The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1881-11-19

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ting to be understood. 1t is impos-
sible for the system to be anything
but q fraud. 1t is a deliberate
swindlc, as all who invest with its
oily-tongued agents will eventually
find out. From Pennsylvania, its
original home, it has spread in all
directions and within the past few
weeks its emisaries have been oper-
ating quietly in Morgantown, and
some of our prominent citizens have
narrowly escaped being yictimized,
and no doubt ethefs whose names are
not known have bought policies. All
we desire is to have people thorough
" know what it is before taking a
pecuniary interest in it. The follow
ing paragraphs, from Pennsylvania
exchange, give some desirable in
formation, in very mild way, of its
methods and Objects "For the ben
eft Of those who have not q just APP
probation of the difference between
this form of insurance and legitimate
life insurance, we will endeayor to
explain the distinctive features of
each When we speak Of legitimate
life insurance we mean insurance in
reliable company for the benefit of
dependent relatives or others who
have claim upon the assured which
death would render worthless in the
absence of any such provision. AS
for example, it is right and proper for
a man to insure his life for the bene-
fit Of his wife, who would otherwise,
in the event Of his death, be thrown
upon the cold charity Of the world.
We might go SO far us to say that q
creditor has an insurablc interest in
the life Of debtor whore the latter
has no tangible property to satisfy
the debt, though sc are inclined to
doubt the strict propriety OF this.
Thus far, then, VIC think life insur-
ancc may be denominated legitimate.
"But the methods and objects of IL
legitimate or graveyard insurance are
decidedly different. The policy hold
er has no insurable interest in the
life of the assured. He merely stakes
so much money that certain indi
vidual will leave this vale of tears in
advance Of several dozen other indi-
viduals. 1t is speculation, pure and
simple; it is stalking dollars against
blood; it is an incentive to MURDER
and it is therefore a crime against
society. Though countenanced by
the laws Of Pennsylvania it is none
the less an infraction of the moral
laws. We challenge any graveyard
insurance Spectator to examine
closely into his conscience and dare
to say that such traffic is consistent
with the divine law, public morals, or
private honor. Legitimate life in
surance is q blessing; dcath-rattle
| speculation is curse which blights
morality, blants the conscience, par
alyzes industry and destroys thrift.
."The methods Of graveyard insur-
ance are no less rcprehensible than
the objects. A legitimate life insur-
ancc company starts out in business
in a legitimate way. It's stockhold-
ers pay in their hard cash as an evil
dence Of their sincerity and good
faith, and this capital is liable to the
last dollar to meet the~losscs or en-
gagements of the company. A
graveyard company is always mu-
tual company. 1t commences bust
ness without capital. BY a peculiar
! arrangement its incorporators are al
ways its officers, and with the agents
they form the circle whose profits are
sure and steady-who have all to
gain and nothing to lose. When q
death occurs they collect what mon
ey they can, carefully deduct liberia
commissions for this service, and
hand the remnant to the disappointed
policy holder. In e legitimate com
pany the policy holder gets the full
amount Of the policy, not SO in s
graveyard company. In the latter
the subject is classed according tC
age, and in the event of his death The
policy holders in that class-not il
the entire company be it remem
bered-are assessed the stated rate
and the amount collected after de
Quoting charges, which is usually {
mere pittance compared to the fac,
of the policy, is handed to the dupet
policy holder If it should so hap
: pen that he is the only one in hi.
/ Il l.. l.