Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-01-02
"eEAR We ONE ANOTHER'S
BURDENS"

The sentiment expressed by Car
Isle in a letter to Goethe describing
his effort ito secure the independ-
ence through which ] could be ena-
blcd to remain true to myself" is
now seen to merit wider application.
There is an interdependence which
enables one to be not only true to
himself but also to his neighbors, or
does it follow if true to himself he
every one of us needs the feeling
which Carlyle sought and there are
he did not enjoy to the degree now
permitted to mos. of us.
Life Insurance and the Communi-
ty" was the subject of a very inter-
esting address made by Secretary
Clarke of our Chamber Of Commerce
at the meeting of the Maine Under
writer's Association here this month.
1t was so highly appreciated that
leading insurance publication has
asked for it. A prominent thought
expressed was that life insurance is a
device Of scientific age to put into
practice the Bible precept: Bear Ye
one another's burdens"
1T is obviously impossible in times
of great National disasters to rest
our hopes for effective relief on indi-
vidual efforts; hence society has de-
vised such organizations as the
American Red Cross to care for the
relief of suffering, collecting for its
purposes q small fee from a large
number of people in many localities.
Thus the fortunate assist the unfor-
tunate promptly and efficiently and
the burden is equitably distributed.
So, while you and l are helpless in
such disasters as that at San Fran
cisco and at Halifax, our money ad-
ministered through the organization
brings a measure of immediate re-
lief. BY these means and through the
organization only is it possible to
bear one another's burdens.
The theory of life insurance is
somewhat similar to this, for ones
premiums not only provide for the
time whei misfortune shall visit his
own family but it provides for the
constant relief of others when in
need. How, indeed, is that commun-
tty where many men have been
thoughtful enough in their time of
prosperity to provide for their fam
lilies against the hour of need? Not
merely Is this true from the stand
point Of individual families but from
the community standpoint as we'll:
for the burden of helping those not
provided for must of necessity fall
upon the community at large" I" i"
Your work is also the basis of
thrift in community, for the regu-
lar payment OF Life Insurance de-
posts compels one to put aside sys-
tematically portion of his earnings
against the hour of need. No other
method has been devised that COM
pares with this"
AT first glance you would think
that business men. such as my call
ing represents. would prefer habits of
general Spending rather than habits
of general saving in the community.
spending appears to speed up BUSH
ness and bring quick profits to the
merchant. Careful ANALYSIS, however,
reveals two facts; first. that savings
and life insurance is but one form of
saving-makc possible the accumula-
ton of capital that is the first neces-
sity of merchandising; and second,
that spending leads to losses through
bad accounts. 1t Is easy enough to
sell goods If easy credit conditions
prevail; and experience shows that
ready spcnders of cash are also ready
spenders of credit. The thinking
business man. therefore, Is no enemy
of thrift; and he should stand ready
to join hands with the banker and
the life insurance man in teaching
people to provide against a rainy
day.
In teaching and inducing our peo-
pie to be thrifty the life insurance
man Is an asset in the community in
which he lives and works and his
profession is q noble one indeed"