The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-02-13
pRosPERITY,S SURF PROOF
Life Insurance Men Talk Of the Return of
Good Times.

Now that the year 1891 is over il IS pos
sible 10 consider the question Of its pros
perity from the point of view Of actual
results. and TO gauge IL by the condition
of business enterprise.
The large business interests Of the
country furnish a direct refutation OF the
statement which Senator Stewart OF Ne
vada. made recently in Chicago. that
there Is no prosperity in this country
at present The excellent standing OF
railroad properties throughout the United
States, the increased earning capacity OF
these properties. the growing value or
farm products. and the revival OF com
mercial industries in all directions. are
only few of the many proofs mat the
last year was prosperous Senator Stew
art himself had 10 acknowledge that the
financial and commercial condition Of the
Missouri country IS "a great deal
better than IL was q year ago. He SAID
that gold and silver mines are being de-
VelOped every day in the west, that wheat
veloped every day in the West. that
wheat-raising States are experiencing
short boom. and that the cattle business
is better than for many years.
One of the means of judging the feeling
of prosperity which exists Is through the
condition of the large life insurance com
panies, which reach all classes ana are
affected directly by any change IN the
feeling Of the people. The officers OF sew
eral of the large companies Of this city
have given TO the sun their views about
the prosperity Of the country as eylden-
ced by their business. President John \.
Mccall of the New York Life said that
the year 1891 had been the most prosper
Gus and successful year his company has
ever had.
There has been an increased demand
for insurance from western and southern
directions" he continued. and these III
Quiries were generally for high-class in
vestment insurance rather than for the
cheap plan Of pure protection without
the investment feature. In addition TO
this healthy demand for insurance, there
We're fewer lapsed policies throughout the
country than I'm any Of the six years
have been president OF this company. on
the whole, the cOmpany's earnings Tor
1891 have never been equalled, and the
payment OF cash dividends 10 policy hold
ers in the last twelve months has been
S350.000 more than was paid IN 1896.
At the Office Of the Mutual Life Pres
ident Richard 4. McCurdy said that al
though the statistics of the business Of his
company for 1897 were not yet available.
there was no doubt that there had been
increased business, with "a clear indica-
ton of improved business conditions and
a general feeling Of prosperity
This country Is generally growing IN
prosperity" Mr. McCurdy continued.
The increase In prosperity az present Is
perhaps not as rapid compared with that
Of other countries as IL used 10 be. But
occasional setbdcks. What the country
needs To recover from the feeling OF un-
certainty which has prevailed OF late
years is peace ] mean economic peace.
The business Of this country h. injured
by struggles between classes ana by wild
political agitation. But the results Of the
last year i'm our company are a clear M
dication that the country has entered
upon another era OF prosperity, when
should lead 10 rapid development in all
lines of business. The insurance busi-
ness is conducted on conservative prin-
ciples and its prosperity shows feeling
of confidence and security among the
people.
The growth Of insurance for purposes
Of investment as well as for protection
against accidents and death Is a clear
indication of prosperity
Vice President james W. Alexander, Of
tho Equitable, said:
"A company ike the Equitable. trans
acting business In every town and ham,
let Of the United States. has the oppor-
tunity of feeling the pulse OF the public,
in regard 10 the commercial and financial
status with comparative accuracy. For
several years business has progressed
with a brake on. Now the brakes are
of. and there Is no question whatever
OF the difference in feeling. Hopefulness
and confidence are more prevalent and
the very existence Of such a feeling is
productive OF greater prosperity The AZ
fairs of this company during 1897 have
shown a constant and increasing change
for the better. Investment securities
have been enhanced in value. and active
agents who in recent years have found
1t difficult TO meet their business ex-
penses are now finding the public ready
10 invest in insurance contracts. The
outlook for 1895 is very bright. and in
formation comes in every day through
the many arteries reaching out TO the
most distant parts OF the country that
spirit prevails altogether in contrast with
the gloom of past years. How much OF
this is due to the individual prestige Of
the company l cannot say. Probably
both influences have their effect New
York Sun.