The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1917-11-02

hdCe pldulerS financed themselves,
as best they could. with the conse-
Quence that now with cotton selling
at the highest figure known since
the Civil War, these same planters
are in receipt of substantial income
from their crops and have none OF
the usual bills to meet. This result,
you may be sure, was not expected.
Our enemies forced into our hands
the very weapons needed.
The building of twenty Army Can
tonments in the Dixie" States gave
employment to colored labor, both
skilled and unskilled, at good wages.
Their withdrawal from normal fields
brought about raise of wages all
round.
These two factors have so augment
ed the natural growth of Southern en-
terprises as to create untold volume
of business.
Contrary to general credited opin-
ion, the Negro is proving himself to
be thrifty, and among the first to feel
added circulation of business was the
Standard Life Insurance Company,
whose office force in their effort to
keep abreast of the tide OF growing
business are now working until $3.50
every night. The average daily issue
Of business during the present month
has been in excess of $4,000.
When one considers the detail work
attached to the issue of every policy
the volume Of Office work may well be
imagined. The issue of supplies to
agents. The receipt and recording of
the application, the medical examina.
ton report, the conference over ir.
Irregularities that may arise, the actual
policy writing and checking, the COM
putation Of the Reserve, all prior to
the mailing of the policy. The last
named feature requiring a miniature
Post Office in itself. These activi-
ties are all aside from the collection
of premiums upon existing business;
the investment and protection or
company funds, the collection of In
terest due, the investigation of claims
and payment of benefits, and the
many other phases incident to big
business operations. The overtime
work is made necessary because more
trained clerks, stenographers and
bookkeepers are not available. The
Office force is. exhibiting some of that
splendid loyalty that is part of every
Negro. Great increase in business
with colored concern of this size is
OF more passing significance. 1t
means increased openings for our
young men and women trained for
commercial pursuits. 1t provides an
avenue through which theoretically
educated graduates may pass to ex-
ecutiye position or to a private bust
ness in later years with the corporate
knowledge that has heretofore been
available to white persons to the al
most total exclusion of our boys.
This Company is oblige to increase
the quantity of printed matter used in
their business, thus directly affecting
an increase in the several printing
establishments of the race that sup
ply their needs.
In these features, the Standard typi-
fies the improved conditions of the
South. Other insurance companies
and commercial houses are obtaining
results that differ in degree only.
The magnitude of the Standard makes
it most striking illustration for the
far-reaching affects of the present
economic conditions upon the general
welfare of the race.
In 1912 this, the first Old Line, Le-
gal Reserve Insurance Company in
America began business wi h a CAPT.
tai of 100000 During its first year
$3S0,000 worth Of insurance was put in
force. Since then its growth has been
rapid but steady.
The Home Office Force of two per.
sons and one small room has expand
| ed so that the time clock records
thirty persons and a whole floor OF
the races largest Office building
the Odd Fellows Buildings neces
| sary to the conduct OF the companys
affairs.
Since July list, nearly a million
dollars of additional insurance has
been placed in the nine states IN
which the company operates. More
than three hundred agents share in
handling this business.
According to the information col
lected by the company's staff oil
district reporters, this substantiated
by the volume of insurance written
and further confirmed by the charac
ter of investment inquiries reaching
the treasurer's office. The present
year is most significant one to the
race.
A burden of debt, shouldered at the
close Of the Civil War, has uninten
tionally been lifted from the shoulders
of the race, and the collective Negro
has his first opportunity at the un
restricted handling Of money. Not
| withstanding the old contention as t.
the foolish tendencies of the race, hi
is saving and investing. Nor is he
investing in gold bricks. He Is buying
farms, auto trucks and cars and pro
viding for his future with the higher
classes of insurance and with Libert!
Bonds.
Patriotism profits too Many youns
men whose labor Is no longer neces
sary to maintain the home are volun
teering-an average of fifty Negroe!
per day are volunteering in Georgit
alone.
Furthermore, every school in thu
South is reporting an increased at
tendance with a smaller number o
improyident pupils. This seems t
assure us of desirable progressive
! ness in character and training o
those who are to control the destinie
of the next generation.
This great increase of self-sustain
ing pupils is making it possible fo
the schools of the south to extent
their usefulness by improving equip
ment increasing faculties. and t,
finance new building. The people o
the respective communities opel
wider the door of hospitality to Wis
iting demonstrators and lecturers
thus giving greater range to exten
sion work. Prosperity relieves Of sell
consciousness, and the neighborhoo