Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1889-12-14
INTERESTING FIGURES.
epeculatIOns Concerning the Money Value
of "A nnmAn Life.

reason of affection, paramount and
unreasonable value. That it may
have also a money value has been ac-
dnowledged in various ways, notably
IN the institution of slavery. From
early times the ownership of the serv-
ices of 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-
general way price has been fixed
:or a slave, taking into consideration
ais age, physical condition, and ca
2acity for the kind of service desired
If him. 1t is clear. however. that GER
.ain important elements are either
wholly lacking or but partially de-
veloped, in the case of the life of a
person held in bondage, which may be
present if the possessor of the life is
free and independent. Can human
lives possess attributes which will give
% them real values? 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 of
The very old. the imbeciles, and the
confirmed invalids. But my purpose
5 to show that life surrounded by
airly supposable circumstances, such
as exist in every community, has a
iefinite value. Every man who earns
Or produces more than suffices for his
actual personal expenses is Of pecuni
ary value to some one beside himself
It may be that family is dependent
Upon him for support, or he may &C
cumulate his surplus income for the
benefit of heirs or charity. No matter
What the purpose is. there is value to
some one in his services. Suppose he
las earned $4,000 during the year, and
ais food, clothing, shelter and other
strictly personal expenditures have
amounted to $500. Then clearly he
las been of the value of 81, 500 to some
)ne during that time. We can meas
Ire the value of the years which have
PASSED Can we estimate with accur-
Gcy those which are to come? Care
ul observations, extending over many
5ears, in WIDELY separated countries
md among various nations, have dem
nstrated that the mortality of the
human family is governed by law
,-l,s III i- in ifS
That inevitable power, death. working
through its numberless agencies. by
disease, accident and violence, and
seeming to seek its victims by chance,
s ruled by an intelligence which
preserves the balance of population,
directs the laws Of supply and
lemand. and renders possible the
rarious calculations upon which
he commerce of the world is
BASED. The most extensive cOmpil-
ItiOns of statistics, and the most
precise calculations which have been
made in search of the law of mortality,
ire those derived from investigations
tmong what are known as selected
ives, or those which are unimpared by
hereditary faint, and are found by the
examination of physicians to be prac-
1cally free from disease. A mortality
able was constructed in 1913 from
.areful observations among a large
humber of such lives whose course
could be accurately traced, and numer-
)us more recent investigations have
erved to confirm the substantial cor
"ectness of the death-rate which was
hen shown to exist. Let us suppose
hat the man whose surplus earnings
are 81 SEQ year is thirty years of age
md in good health, and that money is
worth four per cent. per annum. By
he mortality table, to which allusiOn
las been made, the present value OF
he future surplus earnings of this life
S 1926. SEQ 1t is true that this value is
BASED on averages, and that the as
sumption that he will, through his
ife, receive and spend just the
amounts here set down will not
probably be realized. 1t is we'll
Ugh certain that his death will occur
either before or after the date here
liked. Disease or accident may rob him
permanently of his productive power.
circumstances which no skill guided by
-esearch can calculate, and no judg-
nent foretell, may change the current
If his life, and enhance or diminish the
'alue of his efforts. And yet this value
tests upon a foundation composed
elements no more uncertain than those
which determine the worth of the
business block. Both the building an(
he life are constantly exposed to ths
LANCER of destruction, but that chance
IAN be measured even more accurately
n the latter case than in the former.
The natural ability Of one man j:
geater than that of another, and this
advantage will be shown in the value
# their respective services. Thest
Qualities, as well as those of in
lustry and perseverance, are inbori
rats, and will. considered in connec
ion with education and training, de
ermine the amount for which the pos
;essor can lease his efforts to others
employ them for Independent profit.
What nature has done for the man COZ
responds with the location of the build
ng. What experience has taught hin
S like the quality Of the structure. II
Zach case there are certain necessar!
expenditures which must be met befpr
any real value can exist, and in eacl
;ase the worth rests upon estimates.
ohm NJ Holcombe, in North America
Review.
Accounting for the Expense.