The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-02-18
DE BOER'S TRIBUTE
TO JAMES I. PHELPS
Delivered at the Annual Banquet Of the
Life Underwriters Of Boston--"He
Always Gave More Than He
Cot Said DeBoer.

Cot" Said DeBoer.
Boston, Feb. ls.--Life underwriters OF
Boston had their twenty.sixth annual
dinner at Young's Hotel Tuesday even.
ing, and the occasion was one OF the most
largely attended in the associations his
tory. While the principal after-dinner
address dwelt upon the taxation Of life
insurance companies, many tributes were
paid to the late James I. Phelps, for
hftv years associated with the National
Life Insurance company Of Vermont, who
has been known as the Poor Richard
of Life Insurance" Albert II. Curtis,
the new president, was in the chair, and
the special guests were insurance com.
missioner Hardison, President Joseph A.
DeBoer of the National Life Insurance
company OF Vermont, Vice President w.
d. Nyman of the Berkshire Mutual OF
Pittsfeld, Robert Lynn Cox OF New
York. manager Of the Association of
Life Insurance Presidents; President A.
d. Foster Of the New England Mutual
life. and President Arthur Z. Childs of
the Columbian Life Insurance company.
In introducing Joseph A. DeBoer the
president Of the National Life company
OF Vermont, President Curtis spoke with
feeling Of the late James T. Phelps. who
was 50 long identified with that company,
saying that none was so well qualified
or more competent to speak Of their late
associate than he.
When Mr.. Phelps died." said Presi-
dent DeBoer, "the business Of life insur-
ance lost one OF its most thoughtful,
kindly and optimistic advocates. He was,
peculiarly, an aboriginal in the work,
having been born into It's atmosphere.
He was not adversely influenced by edu.
cation beyond the common schools, and
held his father in an abiding affection
both as a minister and as a solicitor
He always gave more than he got,
and he always seemed to have plenty
left. On that account ii was always
pleasure to make official visits to the
enough, are always pleased to meet man
ayers and field men but there are dis
tinctions. II is impossible to visit many
Offices without at once inspiring a great
variety Of inquiries about declined cas-
es, possible investments, problems OF
competition, changes in compensation
and expense allowance and other mat
tiers of which the solution rests with
the local manager and cannot be effect
ed except by change Of policy on the
part OF the company itself. And all
that is proper enough and legitimate
and necessary part OF business. Mr..
Phelps, however, had way to quietly
and luicklg disposing Of such questions
in tiie spirit of true cooperation and
with due loyalty to Instructions and
rules. and thereafter he devoted himself
to making visitation one of good cheer,
pleasantly and friendship. He was COM
petent TO introduced, and did, the most
human matters into all his conversations,
not in perfunctory and struggling fash.
ion, but naturally and easily, and his hue
NOR, anecdotes and illustrations at such
times always illustrated discussion and
frequently proved to be the final word.
recall one afternoon that he brought
out couple of canes and said: THE
day has been long enough and full Of
labor. 1t is now to walk" And walk
we did, up past the State House and
into some of the old streets in the rear,
where were old-fashioned houses that
Mr.. Phelps did not cease to admire. He
fell to commenting on the door knobs,
having some saying to make on each.
OF one big, shining knob, he said,
There's Life Annuity" and when asked,
How soip he replied: 1T always re.
Fleets happy face" Of another porce-
ain knob, somewhat worn and clipped,
he said: That's term insuranceW and
adding "And ii ought to be renewed
Or it win soon be out of BUSINESS When
be CHANGED upon a old fashioned, solid |
xnocker he exclaimed: And there's old
Endowment Insurance, and it says. |
Knock, in adversely or old age, at morn
ng or at night, and it shall be opened |
into you
Those walks by the Common come
pleasantly back TO memory because they |
we're so full of expressions on his part |
u affection for Boston and it's people and |
reminiscent of the changes and progress
which had occurred within his knowledge. |
am confident that there was no place |
n the world which Mr.. Phelps loved more /
learly than Boston, and by that mean /
hat city and, particularly, that part of /
{ in which the business is done. He
thew all of its turns, byways and sur
rises and found sheer pleasure in walk
ng and examining its streets.
He was so sunny in his nature, so anx.
GUS to make people comfortable, so inn
'ued with the idea Of protective service
o the head, heart and purse, that he re.
oiled from disagreeahie memories and
Genes and did not care to resurrect or
evisit them, He made il a rule Of life
pparently, to conceal his GRIEF and TO
ispense happiness.
II is necessary to omit much of what
e said and did, but indispensable that
reference should be made to the con.
fancy and effort with which he sought
0 teach the public its duty as to life
insurance. He profoundly believed in that
octrine and considered its service AZ
fundamental need to themselves, their
antilles and their homes. He realized
he great blessings which the business
o make Others share that opinion. !