Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1870-05-24
looming UNDER THE RULE. -


TO The members Of the Madison M4iaal Insurance Co.
printed leailet without signature aud having the
above utle' has lately been circulated through this
,sie 70 considers se extent. Its whole subject mat
ten IA AN assault upon the character of this
u Is the natural inquiry OF every fair mind afrom
whom Goes this come, II from an honest man, why
does he Withhold his name, and If from knave who
pays the expense The motives which have promp ted
its iaoriesuon and distribution may be briefly stated
and easily understood.
The Madison Mutual has Tor ten years pa 81 been The
largest and most successful Fire Insu ranc COMPANY "a
tbs Northwest. BY what cautious stvps in its early
years oy what strict adherence TO its principles and
By what faithful discharge Of It's every obligation il has
attained TINS position neod not here state. Adapting
its whole operations TO the and necessities Of the
farmers who have been its principal members, it has
made insurance popular where before thrown
protection around one hundred thousand homesteads
ana paid in losses four hundred and eighty thou
sand dollars, large portion OF which would have been
paid BY no other company and often saving families
from utter destruction and ruin.
1t has made for its members at least a million of
dollars, all Ofwhch has been left their hands ex-
cept as much as would save them from further call
10 pay losses and expenses.
This prosperity, this large and increasing business
could not long ESCAPE the keen men who were
on The look out for adventure Companies controlled
by capitalists eager for dividends, viewed this as an
inviting held, 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, IL had furnished cheaper insur
ance than could be afforded where ten or twelve per
cent dividends to be paid. But to fertile mind
expedents at hand aud the father of lies
quick To help his voiaries. The men who managed
these competing institutions in this state knowing that
death and life are the power Of the tongue, saw In
this ''little member power which to bring their
adversary to the dust, and give them undispuied
field and unloosening their seuth hounds aud furnish
ing that member which sis set on fire of hell" with
ready made ISLANDERS, turned them upon the object Of
their envy.
AT rst they gave vague and mysteriou. hints Of the
unsounduess of the Madison Mutual, then growing
holder, they asserted that had borrowed large
oimoney 10 pay losses, and in short, every iasehood
which the occasion could suggest.
These lies have often treturned plague the invent
or, at first perhaps, creating some alarm among
members, but Tho discovery of the maud establishing
their confidence. The silence with which have
treated them has doubtless inspired their inventors
with courage, which has been lately manifested in this
anonymous waif, "Coming under the rule" The
bravery which commenced in oral alsehoods uttered
through irresponsible eissares has eliminated in the
courageous and manly issue of printed libel without
name without birth psee, sent TO another State TO
steal its baC into this and scattered surTeptitOus
ly through the postoices by men, some OF whom deem
themselves respectable. They have Themselves "come
under the rule that governs the conduct Of the potroon
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 IL gratifying proof Of the public confidence that
so few OF our members have been caught in their nets
occasionally timid will Yield to their persua
sons, but the cases comparatively Several Of
Their dupes on discovering the frauds have wished TO
leave theD and return to Company, but their rat
trap policies have no provision to let the victim out
and when they pocket the money the insured has no
further sight OF IT, As IN of the pretended sick
ion all the tracks going tOtodTd and rs the
den The loss and gain cases largely against
the deceived and in favor Of the nposer The amount
OF retur 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 shorter time.
he cool mpudence these lbelers in their caution
10 those who 1--we on the fruits OF honest labor, is
Smost sublime They intimate that the Madison Mu
tua was "organzed with the sole purpose Of making
comfortable places with large salaries for few enter
Rain M ant faF
organized anu those who control its affairs are
either imbecies or knaves. Now who are the men
upon whom this spitte is flung. Are they men TO be
impeached BY an anonymous scribblerf Who of the
OH GERS has had more than fair compensation for his
services who of the Directors has got rich out of
the large resources within their eontrol2 They
we'll and ayorably known through the State, most
of them of ample fortune hOnestly acquired and
though making many rich" by their faithful attention
to the business OF the Company, have hched nothing
from its Golfers.
aware that TO hone men it is great enigma
that trust involving millions of dollars should have
been discharged with SO much fidelity.
The figures of this dark lantern mssive will be briefly
considered Figures won't lie" but they may he
made to convey alsehood as electually as words In
The hands Of these dexerOus mathematica"s they are
made 20 lie in tue trng OF little less than thr.
teen millions Of dollars by the process Of suppression
They say We assumed risk in 1863 Of Sl57s9,s but
suppress I he fact plainly stated In report that
curing the same period retired risks 10 the
Of sl27s9,7s0.
The risks therefore OF 1869 we're but ss,ooa,o in
excess OF the amount retired
Again, they give the following as the comparative
receipts Of 1865 sud 1863;
Receipts OF ls6s Sl3s 266sI
Receipts of 1863 4OZ $50 O3
Less ia 1869 S356s07s
But if we exclude the premium notes which these
nsncofs aft ect 10 regard null, tie account would
stand thus
Receipts Of 1863, excluding premium notes Sal 90
Receipts OF 1905, excluding premium notes 1885, 96
Excess in 1869 Sl3,s33,00
To their disparag ing statements of the falling OF in