Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-10-10

ASSURANCE COMMISSIONERS HOST.
cannot refuse this contest. To fail to
be represented at the convention
would be confession that the people
of the state are not with them. Of
course, Senator Spooner's friends look
to see him sent; this they may seek
either by a contest, with the endorse
ment of President Roosevelt, to the
effect that he would be gratified if the
people of Wisconsin should send the
friend and associate to the conven-
ton, or a compromise between the
factions may bring about a list that
should put both of them on an equal
footing Of course, it is absurd that
there should be any harmony even for
an hour, but politicians are after re-
suits always. Names that occur as
ernor LaT'ollette, the two United
States senators, Mr.. Stephenson, ex-
Governor Hoard, Senator Stout, eX-
Governor Scofeld and others.
Too Much Profit in Insurance,
Insurance Commissioner Host, like
Mr.. Fricke, of the Upham administra
ton, is not content merely to do the
routine and draw his pay. Mr.. Host is
making it warm for the big companies,
whose eXtrava gance is a growing sub
ject of remark. The big buildings put
up in the cities, with their palatial
equipment, evince millions that the
companies do not know what to do
with, while the margin of profit to sue
ceSsful agents makes it possible for
some of them to earn salaries that stag
ger the ordinary worker. In a recent
address to a fresh lot of college grad
yates about to embark on the business,
a high official told them if they could
not earn at least $4,000 a year from
the start, they had better abandon the
calling. 1t is not strange fraternal
orders, which promise protection at low
rates, have multiplied. The growth of
tho investment feature causes the
scientific actuaries to look askance. The
craze to do big business is leading
the companies to pay bonuses of all
sorts-money which really should re-
main in the pockets of the pOlicyhOld-
er. Commissioner Host says that in
many instances expenditures for new
business have been enormously in
creased, the commissions paid to
agents having been advanced from Is
per cent and % per cent to IS per cent
and 100 per cent of the first years
premium. He thinks that the cost of
getting business has been raised to an
extent that makes the old policyhold-
ers bear in too large degree the bur-
den of the new.
His principal reform, however, is an
attempt to get the surplus dividend,
many millions over and above the re-
serve, which is supposed to be sutfi-
cient to meet all maturing policies
The Foresters, one of the fraternals,
has some $6,OOO,000 saved up, and there
is a contingent in that order who want
this dividend for the benefit of the
policyholders. One way is to omit the
collection of premiums of members
who have been in the order for a GER
tain number of years.
Congregationalists at Menomonie.
There are $4,000 Congregationalists
in the state. DR.. Titsworth's church
in Milwaukee, the pulpit of the late
DIR. Ide, in the same city; DR.. Up
dike's church in Madison are some of
the strongest centers of this faith.
The Congregationalists have 270
churches in Wisconsin. The annual
convention is held In Menomonie,