The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1908-03-25
Wednesday, March rs. 1908
NEILS CHRISTENSEN.
Brave and Honorable LegikIatOr--In.
telligent EditOr--An Round Cen

teIligent EDITORIAL Round Gen
tlemnn.
Tn article below, as taken from the Beau
fort Gazette. proves most clearly the correct
ness OF our contention that q man might be q
gentleman, though an editor.
That there 10 force in what the BamberP
Herald says none need deny. When we first
read 1t, we agreed with every word Oft. But
when We read whatt the Beaufort Gazette said
we were convinced that there are two sides
to the question, and now we know that there
are editors who live and Think on a high
plane.
Our own opinion is, that q man ought TO be
as Editor Christensen is in this instance, al
ways respectful TO those who differ from him
But at the same time he should express his
honest convictions, though others may think
them erroneous. He should always reserve
the right to change his opinions. II Vinoed
OF error, he should have the courage to change
next week. When an editor conceives the
idea tina he can learn nothing or. that he
knows 1t all, he Is in the class OF dead men
and fools who never change their mind.
We note especially what our brother says
OF an editor being an insurance agent. Ac-
cording to our way OF thinking an editor
should not AXE q place as life insurance agent.
Our conviction is, and has been for many
veal re-, that life insurance has done more TO
impoverish the people than almost any other
enterprise. If.any body will take the trouble
to look at the growth Of the capital stock OF
or osperous life insurance companies and will
lhen lock on The wild cat. and the mutual or
assessment plans. he will not forget that per.
haps tbr.e-iourths Of all the money which is
put into them is q total lois 10 the indlvidu'
ais.
1t is true that now and then an insurer is q
winner, when the fact Is ADVERTISED: far
and wide. But the great number Of men who
are overtaken by misfortune, old age, or other
inability 10 pay toe annual premiums loses
all or II not the whole, we have never beard
OF any unfortunate insurer Dragging about
receiving back any considerable amount Of
the money which he paid In.
The mutual companies which propose to
give cheap insurance, fulfill their engage
ment at the first, but as the years 70 by the
cost increases, until many OF the last surviv-
ors are crowded ont and lose all.
We think that no editor should take the PC
s!tion of life insurance agent. An editor il
supposed while taking care Of himself to
work for the public welfare, but 1t is not clear
10 us how an editor can take part in inducing
people to spend their money in specializing
on their life. il Is, we believe, the custom Of
the companies to give 10 agents the first
year a very large per cent-not less than 65
mar cent for catching gudgeons. AS We have
heard, forty per cent goes 10 the local agent,
and twenty-five per. cent to the State AGENT, or
general agent.
The Beaufort Gazette says:
NEwsPAPERMEN IN PoLITIcs.|Says our
GOOD mend the Bsmberg Herald;
sThe longer we are in the newspaper business
the more firmly do we become convinced
that any sort offs public position hampers an