. Benja>
min Franklin, who Was on all questions far
in advance Of his time, gave his unqualified
and wise opinion that the time ought TO and
would soon arrive, when every man would
adopt the rule never to retire at night with>
gu, the consoling assurance that In case II
disaster by FIRE, be would be surely recon-
pensed for the loss. II the rich find it prof
liable, much more does the poor man who
is not so well able TO sustain loss. Espec>
| tally in this country, where SO much is in.
vested in buildings the importance Of insur-
ance forces itself upon our attention with
unusual power. Many of our farmers have
fully one>half Of the whole value Of their
farms invested in buildings, This peculiari-
" is rapidly augmenting.
The risk of Ere is constantly at hand.
Children during the absence Of parents are
notoriously fond Of playing with fire. A
neighbor starts a prairie fire goes to meet
ing, perhaps, or away on business. The
wind runs around and away goes the result
Of years oftoil A contemplate cloud arises,
and from it shoots charge of electricity
| it seeks conductor, aud too often fuds it
| in solitary farm house. A neighbor some,
| times thinks his brother near by is getting
along little too fast in the world to his own
comparative credit, and during his absence
| from home on some dark night, inwardly
| rejoices to see the heavens lit up with glare
| which will soon place his prosperous brother
on an equal feeling with himself. A thous.
| and other causes are in readiness 10 ignite
our buildings.
The question Of insuring our lires does no,
differ in principle from that OF insurance
| against FIRE. Yet through the misconcep>
| tions entertained of iis nature and claims it
| has encountered not unnaturally numerous
objections and doubts. SO far rs these oh,
| jections and doubts are professedly scien>
tiic and moral, they are susceptible OF
easy and complete refutation. What has been
| most needed for its support and commenda-
| ton, is the more palpable argument of its
| actual workings and results. The argument
is non>supplied, and whatever questions
might once have been sacred of its general
utility or adaptation to the wants or tastes
Of American Society, must now be admitted
| to be settled by the tests Of large and dsci>
sive experience. The obligation to ones
family and friends, and the resulting fear of
sudden death before suitable provisions are
made for their .us,ainance, are the consid>
erations which give rise 10 terrible anxiety
in those who have in their hearts the most
tender and precious affection. "We live
and die for those we love-" and nothing short
of positive assurance of being able TO leave
to those "we love" enough of this worlds
isfy the anxious mind Of dutiful father.
The principal difficulty encountered in put,
ting in force these vital principles rs the
reasonable want of confidence in men en-,
trusted with the working Of insurance cons
panies. This want Of confidence is unreas-
enable, because it has SO often been found
that without the iron arm Of the law to pres
vent, men have made it a profession to i'm
pose upon and wickedlY violate the trusts re-
posed in them. Nothing but ripe legislation
has been found adequate to prevent this.
Trust no man who has not the vouchers for
integrity. In our ordinary business affairs,
We do not accept the representations of total
strangers whose statements involve such
vital interests. Why should we here deyiate
from this safe poliey2 Ii q tried company
whose management is guarded BY discreet
and rigid law, and whose careful rules Of
business haze made them wealthy. offers
through . responsible agent, to include you
in the list Of its beneEciariss, just give it
candid consideration, but reject as you
would, the insldious approaches Of serpent,
the mealy mouthed tools of bogus compa>
MES, whose only object is plumber, and
whose only recommend is their brszen eff.
frontery and inveterate tenacity. /