The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1877-08-30
INSURANCE MATTERS.
An Interesting Letter on the Subject from
a Victim,

An Interesting Letter on the Subject from
a Victim.
''New York, May 81, 1877.-Mr.--,
Vice President, etc.-Dear Sir: / am in
receipt of a postal card advising that my
next annual premium (policY No. 43, 1862
is S147 90. Thereby I am reminded
that the life insurance business, as man.
aged by your company, is, like the prov
ideDce of God, "past finding out"
began paying $50 cash and $52 note on
this policy in 1867. 1t seemed an mex
pensive luxury. It would have been if
had died. ] unhappily survived, and
and now for ten years have been
struggling as much to keep the policy
as myself alive. But the appetite of the
policy, observe, does grow by what it
feeds on, and the danger is that it will
shortly exceed its demands and my ability
to answer, and I shall see it die on my
hands. The steady and constant increase
in the amount of premium on this policy
began to excite my curiosity, not to say
my admiration. several years ago. The
agent to whom I applied for enlighten-
ment---I have passed through the hands
of five or six, ,eachof whom have amassed
a fortune and .retired--s9 overwhelmed
me- with mathematics of the most
mixed and abstruse character that fell
back from the investigation greatly hu-
inflated at my own ignorance, and pro-
foUndly impressed with the resources
of either the company or the
agent, [ could not decide which. [
think l realize, and I hope I appreciate
gratefully, the benefcent operation of
this steady progression in cost of the
policy 1t makes one contemplate death
with resignation, and to look upon that
cOnsummation as a checkmate to the
company. Did you ever think how Booth
or John Mccullough might improve
Hamlet's soliloquy and thrill any orIi-
nary audience by just holding up one of
your life insurance policies as suiting the
action to the word, at the passage {:
" There's the respect that makes calamity
of so long life ?'
But fear I trespass on your time, is it
true that insurance officials, nOtWith-
standing the meagerness of their salaries,
are Overworked? ? l will come at once to
business. I need not trace tho steady,
upward progress of these premiums.
Sufficient that last year l paid SIl2.75,
and this year you call for $I47.03 upon a
policy, the annual premium on which
was 80 ten years ago. At this rate of
increase, and with my discoUragingly
sound health, | cannot undertake to COM
pete with the company. [ am aware, of
course, that a policy holder who has paid
ten annual premiums can hardly expect
the consideration due those who, not be-
ing insured, seek information. Being
fish in the basket, do not expect the con-
sideratiOn due one in the sea, and yet |
would like to know whether policy No.
43, 1863 has any surrender value Can
you give any information on the sub
ject? am already in possession of
considerable accumulation of tracts,
pamphlets, circulars, almanacs, calen-
dars, and extracts from religious news
papers which afford abundant knowledge
as to the facilities and methods for get
ting into life insurance what l seek now
is information to get out.
"ParCOn me, sir, if | have used too
great a familiarity in addressing a man
whose acquaintance with logarithms and
mortality tables, and the differential
culculus entities him to the name of
benefactor and the salary of actuarY. l
am not ignorant of what is due the repre-
tative of $27, ,000,0 900, if that's the figure,
of assets. l address you because your
name appears on the seductive postal
card which invites me to add SI4I O0 TO
the $27, 100000. presume you are no
stranger to the complaints of disappoint-
ed policy holders, and it is not improba-
BILE that you dismiss them all with the
remark of the Apostle Paul on returning
a box of DR.. Ayers celebrated compound
cathartic pills to the elders Ofthe church
at Ephesus, None OF these things move
me- But there may be some in your
employ who can show me the cheapest
way out. Will you please refer me to
him, that I may present my policy and
receipts and things with the conundrum
which at one time staggered the intelli-
gence of such a statesman as Daniel
Webster: What is all this worth p But
then, Webster knew scarcely anything
about life insurance.
"YOurs, very respectfully"