The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-08-22
L1FE INSURANCE. sfONEY.

LIFE INSURANCE MONEY.
Life insr---nce payment comes, In
lump sum to the hands of the bene-
ficiarv. usually widow who has never
handled much money. To the bene-
ficiary it seems a large sum-. writes
Frederick #. Taylor in a bulletin issued
by the American Society for Thrift. 1t
is; she has never possessed SO much in
res dy means at ore time. The RESPONSE
bility of 1t all startles her; husband was
accustomed to attend to sucn Matters
he cannot now,-he is not here; this
sum Of money must take his place. 1t
cannot, but it must. He did all he
could for the children and for her. His
responsibility has ceased,-hers has be-
gun.
1t is in the nature Of things that hui
mankind should be possessed of un-
gratified wants which more means
could fill: it has been 50 since COM
mencement Of time; without this hu-
man trait material progress would
cease. 1t is common in both man and
woman; but possession Of means earned
by ones self checks desire; unearned
means fosters it: hence because man
has more commonly been the Garner
and woman the dependant, the trait is
more prom ~unced in her. The life in
surance beneficiary 10 not exempt. She
is its peculiar prey. The fact of mans
insurance provision for wife and chill
dren tells its own story Of a welded life
of fleeing wishes ever in advance of
fulfillment. With the beneficiary of the
am II ius,ror II n, anifoSto it.olf ", x,ish
for better quality and make of articles
of dress-in a new hat instead of one
made over on last years frame: in
small articles Of personal adornment
which have been PROMISE since long
ago but have never come. Yes. so many
things are needed; It seems as though
they had been accommodating since her
wedding day. And so they have; and
so they will continue to do; for It is the
rare nature of wants that their fulfill
ment gives birth to greater ones. Nor is
the beneficiary of the large insurer diff
ferent but in degree.
Doubtless there are some beneficiaries
who seem to be endowed with a meas
|'ure of mental and moral poise which no
great emergency or calamity could
the quality Of thrift in a degree that
would safely guard against use Of the
fund for unnecessary self-expenciturcz;
but this Is only one way Of describing
her who has a good and charitable
heart, for charity and self-denial go
hand in hand. Caution would prevent
bestowal OF any portion Of the limited
furd in charity on strangers. Would it
help II The suppliant were a relative?
All have poor relations; the insured
may not have been able to help during
life, but there 10 now a large sum Of
money in bank. 1t is not charity that
is asked, merely a loan is wanted; and
long before the money is needed it will
be repaid. If all goes well. Shall it be
refused? No. What may be the result?
No sooner does the fund reach the
hands of the beneficiary than skilled
wits are placed in the balance against
hers. With what result is well known:
| a woman naturally unequipped for
sharp business practices is attacked by
| swindler at q time when she 10 with
out defense. and imposed on and robbed.
Nor IL it against sharpers alone that
| the defenceless beneficiary should be
guarded; but too. against the pathetic
results often attending ill-advised in
vestment in what at the time appear to
be good and legitimate securities.
iCANfyER Nyr Moon DrcrAsr