The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-10-19
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1905.
HONEST INSURANCE.

If there is any one human tnsututlon besides our courts of justice. which should be kept and managed honestly fairly and with no taint of crime on it that institution is insurance, and es- peciaIiy life insurance. Our courts ought 10 be above suspicion, even if they are not always so, but miscarriage of jus lice Is not always as harmful in It's ef- tects as is corruption in life insurance affairs.
 All over this country and in all walks of life, among high and low, there will be found those who are largely de- pendent on their life insurance for means of support for their loved ones when the protector and provider of the family is called away. In many cases the husband and father literally stints himself and family for many years to pay the premiums, and when he is gone it Is found that the claim against the company is worthless. In many cases a company goes to pieces leaving nothing for the policy holders. many of whom not only find themselves robbed of all they have paid in premiums, but have passed the age of insurance and cannot take out another policy.
 It Is no wonder that the revelations made and making in connection with three of the largest insurance compa- nies in the country have aroused srir- it of suspicion and fear which may eff feet those companies whose business is conducted honestly and fairly. It cannot be otherwise. When people who are carrying heavy insurance read the disclosures of dishonesty in the man. agement of certain large companies it is not to be wondered at if they ask themselves if their own insurance is safe.
 Of course there are companies which i, are managed honestly and with due re- gard for the rights and interests of policy holders. and it may be that tho dishonest ones form but a very small percentage of the whole. but how are the policy holders to know which are the safe ones? They have the reputa- ton of the company and the fact that 1t has always paid its claims promptly. but that is not an assurance of future safety. So far as we know the three great companies which are now being shown up were not suspected until re- gently.
 If it is possible for human laws to be enacted and enforced which will make life insurance safe. and will ad- eauately punish those whose dishonesty wrecks companies and robs policy hold 1k -t. t.H TS kA be done for the welfare of both the living and the dead, and it ought to be done so that the honest companies may not suffer for the sins of the dishonest. --S-o-S
 The Advertiser is in receipt of the first number of The Rural South. pub iished in Birmingham. Its aim and ob- feet can be best explained by it's own announcement of purpose, which is as follows:
 Realizins-the great good that has all ready been accomplished by the south ern Cotton Association. and being in tereeted in its continued success and future usefulness. some of its friends have determined to establish The Rural South, q weekly newspaper, which has for its object the bringing of It's mem bers Into closer touch, and that organi- zati0n may be more easily effected.
 President Jordan, and the presidents of other State Divisions will be asked to determine the course the proceeds derived from its publication shall take, and they shall be disposed of according ly.
 The Rural South Is non-political.
 ". H. Seymour.
 The paper Is filled with interesting and valuable information from all over the cotton region.