Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1877-09-13

An Interesting Letter on the
Subject from Victim.


Mr.. -, Vice President, etc.
Dear Sir: | am in receipt of a
postal card advising that my
next annual premium (policy
No. 43, 369)is $147 90. There
by lam reminded that the life
insurance business, as managed
by your company, is, like the
providence of God, "past find
ing out" ] began paying $50
cash and $52 note on this poll
cy in 1867. 1t seemed an mex
pensiye luxury. 1t would have
been If | had died. ] nnhap-
lpily survived, and now for ten
years have been struggling as
much to keep the policy as my
self alive. But the appetite Of
the policy, / observe, does grow
by what it feeds or, and the
danger is that it will shortly ex-
ceed its demands and my abili-
ty TO answer, and / shall see it
die on my hands. The steady
and constant increase in the a.
mount of premium on this poll
cy began to excite my curiosi-
lty, not to say my admiration,
=
several years ago. The agent
to whom / applied for enlight-
enment-I have passed through
the hands of five or six, each
! Of whom have anassed a for
time and retired--so over
whelmed me with mathematics
Of the most mixed and abstruse
character that / fell back from
the investigation greatly humil-
lated at my own ignorance, and
profoundly impressed with the
resources Of either the compa-
my or the agent, / could not
decide which. / think realize,
and ! hope ! appreciate CRATE
fully, the beneficent operation
of this steady progression in
cost Of the policy. It makes one
contemplate death with rcsigna-
ton, and to look upon that con-
summation as a checkmate to
the company. Did you ever
think how Booth or John Nc.
Cullough might improve Ham
let's soliloquy and thrill any or
binary audience by just holding
up one Of your life insurance
policies as suiting the action 10
the word, at the passage:
There's the respect that makes.
calamity of so long lifeY
ssBut [ fear / trespass on your
time. Is it trne that insurance
officials, Notwithstanding the.
meagerness of their salaries,
are overworked? / will come
at once to business. | need not
trace the steady, upward pro-
gress Of these premiums. Suf-
ficient that last year / paid
$112.75, and this year you call.
for $147.03 upon a policy, the
annual premium on which was
$132 ten years ago. At this
rate of increase, and with my
discouragingly sound health, !
cannot undertake to compete
with the company. j am aware,
of course, that policy holder
who has paid ten annual prem
iums can hardly expect the con-
sideration due those who, not
being insured, seek information.
Being a fish in the basket, / do
not expect the consideration
due one in the sea, and yet /
would like to know whether
policy No. 1850 has any sur
render value? Can you give
any information ON the subject?
l am already in possession of a
considerable accumulation of
tracts, pamphlets, circulars, al
manacs, calendars and extracts
from religious newspapers which
afford abundant knowledge as
to the facilities and methods for
getting into life insurance;
what / seek now is information
TO get out. 81
pardon me, sir, if have used
too great familiarity in adj
dressing a man whose acquain-
lance with logarithms and NOR
tally tables, and the differential
calculus entities him TO the
name of benefactor and the sal
airy Of actuary. / am not ig-
norant of what is due the rep
rescntative of $27, 100000, if
that's the figure, of assets. /
address you because your name
appears on the seductive postal
card which invites me to add
$147.03 to the $27, 100000. Il
presume you arc no stranger 10
the complaints of disappointed
policy holders, and it is not inn
probable that YOU dismiss them