The herald., 1898-11-21
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I A SIMPLE PROPOSITION ;
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BY HOGABOOM

BY HOGABOOM
For some time past have been the re.
cipient of frequent visits from very pleas.
ant and affable gentleman who appears tc
have received a message from the spirit
world to the effect that l am in urgent
need of life insurance. By most curious
coincidence this gentleman happens to be
the agent of life insurance company him
self. He has been inspired, l understand,
by his spirit control to devote his entire
time and attention, during the short, trans
itory period left to him on this lowly earth,
to the noble work of securing for my family
a suitable pecuniary recompense when am
dead.
The matter has even gone SO far that, with.
out my knowledge or consent, a company
has been formed in New York
city, with capital of several million dollars
to carry out the idea, and it was only a
this gentleman, who, it seems, was sent out
here for the purpose.
The gentleman has called very frequently
of late, and we talked the matter over quite
is, he has talked it over
quite thoroughly, while have listened quite
thoroughly.
1t seems as the gentleman has often ex
planned to me, that there are great many
people who do not understand life insur
ance. There are several little crooks and
turn to it, and at first glance it seems some
what complicated, while as matter of fact
it is Quite simple.
l could not undertake here to go into {
lengthy explanation of the various methods
of life insurance now in vogue, nor attemp,
to show the many benefits to be derived
from all the different plans employed, but
l feel that in the short space given me
may possibly make clear some points that
the average person finds a trihe opaque tc
the understanding.
In the first place. I desire to say that tn.
insurance company invariably leaves tn,
question of the amount of money a person
will be apt to require after he is dead t.
the judgment of the person himself. Hav
ing once determined upon such amount, tn,
applicant is expected to notify the agent
The agent will at once prepare candid anl
perfectly lucid statement, setting forth thu
cost of the insurance and the benefits to bs
received, as well as the exact manner o
their receipt. And right there is wher
mOSu people nave Deen mlSleu.
The popular belief is, l find, that the com
pany waits until you notify it that you ART
dead, and then sends you check for the
amount agreed upon, together with a receipt
for same, to be signed by you and returned
by the next mail. Such is not the case, how
ever.
/ am not perfectly familiar myself with al
the terms in use in the plans of insurance
companies, but by reference to several ton
of printed matter left at my office by thu
gentlemanly agent of this company, ant
from what l can recall to mind of his con
versation, feel safe in stating that por
tion of the money is available while you
are still on earth, provided ,of course, that
you can find the time to use it before yor
die. That matter is left entirely to your
own discretion.
Briefly, the plan is this: At stated periods
you are required to pay to the agent of the
company certain sums, more as guarantee
of good faith than anything else, the com
pany already having several million dollars
lying around the house in an old sock which
it does not know what to do with, hardly
Now, then, if you do not care to be bothered
with it, there is nothing more required OF
you except to die, and the company doesn't
even compel you to do that. In fact, you are
at perfect liberty to live forever, provided,
of course, you keep up the guarantee OF
good faith.
However, there is a provision which en-.
ables you, at the expiration of stated num-
ber of years, to draw guaranteed reserve,
together with the surplus results as appor-
toned, provided, of course, that you have
not died in the meantime. In that event you
are not to draw the guaranteed reserve, to-
gether with the surplus results as appor-
toned.
Now, then, if you do not care to die, and
have no desire to draw the guaranteed re-
serve, together with the surplus results as
apportioned, you may simply draw the sur
plus results as apportioned and let the guar
anteed reserve rip, until you think you can
use it in your business In that event there
is no necessity for you to go on paying the
premium after you are dead, and you have
the benefit of paid-up participating policy,
and are then at, liberty to die at any time
you please, merely suiting your own con-
venience about that
There is another advantage in this. You
can purchase with the surplus results as
apportioned life annuity, which you can
have framed and hung up on the wall, and
at the same time continue the paid-up par
ticipating policy, and sell the surplus re-
suits as apportioned to the secondhand
man, or possibly find chance to trade
them for a good hunting dog.
Not only that, but the total reserve, un-
derstand, may be added to the surplus re-
suits as apportioned and swapped for good,
serviceable life annuity. The only condition
is that you receive this life annuity before
you die. Otherwise the policy will be dis.
continued at death.
That is done because the company, while
it does not, ordinarily, care to encourage
death, wishes to have everybody feel free
to die if they wish to. These life annuities
are all high grade, and made of the best
material
I have given this simple outline of the
plan of life insurance so that any one who
cares to, who has been seriously consider
ing whether it is best to die or not, may
see at glance just what the advantages to
be derived from it are.
I have some printed matter bearing on
the subject, which the gentlemanly agent
of the company has so kindly left at my
office at various times, which will offer,