The Black range., 1884-07-11

lhf EuiioNlhg ttitef ~ luulshe0 IN
the interest OF insurance companies.
since il is said that laughter lengtheus
life:
Mr--. Vice-Presideut Of the
-- Life Insurance company:
DEAR SIR.-l am IN receipt of a
postal card advising me that my next
premium tpolicy No. 43.269l is si47.0l
Thereby avn reminded that the life
insurance business. as managed hy
your company. is. IKE the providence
OF God. past hnding out. ] began pay
ing $50 cash and $50 note on tins policy
In 1851. and IL seemed on these terms
an inexpensive luxury. II would have
been if | had died. Unhappily | sur
yived, and now for ten years ! have
been struggling as much to keep the
policy as myself alive. But the appe-
tite Of this policy. observe, does grow
by what II feeds ON. and the danger is
that It will shortly exceed in its de-
mands my ability to provide for ii. and
| shall see il die on my hands.
"The steady and constant increase in
the amount of the premium on this
policy began to excite my curiosity, not
TO say my admiration several years
ago. The agent 10 whom ! applied for
enightment q have passed through
the hands Of five or six, each of whom
has amasSed fortune and retired) so
overwhelmed me with mathematics of
the most mixed and abstruse character
that fell back from the investigation
greatly Inundated at my own igno-
rance. and profoundly impressed with
the reasons Of the compauy-or the
agent; | could not tell which.
Il think realize. and hope | appre-
ciate gratefully, the beneicent opera
tion of tins steady progression in the
cost of the policy. 1t makes one con-
template death with resignation, and
look upon that consummaiion rs de-
voutly to he wished for-to checkmate
the company. Did you ever think how
Booth or Mccullough might improved
Hamlets solioquy and thrill an admir-
ing audience by just holding up one of
your life.insurance policies at the
ysards There's the respect that makes
calamity of SO long life'Y
ssIluf / fa.p I traat,uuu fp tnnr finn
1t is true that insurance officials, not
wlthstandng the meagreness of their
salaries, are Overworked? Twin come
at once to business. need not trace
the steady increase in these premiums.
sufficient that last year | paid Sl42.75,
ana this year you call for Sl47O4 upon
policy the annual premium on which
was Sl32 ten years ago. At this rate
OF increase, and my discouargingly
sound health, cannot undertake to
compete with the company. am
aware of course, that Il policy holder
who has paid ten annual premiums can
hardly expect the consideration due
one who, not being insured seeks infor.
nation. Being "A fish in the basket. |
do not expect the consideration due one
in the sea. And yet would like to
know whether policy No. $500 has
any surrender value. AIN already in
possession Of considerable accumula.
tion of tracts, pamphlets, circulars, al
manacs, ,caenders, and extracts from re-
liglous newspapers which afford abun-
dant knowledge as to the facilities and
methods of getting into life insurance.
But what now seek is information as
to how to get out.
pardon Inc If have used too great
familiarity in addressing a man whose
acquaintance with logarthms, NOR
tality tables, and the different calculus
entities him to the name of benefactor
and the salary of an actuary. | am
not ignorant Of what is due the repre-
sentative of S27,00O,0O0-if these be
the iigures-of assets. address you
because your name appears on the Sc
ductive postal which invites me TO add
Sl47 Oh to these S27,0O0,O0O | presume
you are no stranger to the complaints
of disappointed policy holders, and ii
is not impossible that you dismiss them
all without consideration. But there
may be some one in your employ who
can show me the cheapest way out.
viii you please refer me to him, that
may present my policy and receipts and
things. with the conundrum which
once staggered the intelligence of Dan
lei Wehster-'What is all this WORTH"
Bat then Webster knew scarcely any
thing of life insurance. - Harper's
Monthly.