The St. Louis Republic., 1905-08-27

Is 10 offer them Inducements. This desire
for q great volume has lc.i to increased
commissions TO agents. and the coi.siane
has led agents TO divide their .Or,lmis-
lions With tho insured. anj as co:Ise-
oIenoe tire ccs: cs new business has
a poin; that calls for IL halt. 1t should
IT, stated. however. that high ccnyinisssi"Es
reached their zenith some years ago. and
are now IN tho downward tendency. IL
ihe desire for greater volume has nor
been confined Z" any. one c"mpany: tus
has 70 q Eseater az les extent aHectsd
in eNtenuaiiOn q: the race i"- ,sew b,;>i-
ness: I, has educated the people 10 believe
In life Insurance. and l., protect the future
arc. and thus many families have received
benefits that they would not have received
had not III. subject heen brought to the
attention cf the Ereadw:En-r. This state
nent IL not made aS MI argument. but
Z" emphasize 4 fact. The rapid growth Of
the business. OF course. resulted in greatly
Increased incomes. and as these 'n,mens"
sums in,ist i,s key: AT work earning i:'-
ter-s;. and as the mo..ey roile.. IN faster
than I could r. invested in farm i"aI.S
and city loans. .s il the earlier cals, 9TH
sOu9h: snd cut az these conditions has
grown tile rgrseL. scandal in the .f:2irs
OF one q. the gIea; companies.
OTHER EXPENSES.
Another thing that has added 90 :hc
expenses not only Of life Insurance CONF
Va:l!es. bot Of insurance companies Of all
kinds. has been the numerous eAAMin2-
tions Of companies by State insurance de-
Ear.m.nts The power ~ T., me i,'-utanSs re
sN.iu;.. In :. number Of instances where
th. lowers oi the Commissioner has been
tested in tine courts the court has held
that the acts CT the commissioner We're.
under the law. not subject tn review. hy
tn.. highest tribunal Of tho State. This un-
iimitcsi power has tsecn ab4se1 N son'S
submit; 80 unnecessary examinations at
great COS: TO the POLICY holders IN "ii"
Instance ths charge cf a department ior
o., Instances co',li Sc cited where This
sum was exceeded. ndcr the laws ~ the
various STATE. the cost ~ EXAMINATIONS
must i.e f~in 10y he :i:sn:sncs en;iipai:.
nierous scandals and Tn" exaIniners 81
SOM. % III. .cpaT.m'iIts Were .tiIe-. road
ssse:'ts ~ s!oa, n'is nreii t',.- aeVs' q. ;s'
sirlncc i..s be-i, ac;tate;. an! Icscl;s.. IN
President Roosevelt refe'rtis 20 !; III
his message TO Congress "a: the last s.s-
session O. Congress will c:lac. leSt>la-
:i.n looking To rho control q: Insurance.
h thc general Government. u u in'fos-
..bIo in d., article % thi. character 10
poIr. oat all ~ the causes cf Increased
expenses OF LII. insurance ccr-naa'.s IL
has been the aim q. III. writer :" cfscI'ss
SIS lrtrr slS Is,SSitS >rsts et ,fi> NdA-S's
AID the probable remedy. In view az u.
;r-Sen: agitation ard unrest in E:. III
suraa>s business the Question suggests
ifself-what oS the future. Will expenses
t~ reduced and will ~. management OF
lii, ...susanc. companies b. free from
abuse os trust.
As has bee.. pointed Oh; there can Le 70
mate.ia! reduction IN rates. and X the ;'i-
.u:e cost TO policy holt.rs - 10 be less Il
must conis ~ ia. fesuI; "i noi. ec"'so!!9-
zeal n.a,.a cement. That tho present agfta-
ticp Will result In reforms IS beyond 1ues:
sio. A. a result OF The rati1 growth of
tn. business. abuses iastene,: themselves
On the business. Rot due - dishonesty.
though III. latter has resulted ir some IN
stances. but rather to the fact thai abuses
are inevitable IN the rapid growth OF any
great business. And IL - only alter -
hal: i> called and stock IL taken and :,
retro. y~ctivc view l. i.duigsd tr: that
-h.s.a abuses becorn. apparent. and sfse-.
In the life insurance business. as IN every
other. the pruning knife : applied a.i ;he
G.,reAS.-i branches are cut oT ard scars
are healed No iadictn..nt Of dishonesty
against the life INSURANCE. management as
" i,c.e can IT, brought. the management
-. the average company has not only hen
honest but conservative. an! oHsc-re4 bv
r.sa OF ability and integrity The wrongs
O. the business have been fs~ in com.
s.s.is5r 90 TIE many Years of unsein.is
devotion on the cA.r u coU.any officials
The i!,!!osnce and the t~ne!ic.Dce OF the
business IS over widening. ss the years
come Ard 20. and 1:ih the process cs
years viii come higher ard clsan-: meth.
c-is ard ske busSntss VII continue 70
grow a. long - there IL life ard death