The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-11-03


not opposed to free books, but 1t believes
that each community should pay for its
own books.
Southern Insurance Companies.
The Houston (Tex.) Post reproduces
AN article from The Times Dispatch on
Southern life insurance companies with
the remark that "thc Post has been a
pioneer in urging Southern people to pa
tronize and build UP Southern Insurance
companies, and so long as Southern peo-
pie refrain from doing SO, so long will
the economic independence of the South
be deferred" In extending its remarks
our contemporary says that Il insurance
merely had to provide for ones DEEPEN
dents, it would make little difference
where the company was located, but that
insurance has become the agency which
actually controls both the finance and
development OF the country. 1t points
out that the New York companies con-
centratc in that city annually a sum
equivalent to more than one-third the
a result Of which the trustees of these
hundreds of millions finance almost every
great enterprise in America and many of
those Of foreign countries.
There is no question says the Post
in conclusion, tabout the pre-emnence
of the South as a field for investment.
Then why should not Southern money
be invested in the South? If Southern
premiums were concentrated in tho
South, cheaper money would follow, and
greater development and prosperity
would follow cheaper money.
1--WE have in the South, some promising
life Insurance companies. If these were
patronized as they should be they would
be great agencies for Southern develop
ment within ten years and within a
generation we would be entirely indie
pendent Of the frcnzied fnanciers of New
York"
We cannot expect to build up great
insurance companies here in a day or in
n year, but we can begin now. and If
Southerners will bestow their patronage
upon the home companies they Will grow
and wax strong In comparatively short
| time We can rs easily develop and
i
| we can develop and build up home banks
| and home factories. We have the genius,
we have the push, we have the integrity.
| All that seems to be lacking is confidence
in our own abilities.
But there is one serious obstacle in the
| way and that Is the lack of agents. The
best agents are now in the employment
OF Northern companies, and It is hard TO
break them away from that afflliatlon. A
Southern man who Is Interested in a
Southern life insurance company remark
ed in our presence the other day that
he had been greatly hampered in his
work on this account: that tho Northern
companies paid such enormous prices
for the services of agents that he felt
that 1t was an Injustice to the policy.
holders of his company to pay more, O,
even az much, but that II looked to hin
as If he would have to meet this CONNIE
tition and nay tho price IL lie expected
his company to extend its business.
or this VIC know not, but 1t developc,
In the Now York Investigation that on
, agency In that city received $4,000
year in commissions. In the light o
such developments as this, 1t is high tim
time that The Southern people were dop
; something to protect themselves frOr
: such waste and extravaganza,
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