Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1870-05-10
looming UNOER the RULE. /"

StNS&tN
10 ne r-smteT. Of the Madisoa MtRai IHsuveHse c.
| printed l,sfet without signature aud having Til,
ABOVE title has lately been ciIcalstsd through th
state 10 a e0nsdsragio extent It's whole subject mat
ter Is assault upon the character OF this company
IL IL the natural inquiry Of every fair mind "irou
| whom does this come, il from an honest man, whj
does he WITHHOLD mis- nsme aud II rom knsve, who
paws eEpense Z" The motives which have promp
its fa5ucatio aud distribution may be briefly stated
and easily Understood.
Tho Madison Mutual has Tor ten years past been IN,
ATges, aud most sucessnll Fire fnsursuc Company il
the Northwest. By whas cautious steps in It's early
years by what strict adherence to its principles and
by what faithful discharge Of it, obligation it ha
suained this position need not here state Adopting
its Whole operations 70 tne wants and necessities OF The
farmers who have been its principal members, IL has
made Insurance. popular where before unknown, thrown
protection around one hundred thousand homesteads
and paid Ia Losses teuT handrsd and eighty iog
sand doites large portion OF which would have been
paid by no other coriaany aud often saving families
from utter destruetion and ruin.
y has made for its members at least million oil
dollars all ofwhich has been left m thcir hands,
eept as much would save Them from a further call
TO pay losses aud expepses
Tins prosperity, this large aud increasing business
could not long escape the keen scent OF men who were
on The look out for adventure Companies controlled
bg capitalists eager for dividends viewed this
inviting field, stepped in and spread their nets for
game Two difficulties, however, stood before them.
First, the Madison Mutual had the confidence of the
public, and second, t had furnished cheaper insur
auee than could be afforded where ten twelve per
uiNuenub we're 10 he but TO fertile mind
expediens ct hand and the father OF lies Is
quick to help his yotAries. The men who managed
these competing institutions in this state that
death and life are in the power of the tongue, saw in
this "lttie member" power which TO bring their
adversary to the dust, and give them undispu ed
neld and unloosenng their sleuth hounds aud furnish
Ing that member which sis set on FIRE Of hell, with
ready made ISLANDERS, turaed them upon the object Of
their envy.
AT FIRST they gave vague and mysterou. hints of the
uasoundness OF the Madison Mutual, then growing
ooider they asserted thai had borrowed large sums
otmoney 10 pay losses, and in short every alsehood
which the occasion could suggest
These lies have often fIeturned 10 plague the invent
or, at hrsI perhaps, creating some alarm among
members, but the discovery of the fraud establishing
their eonhderee The silence with which we have
treated them has doubtless inspired their inventors
with courage, which has been lately manifested in this
anonymous waif. "Comlng under the rule The
bravery which commenced in oral falsehoods uttered
through irresponsible emlsares has eliminated in the
courageous and manly issue OF printed libel without
name without birthplace, sent 10 aoother State TO
steal It's way baekiuo this and scattered surrepti
" through the postOfices by men, of whom de
themselves respectable. They have themselves "eome
under the rule that the conduct OF the poroon
IN Striking at his victim from the dark but they have
not come under the rule which says "Thou shalt not
bear false witness against Thy neighbor.'
II is gratifying proof Of the public confidence that
so few OF oar members have been caught in their nets
Occasionally iimid man will yield to their persua
sons, but the cases are comparatively Several of
their dupes on discovering the frauds have wished to
leave them and return 10 our Company, but their rat
trap policies have provision to let the victim out
Snd when they pocket the money the insured has no
further sight OF IT, As of the pretended sick
lion all the tracks going tOpard and none from the
den The loss and gain in ,h is largely against
the deceived and IN favor Of the imposer The
OF retui premium from our Company which would
have carried the policy three years longer, will insure
with these honest but year, and in proper
ton for longer or shorter time.
The cool inpudenee OF these liheles their caution
TO "those who live on the fruits of honest labor Is
s!most sublime. They intimate that the Madison Nu
tual was organized With the tole purpose of making
pysfb
prisng gentlemen" II this IL true the Directors who
organized ana those who now control its affairs
either imbeciles Or kuayes. Now who are the men
upon WHOM this spitile y fang Are they men to be
impeached by an anonymous scriDber2 Who of the
officers has had more than fair compensa ton his
services or who of the Directors has got rich ont OF
the large resources within their control They are
vel ana ihv0raby known through the State are most
Of them Of ample fortunes honestly acquired ard
"thahyh aaug many itch" ~ their faithful attention
- Ny bn- ness 81 Tie Company have Etched nothing
IT. ~ i;s caa,rs.
am aware that to hoaesf iuca ID IS q great enigma
TIA ttasi involving millions Ui dollars SHOULD have
been discharged Aitil 30 much fidelity.
the hgntes 81 this dss lanteru i.siva Ni ae breat
- dytea "tiEatts Son't l.c, iu' ihea ur1 to
mad" e ges q, sefI 10 es .ta4 F.. q. words IL
m aui. u these deN az nst.cap- ihe1
mace u lie IA tue tut ng .utn q. ittt s. ,ba hir
teen mill rs OF I0tIs by the process at supp ression
They say we utne risk 1859 of i5,1s9 SS4 but
suppress the fact fsirly stated in report that
r,ng n same pciaod We retired risks to ths amour
The hsrerose Of 1855 were but s. ,og3 O4i in
excess OF he amourt retired.
Again, they give She following Is the comnArSt i've
receipts Of 1865 and lS6r
Reeeipta of 1855 Siss,2a6sl
Receipts Of 1859 s02 $50 o.
L.. in 1859 s55oso.58
Gut il We EXCLUDE the premium notes which these
fnancieH affect 10 regard - null the account would
stand thua
Receipts of 1862 excluding premium notes Sii1 1ss 90
Receipts "i l-os excluding premua notes l27S05,9o
Erce,. 10 1850 si5,ss5,oo
To their isparag ing statements the filling of in
The NUM- OF policies issued in 1862 pared
1885, have only TO that where prudence suggests
rerenchuent, it may be- wise obey htr dictates sod
that the number which issued last year has given
them more uneasines han ourselves.
They speak Of the Sl,l7l ,46I SO iu premium notes.
snd ask whether these notes will not be called upon
come 10 the rescue We shall see The losses or our
company paid in 1869 SIS % 81 but Of this sum
$s,5Sl6l was paid upon loses OF 1865 occurring too
late 10 be adjusted that year. leaving SIS o3 paid
in 1893 upon the losses of that year The amount Of
risk during that year would average something over
sol 900 900 BY this ratio the OF risks assumed
over those retired IN 1869, would requrr insurance
fund OF - 975O s, which deducted from the net gam
SIS 033 - leaves balance IN favor OF the company OF
S3,O5s.7l,
As another make.weight these men ss'ume, that az
1869, wet season, The losses may be- expected TO
be grea ter another year. In this they nearer
right than in other Dishonest ignorant attempts
hiring business TO the standard OF other compauies
nsuring against the. effects of igh thing wet and
stormy season brings us often losses than dry
oar losses kaH year By lightning psre no Tess
than one hundred and eRty four hths OF which these
assRns would have repudiated under their policies
As dence Of the effect upon business OF this
sneAking publication, submit the figures Of the first
quarter of 1869 aud 1870 observing that the Uomi OK
Under the Rule" libel has been circulated and its poi.
sou ferment ted all within the quarter just past;
ls70-Policies issued frs; quarter, 2,474
Cash preminms, S3l All 90
lS69-folicies issued fist quarter, 2,039
Cash premiums, 27,s6l 81
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