Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1901-08-08
THE GREAT DESTROYER
SOME STARTLING FACTS ABOUT
THE VICE OF lNTEMPERANcE.
Abstainers and Life Insurance-The Time
Will Come When a NOn-AlcohoIis
Clause VIII BE an Important Feature
of Every Reputable Policy

Abstainers and Life Insurance-The Time
VIII Come When Non-AlcOhoIis
Clause viii BE an Important Feature
of Every Reputable Policy.
During the last few days the daily
papers have made the discovery of a fact
which readers of the New Voice knew
msnths ago that one of the largest of the
''old line insurance companies has estab-
hshed total abstinence department for
patrons the advantages that ought to ac
crue to them. The comments which ap-
pear upon this step, which the very
learned and wise editorial writer's seem
to suppose is an utterly new thing are
various, but most of them are commenda-
tory in their tone.
1t is interesting to notice that most of
these daily papers that are now com
menting upon this subject have, during
the last year or two given currency to
the old fake figures that sought to show
that total abstainers live less years than
hard drinkers.
The Chicago Rccord-Herald says:
The time may come when "nonalco-
hollc clause Will be as important in life
Nlnsurance policy as the ''gasolene clause
IN fire insurance policy A man who
stores certain amount of fire water in
his abdominal basement every day will be
regarded as no better risk than the house
lar.
This will be the inevitable outcome of
the plan recently inaugurated by a life
insurance company of New York should
it be generally adopted by all the big life
underwriters in this country. The plan of
this company is to write policies for to
tai abstainers' upon different basis
from that offered to users of alcoholic
stimulants After an extended study of
mortality statistics for several years, sup
plemented by the testimony of medical
science, the company has finally concluded
that the claim that total abstinence con-
duces to longevity no longer admits of
doubt, and it proposes to give total abb
stainers the benefit of lower rates for life
insurance.
The cost of life insurance, as is well
known, is determined upon the basis of
''the chances of life" at all ages as dis
closed by carefully compiled mortality sta
tstics If it is fact that the Chances of
life are affected by indulgence in alco-
holic stimulants, the man who indulges is
a less desirable risk" than the total alb
stainer.. 1t ought to follow, therefore, as
simple proposition in common equity
that the man who habitually drinks alco-
surance than the man of the same age
who abstains. In other words, the total
abstainers should not be required to pay a
portion of the extra cost incident to car
rying the ''boozers" on the insured rolls.
The Iowa State Register comments as
follows:
In Europe there are a number of nsur-
ance institutions which have had special
policies for temperance men for many
years, and the petitioners believe that it
is high time the American companies fol-
low the example. The officials of the COM
pany admitted that an injustice was done
to men who have been total abstainers in
n fhprp nc
who drink. the books of the company
showing that the ratio of death among
drinking men was greater than among
temperance men, and yet as an insurance
risk the two have been on the same foot
ing. The action of the company is com
mendable. as is the action of men who
signed the petition. 1t is not right to
make temperance man pay part of the
premium on the life insurance of drink
ING man