LECTURES AND ESSAYS READ AT INSTITUTES. 31^ 



bursting of a lamp, or the match of some tramp Avho sleeps in your barn and 

 is careless with his smoking. Every week our mail brings to us long lists of 

 damages by fire that represent millions of dollars of loss, and hundreds of 

 these very careful men that have no need of insurance, and who are financially 

 ruined. We read over these long lists of casualties and think very little of 

 it. They are a long way off, and do not disturb us much. We also hear the 

 warning in the sharp crash of thunder as it echoes and re-echoes through the 

 rent air. We see its threatenings written in streams of electric light as it 

 paints the warning on the approaching storm cloud, and yet take no alarm. 

 And too, we sometimes hear the wail and witness the anguish of frantic, panic- 

 stricken neighbors whose homes lie in ashes at their feet. 



Twice, within a month, have such scenes been witnessed in the town where 

 I live. Two homes laid waste by the fire fiend, two families of small children 

 turned out of doors at dead of night in mid winter. One had small insurance, 

 and one had no insurance. The first thought a little insurance a good thing, 

 and secured it ; the other was one of these very careful men, who do not need 

 to insure. Both houses were burned at night, when it was not easy to raise 

 help, so the fire made a clean sweep. They each lost all. All, did I say? No, 

 all was not burned. They both have a mortgage left; that withstood the 

 flame. The one with insurance can pay his mortgage or build another house ; 

 the other must let the farm pay his mortgage. Now, if we concede that 

 insurance is necessary, the next question of importance is : How, where, or 

 with what company shall we insure? First, select a company whose reliability 

 is not questioned ; second, consider the promptness with which they meet 

 their losses; third, the cost of insurance. But do not let this last consider- 

 ation absorb the other two. It is well to consider cheapness, if with it we can 

 combine reliability and promptness. 



If I were to advise in the selection of a company for the farmers of this 

 county, I would recommend the Farmers' Mutual of Ingham county. I would 

 recommend this company from all of the considerations named : its reliability, 

 its promptness, and its cheapness. When I recommend this company I know 

 whereof I affirm. I speak from experience as well as from observation. I 

 have myself had experience as a fire sufferer. There are other reasons why we 

 should support our home institution. By doing so we keep our money at home 

 instead of sending it to enrich eastern capitalists. They in turn ^end it back 

 here to be loaned at exorbitant rates of interest. The Michigan State agent 

 of an eastern company doing business in this county paid advertising rates 

 for publishing in the papers of this county, one year ago, a letter congratulat- 

 ing a sub- agent upon the flattering prospects of their business, stating that 

 the company had made a net gain, over all expenses, of over $338,000. This 

 was indeed a subject for self-congratulation with the stockholders, but how 

 does it look to the policy holders? It tells them that the company has 

 extorted from them this vast sum of money, over and above the actual cost 

 of insurance. 



Now I wish to congratulate my brother farmers of Ingham county who are 

 members of the Mutual, that we have had just as safe insurance in a company 

 that adjusts its losses more promptly, and that we have saved to ourselves our 

 share, according to the amount insured, of that 8338,000. 



