The progressive farmer and the cotton plant., 1905-05-02

surance Company had given magnlhcent fancy
dress ball after the manner of the old french
Kings-and the $4,000 or more OF expense IN
volved had been taken from the company>s funds
paid by the policy holders. The truth is, IN
surance rates are high and one needs no turth-
er proof of this than the $40O,OOO,OOO surplus
which this one company has accumulated IN spite
of its extravaganza. Last year North Carolina
paid into the Equitable treasury $34O O5l291, and
of this amount only $99,882 was paid on policies.
Nor is this showing much worse than Tor
the average life insurance company doing busl-
ness within our borders. All combined received
in premiums last year $3,256,389.6O and paid
back in losses only $853,983.89. With such
showing-two million dollars paid to these for
eign corporations in excess of the amount PAID
on losses-it is not surprising that the Raleigh
News and Observer has struck popular chord
by advocating the establishment of department
of insurance as part of State government, ac-
cepting rishs of not more than $4,000 each.
The Southern Educational Conference.
The eighth annual session Of the Conference
for Education in the South, held in Columbia, S.
c. last week, brought together large number
of educators and public men from all parts of
the South, and also large number of Northern
leaders of thought who are interested in South
ern progress Such meetings cannot fail to be
productive of good. They have broadened the
vision of men of both sections Southern men
have been brought to see that there is "New
North" as well as New South-a New North
such as Mr.. Hamilton W. Mabie tells about in
the quotations we made a week or two ago from
his South Atlantic Quarterly article. And these
n na
first hand Investigations and confer frankly with
Southern leaders, have done much to develop
this broader spirit of the New North. Witness
DR.. Albert Shaw, DR.. Lyman Abbott and Mr..
Robert @. Ogden, to mention only three of those
whose coming among us has won us champions
and interpreters in the North.
The people of the North and of the South are
at heart much nearer together than the dema-
gogues and politicians have yet let either under
stand. It is always a good thing, therefore, as
some one has happily said for Southerners to go
North and cool off their passions and for North
erners to come South and thaw out their preju-
dices.
Mr.. Robert G. Ogden was reelected President
of the Conference, and Ex-Governor Aycock was
chosen Vice-President. Mr.. R. j. Baldwin, of
Alabama, Secretary, and W. A. Blair, of North
Carolina, Treasurer, complete the executive off
GERS of the Conferences while the following were
chosen members of the Executive Committee to
represent the States in The Progressive Farmers
territory: Virginia, DR.. S. c. Mitchell; Tennes-
see, S. A. Mynders; South Carolina D. B. John
son. Georgia, O. B. Gibson; North Carolina, Clar-
ence H. Poe.
notable decision was handed down by the
United States Supreme Court few days ago de-
claring unconstitutional an act of the New York
Legislature limiting the hours of labor in baking
establishments to ten day. The decision was
made hY divided court-5 to and o