Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1882-09-22
INSURING BABIES, LIVES.
For Five Cents q Week Risks are Taken
Upon st. Louis Infants.

Some people may think that insur-
ance is getting down to pretty small
business when risks are taken on the
lives Of infants. This is strietlyso in
one meaning Of the diminutive adjec-
tive, but absolutely false in another
The system of insuring babies, while
it does not exclude the weeniest spec
linen of rose fingered and head
ed tootsy-wootsy-hood, is so extensive
and has proven SO popular among the
lower and middle classes oi people
the industrial members of the COM
munity-that the business may be
said to be practically as widespread
as that Of ordinary life assurance, and
to have gained as strong a foothold
among those who provide themselves
and their families against emergen-
cies, as has the more expensive system
that requires quarterly payments Of
sums beyond the means Of working
men and worlsiagwomen.
A Giooe-Democrat reporters duties
carried him to a thickly-populated
section Of the city the other day, where
the people are mostly dependent upon
their daily toi! for the means Of sub
sistcnce. Hardly one family in the
hundreds that filled the large and
small tenements of the neighborhood
had money or food enough on hand to
ward off starvation for longer than
few days. The Saturday or Monday
night installment of wages was the
weak, and in many cases, uncertain
bridge that spanned the lives Of these
universally large families, and the
grocery pass book, that held out as
long as the credit was kept good, was
often the salvation of hungrying
sto,aachs and weakening muscles.
While here the reporter was aston
ished to hear one woman, who lived
entirely by her needle, say that She
pad paid out
HER LAST FIFTEEN CENTS
For insuring the lives of three babies
that hung about her skirts.
'IIow is tAat?" the G.. ID. man
ilSkcu 4AIc tlioSc ClllleIcll lives
insured?"
"Yes, sir, they are was her answer,
I'VE pay five cents a week for them,
and if any OF them dies or is killed we
get S35 to pay their funeral ex-
penses."
"And is that the whole idea Of this
scheme of insurance-to pay the fun
eral expenses"
'That's all, I believe
.Are many of the children here
abouts insured?'
"Nearly every one Of them"
Further conversation developed the
fact that many families insured not
only the babies but grown children,
and even the parents themselves held
policies for which they paid on the
weekly plan. The name of the com
: pany and location of the Office having
been ascertained, the reporter called
on the Superintendent, who cheer.
fully gave what information he hac
} on hand about the subject.
1t seems that there are four or five
companies in this country doing what
is known as an industrial insurance
business. The idea grew prinaril,
out of the burial clubs and friendly
societies that were very popular il
> England forty years ago, many O
which became sources of great prof
J to corrupt individuals who managed
: or attached themselves to these organ
izations. The first company estab
lished for the purpose of affordins
4 the working classes opportunity to in
sure their lives without crippling thei
- purses was the Prudential of London
which began about thirty-six year
: ago to issue policies for limite
amounts OH the installment plan. a
= first there was serious objection t
= taking risks on children under te
years of age, but at last it was agree
ees to insure them from seven years W
= and this was afterward gradual
modified until now no pink-heade
and red toed infant can be too sma
: or too young to escape the eye of tn
agent OT lUC SOllClICI. ollICi COi
panies came into existence with II
:. Prudential, and competed against
SO that.the system grew ard tlourlsl
ed until It became a fixed and
PROFITABLE BUSINESS.
|. Competition andlegislative enactmen
wrought several changes in the sy
tenn since it has come into vogue, an
ty. at present limits are placed to sun
of money for which the policies al
obtainable at certain ages. The il
ducement to infanticide was in Il
beginning of sucha character as
create great apprehension in the min'
o. of the people. This, however, w
= regulated by the passage in Englar
of the Friendly Society act, son
time ago, after which risks on ch
dren were not accepted for more tn;