Orangeburg times. [volume] (Orangeburg Court House [S.C.]) 1877-1881, 1878-02-09
An interesting Paper.
BY DIR. w. +. BARTON.
u 0rthy Master :

| ~ Tic suUJeCC OF Lie insurance
have given much thought for the last
three years, especially since the fail
nre of so many SO called Life lnsur-
ance Companies, which has entailed
on their policy holders the loss of mil
lions of dollars, l thought there mus
be some better and safer plan which
all could comprehend, some plan by
which Life Insurance coul.l be OBJ
tanned at cost or nearly at cost
In looking around l found that the
Masons, Odd Fellows, Physicians,
and Conductors and Engineers of
Railroads, had their Mutual Aid So
cleties, all Of which, as far as I could
learn, were in successful operation
on the mutual plan and were doing
much good. found also that insur-
ance, pure and simple. was successful
with the Masonic fraternity and 9th or
societies, whose members are largely
residents ofcities and viii lagos. Then
certainly it ought t, be availabl, Tor
farmers whose surroundings are heal
Thy, and who are less than any other
class exposed to the ravages of coli
tagious and epidemic diseases. We
have organized the Patrons Aid AS
sociations of Orangeburg, which is
duly chartered. We have been sue
ccssful i'll obtaining members thus
far, and hope we will accomplish
much good, But there has been one
serious trouble to contend with, which
is in the way OF every enterprise in
angurated for the benefit of our class.
We us farmers are slow to move. We
are not indrpend, mt i'll our Judgment;
we do not rely OH ourselves. Far
ners nre naturally cautious and. over.
suspicious. An oily tongucd agent,
however, generally has little trouble
III bringing Them to say black is white
and that white is black, and here is
The obstacle III the way of making
progress with good institutions for the
benefit of farmers. They wait to be
drummcd, tl,ey have got used to it,
,and hinktbey ought net 10 move. E
s6rd, but ought to wait
Iiursuaded coaxed, and talked
into action. This agency drumming
system is the main thing which ha 5
made ordinary, ] ile Insurance 50
costly. 1t is what has added i'm
mcnsely to the expenses Of conduct
ing every kind of bu sin, SIS Ibis is
one of the things we hope 10 do with :
out in our Mutual Aid Association.
An agent OF Ordinary Life Insurance
Companies is allowed large per
centage for securing policies, Oh our
plans no commission are paid
Another matter which adds to the
cost Of insurance in our old style
companies is the enormous outlay in
building offices, and extrsvagant sal
aries. The simple truth is that Life
Insurance as it has been conducted is
a cheat and u sham. The impu sc
which should actuate person to in
sure his life for the benefit of those
who are dependent upon him is no
bic one. The inducements which are
set forth by our Insurance Companies
do not appeal to mans better nature,
but seek to excite his ambition for
gain and speculation. Paid up poll
cies and the dividend or return pre-
MUM plan have been devised to m eet
the popular desire for speculation.
An Insurance company which chargc cs
man twice as much as it is worth
to carry policy so that it can return
to him dividend aud make him
feel that he is making mcney out Of
somebody e'se, when he is really get
ting back little of his own money.
The more complicated the plan of
insurance by company to the aver
age mind the better peop'e seemed
to like it.
How many farmers will take the
trouble to understand the three dif
ferent kinds of policies offered in the
schedule before becoming insured un-
der the plan that pays the best profit