The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-08-15

New York Dispatch
 When the fact was heralded a few days ago that the time honoredelec- tion betting in the financial district. made impossible by the new antigambl- ing laws, might be revived under the respectable auspices of the ancient Lliyds, of London, through the medium of insurance" policies against Mir. Bryan's election. the insurance brok CTS were flooded with a tide of strange clients anxious to get their mony down. Many of these sporting gentlemen. accustomed to call a spade by it's plain name. who were turned down. none too gently. by outraged and indignant brokers in international insurance, are perhaps still at a loss to fathom the fine distinctions drawn by modern suc- cessors of the seventeenth century pa- irons of Edward Lloyd's old coffee house in Tower street.
 To them 1t was explained that Lloyds known to the four corners of the earth as the one place where every vagary of fate could be discounted in cash. was not gambling establishment. that the same underwriters who wrote in- surance against Harry Thaw's convic- ton. who have carried for a genera tion a policy against the topping of
 
 of Standard tradesman. and who for centuries have written policies against every conceivable human disaster from the death of kings to rain on gala day. would not take "wagers."
 Should a merchant or a manufacturer lay in a stock of goods or start his factory full tilt in anticipation of brisk business following the election of Mir. Taft. he might calculate his loss in the contingency of Mir. Bryan's elevation to the chief executives office falling to bring about quick return of good times and insure against 1t, but the brokers insist, in such case, 1t would rest with the little group of London underwriters to decide whether 1t was q fair risk and ehere would still be the Lloyds agent in New York to be rec koned with in proving the claim.
 Some business was done with London I on this basis a week ago, and the first risk. that of manufacturer who want | ed to run his plants at ull capacity l for the two months proceeding the 1 election, was insured against loss in l the event of Bryan's election by pay ing a premium of 10 guineas per cent | As the guinea is a shilling in excess l of a pound, the premium of 10 guineas l in 100 pounds is equivalent to 10 1-z per cent. The amount of this policy remains a secret between the princi- pals, but 1t has not been denied that 1t was we'll up toward $100.000.
 Lloyds are a canny- crowd of British l CTS, and with wary eye on the uncer- | taintfes of the American public. even | with a twfce-defeated candidate to reckon with. they were not anxious to carry too heavy load of the anti Bryan policies, and accordingly advance ed their preimum to 13 guineas in the 100 pound and as the limit of the sum available will put the premium up step | by step until it reaches a prohibitive | figure. The limit, however. is elastic | for all but the marine risks. the one class of insurance officially recognized at Lloyds are underwritten by the in- l dividual members or groups, who may i of course, as the campaign progresses
 or as their information from the States | dictates, take on additional anti Bryan 1 risks to an amount limittN only by l their ability to find funds to back their opinions.