New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-06-15
INSURANCE AS A MORAL AGENT.

| .I'ne example Of dishonesty in high
places drains through AMI stains every
! stratum of society. The butler who hears
tie banker boast at his table Of how he
has watered stock. sees 10 immortality i'll
Watering his ;.he bankers wine. The
c.9ris who sees his employer pass Of old
| goods for new fasni us, can not compre-
. Lend tie moral difference between that
act and selling piece O. goods for five
, ,;ollais and only accounting to his en-
ployar for four dollars Of the money. If
a public officer iatrusted with the sea. Of
tie otate so uses it as to put part OF the
public securities y us own portfolio, the
! tradesman begin 70 believe that: e he can
; get in Oh the insurance companies, and
, make them pay several prices for stock
be could 70. sell. tat it S piece Of ccn-
ming which. raise, H.: to the rank Of a
successful. politician.
The snail. scrup.e which some dishon-
es: traders have had in deceivins the
insurance companies have had a ten
iency to make those bodies our best
Prosecutors. They now dig up a suspi-
eio-. custoi nec to see if be were really
the subject G: tie deep grief manifested
y lis Uereaved widow. They are incred;.-
Jus of accidental fires and sudden deaths,
and are in the habit OF sending their de-
tec.ces to sc-utiniLa closely the facts On
wni2h they OK: c2l.ed to pay policy IN
such cases.
The r"6l.c ii: remember the case of
the Italian who insured the life Of a young
man and then drowned him in the lake.
TIE insurance companies secured the
coavict;o. # tie beneficiary. and so
avoided pa .ment. Then there have been
va-ioU, condagrations investigated by the
companies. The latest is a singular case.
We shall only allude TO its features
Is alleged il tue testimony published
il. the EG2U sTrGa. few days since.
\ merchant. deemed rich and in COM
pa :::-ely good standing. loses lis whole
stock by the conAagration of his
ON warehouse and seve,a! ad. accent build
;ngs. It world appeac that from the dis
tress Of '5::.s:1es' 70: .5eva-ai years pas. he
a,.g. s;:.--ie-aa serious losses. 1t would.
moreover. appear that the sum for which
lie VS. insured was larger than the value
of stools coL-umed.
.ow. the insurance companies being
Gale, =. - csy !arye sums, undertake al
:,.ve ,..gat.cn wlicl. the courts would hay.
l.: Z, motive to make a: ali. Their re-
wards induce detectives to work up these
inquiries and tempt volunteer information
which would scarcely have been forth
co:1:a; without COMPENSATION. There
may BE conviction il this case. If 50, il
W.! be tie conviction o: tie insu,anc.
companies. lot OF the courts. # lef. to the
ordinary coUrs. Of process
Til, is :. very valuable Incidental aid to
puoiic justice and promotes morality by
showing til: dangers Q: fraud. Confagra-
ton, Can rarely be restricted to the IL
surei premises. and very often poor and
innocent people are burned OF. through
the unfeeling rafacity Q; the dishones:
trader who may happen to have insured
adjacent buildings. 1t would be fortunate
70: society if the upper tens were more
homes: Q: more frequently convicted for
ofcia; fraud. In the meantime the in
surance companies, in pursuing their own
interests, are valuable auziliayie. in PIE.
serving those o: the public.