Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-01-12
GA PLAIN STATEMENT OF FACTS

Coast ReUiei0 OF San Francisco, a recognized au.
thority upon all matters relating to insurance.
The above caption is quoted from a circular
issued by one Robert Crawford who repre-
sents himself as having been an agent of Che
Pacific Mutual Life Insurance Company for
ten years.
We notice this circular, not because of anv
DAMAGING statement of facts contained
therein, nor to defend the company from its
attack but for other and more important
reasons.
1t appears that Mr. Crawford was an agent
or solicitor for the Pacific Mutual for many
years, and that until within the past few
months his relations with that company and
its managers were of a pleasant nature
II the course of events, however, and
more than three years subsequent to
Mr.. Moore becoming one of the ex-
ecutive officers of the corporation, MIR.
does not like Mr.. 9loore's manner of treating
agents, and resolves to leave the Pacific Mu-
tual and engage elsewhere. This, we under
stand, was lot objected to by Mr.. Moore or
his company, bur Mr.. Crawford was called
upon to make good balance of some $500
before the company would give him a release,
which under our law is necessary before
license to work for another company can be
obtained from the Insurance Commissioner.
This amount Mr.. Crawford claims he does
not owe. There appear to be four items in
the account against Crawford, three of which
he disputes, but one he admits to be properly
charged against him.
Mr.. Crawford proposed an arbitration, TO
which the company consented but after OBJ
tanning this consent, Crawford declined to
submit ALL matters of difference, but was
willing to submit ONE of the disputed items,
PROVIDED the company would cancel all the
other items of his Indebtedness, which last
proposition was promptly declined. We
make this much of an explanation Of the
alleged differences between Mr.. c. and the
company, not that it is matter of any
special interest to our readers, bat because it
is pertinent to what follows. Now, why did
Mr.. Crawford issue his circular? Did he do
it with pure motives, and for the best interests
of the public, or was it q malicious attempt
to iDjure the company and create distrust
among its policy-hoiders, because it could not
and would not be bulldozsd by delinquent
agent.
If Mr. Crawford answers that his motive
was good, and justiies his attack upon the
company, we ask why the circular was not
issued before? The companys report which
it purports to criticise, has been published
nearly year, and il the company is in the
condition he would have it appear, it was
clearly his duty to have called the attention
of the Insurance Commissioner thereto, and
to have given the facts" to the public long
ago. Again, Mr.. Crawford has worked for
the company for long period. and at time
when HE and every Insurance man upon the
coast knew that it was by no means as strong
and prosperous as at present how could he
so strongly recommend the company THEN,
and yet feel called upon to denounce it as IN
trustworthy NOW; what is it that has so sud-
denly wrought upon and quickened his con-
science, aud made him so stalwart a defender of
the public interest? Mr.. Crawford's own ad-
missions made to the editor of this journal
in regard to the proposed arbitration, and
his statement made to the same person, that
if the company had settled with him the
circular would not have been issued, place
him in very uneuviable light in this COM
munity. If it is true that any delinquent or
dissatisfied agent has the right to, and can
bring his company to terms, by getting out a
circular rehecting upon its financial coudi-
ton and trustworthiness then it certainly
behooves companies to look well to the
character of the men they employ as agents.
SO far as the real facts are concerned it is
well known that the Pacific Mutual is better
managed now than at any time for the past
six years, and it is stronger financially to day
than it has been at any previous time within
the past six years it pays its losses and
I9atuTeu tHQONntnIs pIOup6iy, anu pOSstSS6s
in a large measure the confidence and good
will of its policy-holders. In our opinion the |
publication of Crawford's circular is the |
result of malicious desire to in jure the credit
and standing of the Pacific Mutual, and its |
circulation should not be countenanced by |
any honorable man. We have heard it |
rumored on the streets that some of our |
general agents of other life insurance COM
panies have purchased, and are assisting |
Crawford in the distribution of his ill. timed, |
and cowardly attack upon the |
Pacific Mutual we are loath to believe this |
rumor; we have better opinion of our |
general cents, ar do not believe they are so |
lacking in intelligence as to encourage a
course certain to inhict great injury upon the |
life insurance business of this coast.
There is just now, what we consider most
unj1stifable attack being made upon one of
the largest life insurance companies in the
country, alld made to, by parties whose
statements are worth as much, to say the
least, as Mr.. Crawford's insinuations what
would the general agent of this company think
of his co-workers in the business If they
should assist in the wider dissemination OF
the damaging documents against his company.
We call upon all true men in the business
to set their faces against these contemplate
attacks.