Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1878-01-30
NEW SERIES--V0L. 10, NO. 4.
LIFE INSURANCE.
A LETTER FROM ONE VINO COULDN'T
FOREVER STAND IT.

FOREVER STAND IT.
We are permitted to publish (omil.
ting names) the following letter, writ.
ten by gentleman who was insured
on the "half note plan" in one OF our
leading life insurance companies, IN re-
ply to the compauy's notification Of the
amount due on the policy. 1t will be
read, no doubt, with sympathetic in
terest by many policy holders who
have had similar struggles with the
mysterious mathematics of this kind
Of insurance. 1t should be stated, in
fairness TO the company, that the ex-
PLANTATION Of the Actuary was so satis
factory that instead OF insisting upon
getting out, the writer Of the letter do.
cided TO keep up the policy;
NEw YoRK, May Is, 1877.
Mr., VICE PRESIDENT, ETC
Dear Sir; ! am in receipt Of postal
card advising that my next annual
premium CPolicy No. I3 800 is STAT.
%. Thereby am reminded that the
lie Insurance business, as managed by
your company, is like the providence
Of Gud, ''last finding out" ! began
laying $50 cash aud s52 note on this
policy in 1867. 1t seemed an mcxpen.
sive luxury. 1t would have been If |
had died. | unhappily survived, and
now for ten years have been struggling
as much to keep the policy as myself
alive. But the appetite OF this policy.
| observe, does grow by what IL feeds
on, aud the danger is bat il will short
~ exceed in ii- demands my ab llty TO
answer, aud shall see 1t die on my
hands. The steady aud constant in.
crease in the amount of the premium
of this policy began TO excite curios
ily, not 10 say my admiration, several
Years ago. The agent to whom | az.
piled for enightenment--I have pas.
ed through the hands Of five or six,
each of whom has amassed u compc
tence and retired d-so rwhelmed me
with mathematics Of the must mixed
and absirGse character that iell back
from the investigation greatly humiii
ated ut my own ignorance and pro.
foundlv impressed with the resources
oi-either the company or the agent.
| could not decide which. | think
realize, and | hope appreciate great
fully. the benetccnt operation of this
steady progression in cost of the poll.
cy. 1t makes one contemplate death
with resignation, and 10 look upon that
consumption AS checkmate to the
company. Did you ever think how
BuoIh or John Mccullough might i'm
prove llamlet's soliloqny and thrill any
ordinary audience by just holding up
une OF yoar life insurance policies as
suiting the action 10 the word, at the
passage There's the respect that
makes calamity Of so long hle?'
But fear lrerpass on your time
Is IL trno that insurance officials, not
wiihstanding the nieugrcness Of their
salaries, are Overworkcd2 ! will come
NJ once to business. need not trace
the steady, upward progress Of these
premiums. Sufficient that last year |
paid Sll2.75, and this year you call Tor
sli7.03 upon n policy tho annual pre-
MUM on which was sl32 ten years
ago AT this rate of Increase, and with
my discouragingly sound health, can.
not undertake to compete with the com
pany. | am aware, of course, that |
policy holder who has paid ten annual
premiums can hardly expect the con.
sideration due those who, not being
insured, seek information. Being u
fish in the basket, do not expect the
consideration due one in the sea, and 4
yet ! wouh like to know whether Poll.
cy No. 1860 has any surrender value.
Can you give me any information on
the sulject2 am already in posses
sion OF considerable accumulation OF
tracts, pamphlets, circulars, almanacs,
calendars, and extracts from religious
newspapers which afford abundant
knowledge as to the facilities and moth.
DDS for getting IL to life insurance
what | seek now is Information bow to
get out,
Pardon me, sir, II | have used too
great familiarity in addressing man
whose acquaintance with logarithmS
and mortunty tables and the ditferen-
tlal calculus entities him 10 tho name
oi bcnciartur and tho salary Of Actu
ary. ! am not Ignorant what Is due
the representative of s27 100000 III
that's the tigurc--of assets address
you because your name appears on the
seductive postal card which invites me
to add Sl47 03 to the S27, 900, 900. |
presume you are no stranger To the
complaints Of disappointed policy hold
ers, aud IL is not Improbable that you
dismiss them all with the remark Of
the Apostle Paul upon returning II box
Of DR. Ayers celebrated compound
catbartic pills to the elders OF the
church At Ephesus, "None of these ,
things move me-" But there may be
sumo one in your employ who can
show me the cheapest way out. Will 1.
You please refer me 10 him, that may ,
present my policy and receipts and
things with tho conundrum which nj
one time staggered the Intelligence OF {
such statesman as Daniel Webster, 4
What is all this worth r But then
Webster knew scarcely anything about G
lie insurancc.-N y. Tribune.