The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1905-02-09
THE GREAT DESTROYER
SOME STARTLING FACTS ABOUT
THE VICE OF INTEMPERANCE.
The Latest News in Life Insurance Circles
is Astonishing the Tipplers Death
Rate Among Moderate Drinkers Much
Larger Than Among Ab~stainers.

The Latest News in Life Insurance Circles
is Astonishing the Tipplers Death
Rate Among Moderate rInkers Much
Larger Than Among Abstainers.
The Boston Herald, under the editorial
head "Favoring Total Abstainers," says:
"1f the insurance companies decide to
favor the total abstainer, it will be pretty
strong proof that their Investigations have
led them to the conclusion that even the
moderate use of alcohol is not conducive
to long life. If this step is taken by the
insurance companies it will unquestlonably
prove a very strong temperance. or rather
total abstinence, argument. In many lines
of industry the total abstainer is now
given special advantages. There
will be few temperance arguments more
eloquent to the average man than the as
surance that he may receive a better rat
ing from the insurance companies II he IL
a total abstairer than if he is an occasional
user of alcohol.
'"The New York Tribune states that a
number of actuaries and medical directors
AVE been working on the statistics for
some years. and have come to the conclu-
sion that those who refrain entirely from
the use of alcohol live longer by from
twenty to fifty per cent. than do moderate
drinkers as a class. = Even if the
minimum named was the maximum in real
ity it would justify the companies in TAX
ing the temperance factor into considera-
III IL OON +t
twenty per cent. longer on the average
than do those who indulge in n moderate
use of alcohol. that fact should be taken
into consideration in figuring the risk OF
insurance on either class"
The Kansas Citv Journal, under the cap
tior "Alcohol as Food" says:
Medical science has reached the conciu-
sion that 1T is useless If not injurious to
take alcohol even for its possible food ele-
ments. And this scientific view has been
z: -AI --.4 - 4L4 ,.i,ae
world. The big life insurance companies
are about to give special low rates for life
insurance to those who are total abstain
ers in the matter OF spirituous and malt
liquors. The companies have approached
this matter without prejudice, as it is
merely a matter Of dollars and cents With
them"
The New York American, in comment
ing on these latest bulletins of the life in
surance societies notes the following testi-
mony of DIR. Shrady, the famous, practi-
TONER who was General Grants physician
throughout his last illness:
CDR. George F. Shrady voiced the senti-
ment of a score of prominent physicians
when he said in speaking of the new insur-
t" T think it is a good and just planA and
the liheraiity of insurance companies to
non-drinkers will be a profitable arrange,
ment. That reduced rates should be given
on the lives OF total abstainers can be am
plv shown. No figures are necessary to
tell of the higher percentage of deaths
among peo1le addicted to the use Of
liquors. 1t is simply a matter OF daily OBJ
servation.
"'The extent to which drink sho"tens
life will be a matter for delicate adjust
ment. 1t must. of course, depend upon the
amount of liquor taken into the system.
The moderate drinker of to-day may be,
come the immoderate drinker of to-n1or.
row. There are all sorts of things which
must enter into the calculations of the in.
surancp companies and to arrive at a pro.
per reduction will require some very deft
figuring
"The proposed new policy. it is said, viii
contain manv safeguards to protect the
company against fraud on the part of the
policy holder aud against any fall from
grace after the policy is issued. These de.
tails are still under consideration"