The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-11-19
LIFE INSURANCE IN AMERICA

the life insurance companies of Grea
i BrEain but none OF them compares II
wealth with either OF the three great In
stitutions which have their headquarter'
In New York.
During the last twenty six years the In
vested assets of English life insurance com
p91tes have grown from $3.50 900 to th'
enormous sum OF $l,170,oO0O0o. This is al
average annual increase OF nearly $3.50
| 0gJ, but the increase In 1896 alone was $780,.
100000. A similar progression during the
next twenty-five years would show in
| vested assets OF more than $1,000. 00O, 600
| white at the end OF half a century the in
surance companies would be enjoying an
income considerably greater than that oil
the British government.
a. q. Mackenzie, the writer of the Bank
ers Magazine article, deyotes himself 10
tho consideration, In no hostile spirit. OF
The influence present and prospective.
which these enormous funds exert upon the
interest problem and upon the stock mar
ket. One inevitable effect, he estimates.
viii be the etill further depression OF rates
OF Interest. During the twenty-siX years
under review the interest earned by the
funds OF companies has fallen from AZ
TO 80 per cent
III heightened period OF peace and
prosperity is still before the country" Mr..
Mackenzie argues "the fall In the general
rate Of interest all over the field of invest
ments Is likely to be more rapid, and fin-
ancal prophets are already anticipating at
a no.. distant date time when gilt edged
securities Will with difficulty be brought
TO yield per cent
Many English insurance companies hav
ing this end IN view. are now charging
their powers of Investment. Mortgages upon
English real estate. for instance. are no
longer profitable, and the latest movement
has been in favor of mortgages in British
colonies, which yield in many cases per
cent. During the last eight years tho
amount OF life insurance. funds invested in
English mortgages has decreased S35, 900,
600, and colonial mortgages have increased
by corresponding amount. The great
volume of growth In insurance fund in
vestments has, however, boon in stock eX-
change securities, comprising British, In
dian colonial ard foreign government
bonds and general stocks and shares.
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The ten largest life Insurance companies
In this country represent liabilities of near
ly $4,000, 100000. Three companies in New
York-the Mutual, Equitable and New York
Life-alone represent liabilities of S2,765,-
100000, while their assets are about $780,
100000. 1t is impossible for them to TAI!
unless We have an epidemic that carries off
half the population of the country. in
which event the other half would haze lii
Tie interest In anything, But the ransiIl,y
with which their assets and their incomes
are increasing is a matter for tAriouS con-
temptation. The equitable. Tor example,
was started in 1860 by Henry p. Hyde wbth
u capital OF 100000, which was contributed
by ten men, each taking 100 shares at 500
each. The capital has never been in
but since that time Mr. HYDE has
purchased the interests OF several of his
associates, until now he owns s51 900 of
the stock, or $1,000 more than half and is
therefore in absolute control OF the com
pany.
Mr. Hyde lis now lying very sick AT his
residence In New York, and 1t Is feared
that he Will nor recover as stated In these
dispatches few days ago II is understood
among his friends that he has placed his
life Insurance stock in the hands OF trus ees,
with instructions TO keep 1t intact forever
.t mas ptoF'uea loF the distribution OF
amot,r h =. beira Is rno;,aI t, MANI a, ~.
SON. a young man of excellent charscler
and intelligence, who graduated from coli
reg LEV years ago anu mas since been
10 m his fathers nIecs tT6a -
erests and responsibilities which he rep
resenls are greater, probably, than have
-seI peen IMPOSED upon a single man In
nv rspidity 1''9-"9 "''' '''ia"-
WNhjn Tho I,st thirtv- eigb+ vo,rs +so
iahiiiftes which MIR Hvde bas orrlaa -
increased from 81 Ia 00o 10 &c so51 1e5 n SaT
1,,,.,r'r ~ io.. g,,.tiVvo 20 S'oi 'loo'Sa''
,reaeed naarfv Sem ooo 0oo ~ nrs, nav w
ears tho asests NJ ybo ar ,ne io'sy
,eloncIne, "a b,,nar,s- - .t Nh, p.su5
Va yhn b,e, " o. peg
,aen for tboi, ..i5o",s 70 W. iiylo 10
ma most s,nr,d ,,.,,ss 49, ~ NE tnIuren
ha, ,cnoasn, $50, 81 a., o5n ~ imposed
oS Dnrrr ~ AZ = wv w 70 S-oo's!o
n,re,ssd Som ono 200 80 thsy nave
a., 49,, $,ss ooo 400 ahu uurlng tAe last
mo- H. ~, %. npl oo Az NOW n'Feas-
neotn., ~ ~ ~ ~ el,oUV'yoV ilohtn' Ihe
90 am y, 60 60 ooo o oan uas Julupei from
.o,,. ~, ~, Fin'vvo,uVv ysar. anu ~ per
,env a., ."'o inIop is,lall's N9un me com
rer ~ -, lns'seu,eh- every year aIter pay
20 ga 'VsSeS "''u eNpeilses'
The receipts of the Mutual Life compary
last year we're over 81 ooo ooo ,veol, an,
nj ,,o,, H.. - :, go nv
10y nave licreAseu nearly ~
Der cent The receipts of the New York
life during last year were SAP O00. 600. and
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