Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-06-28
INSURANCE.
DEATH ISN'T KIND ENOUGH TO
WAIT FOR US TO PREPARE.
one Of the Mighty Forces in Modern Civil
fzation-The Fallacy of Advertis-
ing Special Cases.
The Field for Life Insurance.

Where Is the most promising held f0r the
life insurance solicitor2 Certainly not
among the superstitious! They seem to
think life insurance policy is about equal
to death warrant. They have a vague
notion that this would be just the way to
bring upon themselves the fatal resentment
Of the dark and shadowy powers whom they
suppose to be watching for chance to
seize them and bear them beyond the vale
of mortality In their total eclipse and
misconception of the Divine Fatherhood and
the ways of providence they imagine that
to insure their lives would give the venge-
full deities the very opportunity for which
they are continually on the watch. They
have probably never heard of the fatal sis
tiers who were tabled to rule human destiny
and to cut off the thread of life, but how
many gloomy notions, essentially like those
of the old mythologies, have found lodg-
rnent in their darkened minds. The class is
not as large as formerly, but it still exists
in considerable numbers. Until such per-
sons are enlightened they are hopeless sub
jects for the life insurance canvasser.
Nor will the sagaclous solicitor spend
time and efforts among the idle and
vicious who occupy their days and nights
in low resorts guiding beer and other fluids
of an Intoxicating character, many of whom
employ their young children with baskets
10 beg at the basement doors of the
industrious and frugal. Those who are
too lazy, indolent, and shiftless to exert
themselves in the battle of life for their
own present support, cannot reasonably
be expected to look out for after years,
least of all for their wives who, possibly,
are of the same type, or for the children,
whom they indoctrinate in the false
hoods, piteouS grimaces, simulated tears
and all the disgusting can't pertaining to
the trade of systematic beggary. Those
whose chief enjoyment in life consists in
habitual indulgence of depraved appe-
tite over the counter of some drinking
saloon, and who care more for revelry
and debauchery, among people who spend
their money and time likewise than for ali
the better interests of life, are not gen.
orally liable to apply for life insurance,
even if insurable. What an amount of
sure protection they might obtain, with
far better health in addition, by turning
over those ill-spent dimes to the industrial
life insurance companies, or the larger sums
for more expensive policies. Their prefer
ence. however, appears to lie in other di-
rectionS, and the life insurance solicitor
finds by a little experience that seed sown
in alcoholic surroundings almost uniformly
fails to terminate. The fact may also be
readily found TO exist as a general rule
when considered with reference to igno-
rant, dull, stupid and narrow-minded peo-
pie. But by this we do not argue that it
requires any extraordinary breadth of in
tellect to comprehend the leading principles
of life insurance, or to appreciate the con-
venient security afforded thereby. II is
not requisite that an insurant shall possess
intellectual capacity corresponding with
that of a Webster or Gladstone, nor in
deed with that of any other eminent mind in
order to act intelligently in the matter of ac-
cepting life insurance. Some brains, howev-
Ell, ARE required, of fair quality also, and with
a suitable degree of the appropriate furnish
ing; but when it is apparent that these con-
ditions are essentially lacking. the discern
ing agent will readily perceive the barren
ness of the subject and refrain from further
effort in such an arid field. The desert
must be irrigated before tillage can be
made profitable. The streams of knowl-
edge, however, have been flowing, with ex-
cellent results: and, Notwithstanding the
exceptional classes above mentioned, the
life insurance canvaSser has ample
territory where he may labor with due
diligence. having constantly before him the
best prospects of success. This then is
uniformly found among the intelligent,
temperate, frugal, Industrious, enterpris-
ing, provident and honest people, who,
while enjoying with zest and relish the
pleasures of the passing day, take due
forethought also for the needs of the NOR
row. Were not this class far more numer-
Gus than the others, the world, SO far as
business and progressive development is
would soon be on the retrograde
and affairs would stagnate, while society
would rot. The higher the grade of intelli-
gence in any community the more promis-
ing it is Tor life Insurance. and the greater
desire will there be for the benefits it con-
fers. For every insured person who passes
off the stage two or more should be found
among the rising youth and others to fill
the vacancy and advance the cause. All
facilities of education. whether academic
iD0I1 SfriD1 lead towards that dnCil.-r-
alum. The life insurance solicitor has the
pr vilege of ranking high as an educator,
for by the very nature of his work his |
influence combines with that of all other |
true teachers in enlarging the mind, ele- |
waiting the example of protective prudence, |
expanding the perceptions, and deepening |
he sense of domestic obligation. Supersti- !
ton may thus be made powerless and its |
victims released; vice, profigacy and I'M |
Self-indulgence, in the presence |
If tilial duty may be Shamed away, and |
ignorance vanish, as night retires from be- |
fore the shining sun of day. All the forces
If every description that tend to these bene-
iccnt results are preparing glorious fu-
;ure for life insurance and its attendant
benefits throughout all time. Already, |
within a comparatively brief period, has |
ife insurance become one of the mighty
orces in modern civilization, and its posi-
ion is clearly destined, to become still more
10 De engaged IN promoting
20 benefcent an instrumentality for Use
illness is indeed high honor and worthy
he respect of all good people however con-
litioned. d. B.
The prevalence of the grip this season
las caused some heavy losses to the life in
urance companies, their mortality running
high during the months of
March and April, while May has done its
air share TO swell the grip charges. 1t
S told of the secretary of a Hartford life
company that recently feeling some symp-
oms of the prevailing disease, he was
empted to remain at home for the day, hnt
inally concluded to go to his Office long
nough TO dispose of his mornings mail.
he first letter he opened contained $1,000
cath claim under a recently issued policy,
he assured having died of the grip. The
ext envelope yielded $4,000 grip claim,
lso occurring under policy lately issued.
Envelope number three opened out another
5000 grip claim under a policy less than
hree months old. Twenty thousand dollars
( grip claims sprung thus suddenly upon
secretary, who had grip symptoms HIM
elf, was too much for his nerves, and, slam
ling down his desk, he put on his hat and
eparted and did not show up again for
our days. But the companies have not
cen the only losers from the ravages of the
rip; agents have been made to suffer
lso. Many an application that agents had
pent much time in working up has
cen turned down. for further
,OI1iry hacauco the ma6iool Ji- u