Frenzied Finance Part 47

In the July instalment of my story I called upon policy-holders to sign a coupon blank inserted in _Everybody's Magazine_, and send same to me that I might speak for them in a plan to further their interests.

In response to my call I have received up to October 4, 1905, 16,307 answers, representing $55,165,916.

I think my readers, when they a.n.a.lyze the following list and take into consideration the character of the senders, many of whom are men of the highest standing--bishops, ministers, governors, mayors, judges, senators, members of Congress, railroad, bank, and trust company presidents--will agree with me that it is the most remarkable collection ever made by one interest since life insurance began.

INSURANCE COUPONS

_Received from June 20th to October 4, 1905_

New York Life $18,845,410 Equitable 17,317,956 Mutual 14,550,240 Miscellaneous 4,452,310 ----------- $55,165,916

Alabama 22 Montana 130 Arizona 127 Nebraska 236 Arkansas 124 Nevada 28 California 842 New Hamps.h.i.+re 73 Colorado 211 New Jersey 282 Connecticut 177 New Mexico 40 Delaware 43 New York 1,780 District of Columbia 152 North Carolina 466 Florida 230 North Dakota 143 Georgia 169 Ohio 985 Idaho 150 Oklahoma 154 Illinois 1,012 Oregon 93 Indiana 415 Pennsylvania 1,133 Indian Territory 130 Rhode Island 67 Iowa 560 South Carolina 81 Kansas 316 South Dakota 104 Kentucky 153 Tennessee 157 Louisiana 197 Texas 580 Maine 144 Utah 68 Maryland 126 Vermont 57 Ma.s.sachusetts 843 Virginia 242 Michigan 406 Was.h.i.+ngton 417 Minnesota 574 West Virginia 205 Mississippi 173 Wisconsin 318 Missouri 499 Wyoming 36

Alaska 27 Corea 1 Argentina 1 Mexico 71 Bermuda 1 Newfoundland 4 Canada 344 New Zealand 1 Chili 1 Panama 2 China 1 Philippines 16 Colombia 1 Porto Rico 5 Costa Rica 1 Santo Domingo 7 Cuba 4 Straits Settlements 1 England 9 Sweden 1 France 4 Trinidad 2 Hawaii 35 Uruguay 2 Honduras 2 Yukon Territory 4 j.a.pan 4 ------ Grand total 16,307

As soon as I received a number of signatures sufficiently large to warrant it, I quietly began operations.

The first direct result is the investigation now being held. This investigation has proceeded far enough to put before the public absolute proof of all the crimes I have charged, and three to thirty times as many more.

It is now evident to all that:

1st. The policy-holders in the great companies have yearly paid into their company scores of millions more than necessary.

2d. The policy-holders have been robbed of scores of millions.

3d. The vast funds now on hand have been habitually used by the grafters now in control of them in the rankest kind of stock-gambling.

4th. These funds have been used to corrupt the ballot-box and the law-makers of the country.

I repeat, absolute proof of all this has been made public.

It should now be evident to all that:

1st. The funds now on hand are in actual jeopardy, because they are in the absolute control of unprincipled scoundrels.

2d. Unless something is done, and done at once, by the policy-holders, each and every one of the largest companies may become insolvent; that is, they may not be able to meet the engagements of their policies, because of waste of funds, tremendous falling off of new business, tremendous cost of new business, and the nature of the new business--so-called "graveyard business"; for I am credibly informed that they are now seeking to insure those who formerly have been refused insurance because of physical infirmities.

It should also be plainly evident that, if the policy-holders move, and move quickly, they can be absolutely a.s.sured that:

1st. The funds as they are to-day will remain intact.

2d. They will be added to by the rest.i.tution of from $75,000,000 to $150,000,000.

3d. A score of the thieves who have plundered policy-holders in the past will be sent to prison.

4th. The future payments of policy-holders will be largely cut down.

5th. The present swollen surpluses will be returned in large part to policy-holders.

6th. In the future policy-holders will actually run the company.

7th. All policy-holders can be a.s.sured that in the future they will receive the actual worth of their policy at surrender.

All this being so, it is most eminently desirable for policy-holders to act, and at once.

The time will never again be so opportune, for if nothing definite is done now, policy-holders will be discouraged for all time.

I have given the subject the closest and most earnest study, a.s.sisted by the best insurance experts and lawyers procurable, and guided by the suggestions of over 100,000 policy-holders, for in addition to the 16,000 mentioned, I have received over 90,000 letters. I have come to the conclusion that the one thing for policy-holders to do now is:

To authorize some one in whom they have confidence to select a committee to take their proxies and at once seize possession of the two great mutual companies, the New York Life and the Mutual.

I omit the Equitable at this stage, because litigation may be necessary before the Equitable, being a stock company, can come into the policy-holders' hands. But in the other two, no obstacles can be placed in the way of the policy-holders' taking control.

To empower this committee to bring action at once to compel full rest.i.tution and enforce full punishment, and then to change the present method of conducting the insurance business.

The vital question is: Whom can the policy-holders trust to do this?

The "Big Three" are at present spending vast sums of the policy-holders'

money to prevent some such action as this, in the following ways:

First, by moulding public opinion through paid news and editorial items; next, by the collection of proxies; and third, by the inauguration of different moves and dummy suits and investigations.

There are already three of these affairs under way. Almost any way the policy-holders turn for relief they are confronted with traps which, if they fall into them, will make relief and rescue impossible.

Any man or body of men who go to the great expense necessary to collect proxies must have some hidden scheme for reimbursing themselves, or they must be working in the interests of the thieves now in control.

I therefore make bold to say: I am the natural one to make this move.

Just a minute before you pa.s.s judgment. Let us see if I am:

1st. I have already spent in my work over a million dollars of my own money.

2d. I am willing to spend, if necessary, two millions more.

3d. I will absolutely prove I want nothing in return.

4th. I will absolutely prove on the face of my plans that I cannot in any way benefit beyond the satisfaction I shall derive from putting another spike in the "System's" coffin.

I ask of the policy-holders simply this:

Fill out the following form of proxy; sign and seal it, and send it to me. Quick action is most desirable in view of contingencies.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

FOOTNOTES:

[20] In the course of the legislative investigation of the great insurance companies in New York, it developed that the Mutual Life Insurance Company conducts a publicity bureau, organized to discredit any one who dares criticise its methods. This bureau is conducted by one Charles J. Smith, on a salary of $8,000 per annum, and he works through Allan Forman, editor of the _Journalist_. Forman maintains a "telegraphic news bureau" and secures publication in various newspapers or periodicals of matter sent him for dissemination by the Mutual Life, and he is paid $1.00 per line of the policy-holders' money on all matter for which he obtains publicity. The whitewash paragraphs recently published throughout the country in regard to President McCurdy and the Mutual Life were all paid for on this basis.