Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1889-12-20
INTERESTING FIGURES.
spseaIations Conserving the Money "

bpeeulations Concern ng the Money value
: Of = HumYn Life.
That which We call human life has
always been recognized as having 10 its
possessor, and perhaps to others by
reason Of affection. paramount and
unreasonable value. That it may
have also money value has been az
knowledged in various ways, notably
in the institution Of slavery. From
sarly times the ownership OF the serv.
ices Of a human being has had worth
In accordance with the excess Of earn
ings obtainable above the necessary
cost OF subsistence. This value has
not usually been computed with ac-
curacy in each individual case, but in
general way price has been fixed
::or slave, taking into consideration
ais age, physical condition, and ca
pacity for the kind OF service desired
Of him. 1t is clear. however. that GER
Jain important elements are either
wholly lacking or but partially de-
yeloped, in the case Of the life of q
person held in bondage, which may be
present If the possessor Of the life il
free and independent. Can human
lives possess attributes which will give
10 them real valuesp 1t would not be
difficult to enumerate many lives which
can not be considered OF any pecuniary
worth because, for various reasons, they
produce nothing. Such are those oil
che very old. the imbeciles. and the
confirmed inyalids. But my purpose
Is to show that life surrounded By
airly supposable circumstances, such
IS exist in every community. has 9
iefinite value. Every man who earns
Or produces more than sufiices for his
actual personal expenses is Of pecuni
airy value to some one beside himself
it may be that a family is dependen,
Upon him for support. or he may &C
cumulate his surplus income for the
benefit OF heirs or charity. No matte;
what the purpose is. there is value t.
some one in his services. Suppose be
las earned $1,000 during the year. and
ais food, clothing. shelter and othel
strictly personal expenditures have
amounted to $500. Then clearly he
las been Of the value Of 81 800 to some
,ne during that time. We can meas
Ire the value OF the years which have
passed. Can we estimate with accur
scy those which are to come? Care
'ul observations, extending over man,
years, in widely separated countries
ind among various nations. have dem
nstrated that the mortality of The
human family is governed by Law
which is constant in its operation
That inevitable power, death, working
through its numberless agencies. by
disease. accident and violence, ant
seeming to seek its victims by chance
s ruled by an intelligence which
preserves the balance of population
lirects the laws Of supply ant
lemand, and renders possible tn,
rarious calculations upon which
he commerce of the world i
based. The most extensive compil
| Itions of statistics. and the mos
| precise calculations which have beer
made in search of the law of mortality
ire those derived from investigation
tmong what are known as selecte
ives. or those which are unimpared b
hereditary faint, and are found by tn
examination of physicians to be prac
ically free from disease. A mortalit
| able was constructed in 1S43 fror
.areful observations among larg
could be accurately traced. and numer
,us more recent investigations hav
jerved to confirm the substantial COZ
"ectness of the death-rate which wa
| hen shown to exist. Let us suppos
hat the man whose surplus earning
are 81 800 year is thirty years of ag
md in good health, and that money
worth four per cent. per annum. B
| he mortality table, to which allusio
ias been made, the present value {
he future surplus earnings of this Lii
s S25. $50 1t is true that this value
BASED on averages, and that the a:
sumption that he will, through hi
ife, receive and spend just th
mounts here set down will NJ
probably be realized. 1t is wei
Ugh certain that his death will occu
either before or after the date her
liked. Disease or accident may rob hil
permanently of his productive power
Circumstances which no skill guided b
-esearch can calculate, and no jude
nent foretell. may change the currer
If his life, and enhance or diminish tt
'alue of his efforts. And yet this valr
'ests upon foundation composed
which determine the worth of II
business block. Both the building an
he life are constantly exposed to II
LANCER of destruction, but that chant
AN be measured even more accurate
the latter case than in the forme
rhe natural ability of one man
.eater than that of another, and tn
advantage will be shown in the vail
Il their respective services. The
qualities, as well as those of j
lustry and perseverance. are inbol
rats, and will considered in come
ion with education and training.
ermine the amount for which the pc
iessor can lease his efforts to others
employ them for independent prot
What nature has done for the man co
responds with the location of the bull
ng. What experience has taught hi
S like the quality of the structure.
Zach case there are certain necessal
expenditures which must be met bef,,