St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1896-04-10
A CHAPTER ON INSURANCE.
The Merits Of the Mutual
Life Of New York,
sumbrebee Hastings and others.

am glad to say that am on the best
If terms with nearly every insurance
agent, life or fire, in thestate of Vermont,
and would stand on my head if occasion
reouired to serve their interests, while
thew in turn have always treated me with
that Uniform courtesy and respect which
go generally prevails among insurance
men. but the individuals indicated in the
head line will have TO turn over new
leaf or go down in my bad books.
Twill dispose of the "others" first and
then deaf more at length with Bumblebee
Hastings, and if'when | get through with
him there is any spot where have not
raised blister, will put one there il he
ever again assais the Mutual Life.
am sixty-six years old. represent
the oldest, largest and admittedly the
best life insurance company in this coun-
try. have benin the business for twenty
wears. | sell insurance on the merits of
my company, not upon the dement's of
other companies. / have transacted
more business-written more insurance,
collected more premiums, and paid more
death claims and endowments than any
other man in this county, probably more
than all other agents put together. In
common with all successful agents, have
incurred the envy and enmity of the little
souled fellows who toe in. | have re-
Trained from noticing their attacks,
preferring to hold myself above their
petty squabbles and questionable prac-
tees. In charity and with the lesson OF
lorbearance thoroughly burned into me,
have held my peace, but the time has
come to speak.
A Spite Affair.
One OF the "others, banking upon the
credulity of farmers, perslstently and
maliciously DETAINED the Mutual Life in
neighboring community until one igno-
rant farmer, after carrying twenty year
endowment in my company for two years,
las straight, simple and honest policy
as any man ever owned,) was frightened
into throwing it up, and induced to
sue me for Misrepresentation OF the policy
and recovery OF the premiums. He may
recover but doubt it. II he can then the
business of insurance may as well cease,
for no policy was ever placed by any agent
in a more upright and straightforward
manner. This ''other" agent then insured
this man in his company, but the man
though some foolish is not fool, and he
soon dropped the "other" agents policy
also, whether he has instituted another
suit am not informed, and is now tell
ing people that the Mutual Lille is the
best company of the two.
This whole matter was a spite affair,
and people on every hand assure me that
am not the man whose reputation has
suffered in the public estimation. At all
events the people of that community are
carrying more insurance in the Mutual
Lille than in all other companies combined
dismiss this subject with the statement
that have on file affidavits Of many of
the most responsible residents of that sec
ton to the effect that said "Otlier" agent
wiliully lied about the Mutual Life and
its policies. He will, of course, act his
own Judgment about continuing his tao
tics Of the past.
Another Queer Transaction.
"Other" agent No. is not naturally
knave, and trust gentle warning may
have a restraining influence. Therefore,
In his case l shall draw it mild. He or
his sub agent, or both, it matters not
which, displaced policy had written
with one OF his own. This was not
strictly in accord with the ethics of the
craft, but let it pass. He worked his
policy in and my policy out, easing his
conscience, suppose, with the reflection
that could find another customer easier
than he could. Three months after my
policy was issued brother Of the appli-
cant acting, presumably, upon the advice
of"Other agent No. 2" or his sub-agent,
entered my Office, asked for the policy
and rendered payment. was dazed by
such an abrupt right angle turn in the
affair or l would have been on my guard.
delivered the policy to him and accepted
the premium conditional upon immediate
receipt ola physician S certificate of health
which was promised.
Well, the applicant was dead-had been
dead for hours when his brother took the
policy and promised to furnish health
certificate. But "Other agent No. 2" was
alive-alive to the possibilities OF the
hour. What did do? Naturally under
such circumstances he would have said
to those people, THAT policy is as dead
as the man who is named in it. He did
not intend to take it he refused to take