The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1904-04-05
Flgures In lite Insurance what DO They
aTean9

Figures In Lite Insurance what 10 They
sEean9
The published statements Of banks. trust
companies aud industrial concerns com.
maud The attention Of persons Interested
10 them as investors or dep0sitors, the
Annual Statements Of great Life Insurance
Companies are read by the mass Of the
people with all the interest that attaches
to the more important news Of the day. Il
cannot be otherwise when practically ev-
cry family 10 every community feels that
Its own fortunes are closely connected
with and dependent upon the operations
of one or more of these tremendous bene-
ieient associations
The Metropolitan Life puts forth a
statement of its business In 1908, present
ing an array Of figures that shows impress
lively the intimate relations between this
institution and the whole people In one
item alone an amazing fact Is stated 1t is
that giving the number of policies in force
on the last day Of the year-more than
7, 500, 000--showing that one person ia ev,
cry ten Of the entire population of the
United States is insured IN this com.
pany.
In other items the figures are too large
70 convey any clear meaning until they are
divided and subdivided aud made to apply
to days and hours instead Of years. For
example, this great company has paid ID
aud invested for its policy holders since
organization, over s23s, 900 000-a sum
that will impress the average reader
merely as being vast aud very vague
There is quick comprehension, however
when we learn BY little calculation that
the amount thus distributed among policy
holders averaged $50 a minute during ev
cry working day Of the year.
Every day in the year 359 claims were
paid; every day In the year more than
9, 600 new policies were written. At the
end Of every day In the year the com
pany's assets were more than $4,000
greater than In the morning. Its total as
sets at the end Of the year were more
than &i05, 100000. Its total income fol
the one year 1908 was over $40 100000
Going back twenty years we have some
comparative figures that tell story af al
most incredible growth. The company's
income for the year 1888 was little oyel
S., 600, 600; for 1898 over $4,000, 900
for 1908 over $4,000, Goo; its sur
plus since 1858 has Increased from
about S627 900 to over $4,000 900 When
we come to the amount OF outstanding In
surance at the end Of the year we pass the
billion mark. The exact sum Is Sl,342,
! SS1 ,457 CO.
The Metropolitan Life received from
premiums and other sources during 1906
over So, 500, 600 more than in 1902
Nothing could show more plainly wha
Life Insurance really stands for in the
minds OF the people It Is not regarded
as a speculative venture, bnt a sure prom
\ ise OF security; safe shelter when anan
clal storm-olouds threaten general wreck
A concern like the Metropolitan Life In
surance company, Is, nf course, a business
organization but il Is one 10 which all d
its policy holders are bona hde partners
"a company OF the people, by the peopll
and for the people,; one that has known
how TO gain and how to justify the conf
dence Of the whole community,
That Is why no bank stakeholder vii
read the annual report Of bis own prosper
GUS bank with keener relish than people
everywhere read this remarkable state
ment Of the Metropolitan Life