Would you stamp your name on the open book That Time unfolds for you; Would you leave a record that men will praise, "Then to yourself be true." "Let each day find some duty done" In your own life's chosen line; Leave not to others to sow and reap A harvest that should be thine. Not a "fig" would I give for the man who says In some future time, "I'll do it ;" You'll ever afterward rue it; We must dig and delve, and gather them in And the greatest foe you ever will find If you wait for "chance" to bring you You'll get no luck whatever. Be a leader among your fellows, "boys." "The field is the world," 'twill yield a crop A. A. Treadwell. 1902 THE EQUITABLE'S LEADERSHIP. It is generally a well-known fact that the Equitable has led in instituting nearly all the really valuable reforms in life assurance. It is not so generally known that the Society has led in many other ways also. The Coast Review in a recent issue said: Henry Baldwin Hyde may be said to have been the father of skyscrapers, although he never built one. He was, however, the projector of the Equitable Building, which was for many years the highest office structure in New York. To facilitate the renting of the upper stories of this high building Mr. Hyde conceived the idea of utilizing the elevator. Up to that time passenger elevators had only been used in hotels and in A. T. Stewart's department store, and there was not a single passenger elevator in the any office building in world. Moreover, the first arc and the first incandescent electric lights, run for commercial and not for experimental purposes, were run in the Equitable Building in the middle "seventies." During the extending of the Equitable Home Office Abram Hewitt, the then mayor of New York, said: Builders seem to be perfectly lawless in their use of the streets. They do not restrict themselves to the permits which have been granted, and there seems to be no adequate inspection on the part of the police. One notable exception, however, has been shown by the manner in which the Equitable Building has been reconstructed and extended without interfering to any appreciable extent with the use of the streets. It seems to me that we owe a debt of gratitude to the officers of that company. 2 THE EQUITABLE NEWS. LIFE INSURANCE SOLICITING AS A BUSINESS. (Published by courtesy of Success.) The following article appeared in the April number of Success, and was based on an interview with President James W. Alexander: The time is past for regarding life insurance soliciting as a temporary occupation. None but men who are sure that the field offers them a complete career, and adequate reward for their output of energy and talent through the whole course of their working years, can succeed nowadays in business. The success of most of these is very pronounced. The work possesses the particularity of giving unusually meager returns to those who are not adapted to it, and unusually great returns to men who have the courage, perseverance, tact, hopefulness, up-todate methods, and ability requisite to build up a life insurance clientelage. There are a considerable number of men in this country who earn, as life insurance agents, more money every year than is paid to the President of the United States. The income of a few is nearly double the President's salary. Almost without exception, these men began with no capital but brains and energy. Of course, they have exceptional qualities, or, rather, an exceptional combination of everyday qualities, the chief of which are energy, will power and common sense. Hardly any of them can be said to have unusually brilliant minds, and very few of them are college graduates. But they know the world and know men. They have confidence in themselves, and strength of will. Will power is probably the most necessary attribute in soliciting life insurance. Men are like turtles in one respect: when asked to spend money for which they see no immediate or personal return, they instinctively withdraw within themselves and present nothing but a hard shell to the designing enemy. It is the business of the life insurance agent to lodge his darts of reason and common sense beneath this shell, to get behind the protective crust in a man's mind, to overcome his hesitation and his tendency to say, with the cheerful Spaniard, "To-morrow, or the day after." IN THIS PROFESSION, THERE IS PLENTY ROOM AT THE BOTTOM. An agent must be able, to some exte to direct and mold the mind of the "pr pect" who has not been educated up to t insurance idea. To accomplish this, it obvious that he must inspire confiden and possess a personality of sufficient for to give his words weight. The men wi have won the remarkable successes in th insurance field go beyond this. They a always enthusiastic and optimistic; and, surely as a burning flame will light a matc they communicate their enthusiasm others. These men cannot be easily ana lyzed or explained. They were apparent! born for the business. Th I believe that any man of average abil ity, industry and strength of character ca attain, in the insurance business, an en tirely satisfactory position in life. calling is one, above all others, that has the latchstring out for young men who are be ginning life without special advantages who are entering the battle, not in automobiles or carriages, or in pushcarts, with relatives or friends behind, but afoot. As I have indicated, they need not have money. nor a higher education. They need not sit in offices, waiting for business, while expenses are running on. They need not drift. There is plenty for them to do. The older professions are undoubtedly overcrowded. We are overburdened with lawyers, doctors and clergymen. There are not enough fees to go around, and an undue proportion suffer the pangs of failure. In the other professions it is said that there is plenty of room at the top. In life insurance, there is plenty of room at the bottom; that is, for young fellows just beginning. To one man who is insured for his life, there are many who might be. Even in New York City, where there are more agents in proportion to the population than anywhere else in this country. not one-tenth of the field is covered. It is a field that keeps constantly renewing itself. Young men who are taking upon themselves the responsibilities of married life need life insurance, and can be convinced of the fact. Men who are already insured almost always take out larger policies as their incomes grow. Thus an agent obtains a clientelage which is a continuing source of income to him. This matter of an income that possesses stability is, of course, very important from the standpoint of an agent. No man feels that he is making a proper provision for his family, or is satisfied with his occupation, if it is a kind that ceases to yield a return immediately upon his temporary suspension of work from illness or any other cause. OH! VERY WELL. A correspondent from Virginia propounds the following: If two diametrical circles with octagonal peripheries should collide with a centrifugal idiosyncracy, what effect would the catastrophe exert upon a crystallized codfish, suspended by his caudal appendage from the homogeneous rafters of the Empyrean? [If you should propound this alleged conundrum for our cogitation in the privacy of our domicile we should ejaculate: "Elevate your golgotha to the apex of your pericranium and permit us to submit to your ocular demonstration the scientific piece of mechanism which forms the egress portion of this apartment."-ED.] Talk about the possibilities of the business! Manager Woods offered two prizes for two months' work. One for the largest amount of business, the other for the largest number of applications. The first was won by a man over seventy, Mr. Edward A. Agnew. The other was won by a lady, Mrs. M. E. McCready. "Verb. sap." GOOD ADVERTISING. We are glad to notice that the ranks of the Society's general agents who advertise, and advertise well, are being rapidly added to. Of course the "old reliable" advertisers, Woods, Chapin, Bowes, Samuel, Neely, Foreman, Hazelton, Donovan & Dunn, Hoyt, Helms, Hill and others stick at it because they know by long experience that it pays. And the new ones will find out, too, that it pays, and join the above list of honor. In this connection don't forget that a cut of any advertisement or picture published in the Record or News will be sent free to any representative of the Society for advertising purposes. And don't forget that the editor is ready at any time to answer questions regarding advertising matters. Among recent publications we note that: Joseph Bowes, of Baltimore, has got out one of the handsomest pamphlets we have seen for some time. Its title is "A Record to Be Proud Of." It contains a good etching of Mr. Bowes, and the subject-matter of the book is worthy of the handsome setting given to it. The Baltimore Underwriter says of this book: "This record of the agency shows what Mr. Bowes has done. His success has been phenomenal because he has put extraordinary energy and intelligence into his work.' Frank W. Danner has also issued an unique and attractive book, entitled "Prominent Patrons of the Equitable Life in Richmond and North Carolina." It has a handsome stiff board cover in blue and white, and contains information that would be attractive to any "prospect" residing in the above territory. Frank P. Chapin has issued an ingenious little age card, by means of which a man can show his F. P. age by merely ticking off certain figures. reports splendid results from it. THE NEW PITTSBURG OFFICES. The Pittsburg papers of April 19 were full of the convention and dinner to celebrate the opening of the magnificent new offices of the Pittsburg agency. Here is a brief extract from one of the accounts: The reception given yesterday afternoon, from 2 until 4 o'clock, by Manager Edward A. Woods, to celebrate the installation of his new offices in the Frick building, Pittsburg, was the biggest life assurance affair that ever took place outside of New York. The corridors and offices were beautifully decorated. Banks of palms in pleasing contrast to the white of the floors stood at intervals, and in every room and almost on every desk vases of tastefully draped cut flowers delicate fragrance through the rooms. cast a The guests of the occasion included James W. Alexander, president; Gage E. Tarbell, vice-president; Dr. W. R. Bross, medical director; F. F. Edwards, Gerald F. Brophy, all of New York; Jacques Duboin, of the Paris (France) agency; J. W. Estes and J. S. Kendrick, managers at St. Louis; S. C. Bolling, superintendent of agencies; A. B. Newman, manager at Chicago; Thomas B. Sweeney, manager at Wheeling; L. I. Morse, manager at Columbus, Ohio; F. r. Chapin, manager at Toledo; C. W. Walker, Memphis, and H. L. Rosenfeld, Cincinnati. H. C. Frick, who was present, was most cordially congratulated on the superb structure he has erected, and also upon his being distinguished as the only man in Pittsburg who is a director of any of the great national insurance organizations. It is estimated that 10,000 persons inspected the new offices. was The dinner at the Hotel Schenley in the evening Three hundred and sumptuous affair. a twenty persons down to table. It was a splendid company, great enthusiasm abounding on ail sides. sat Mr. Woods acted as toastmaster. He gave a sketchy review of the Pittsburg agency, saying, among other things: "A conservative estimate of the value of the lives of the citizens of Allegheny County, that is, the amount which would be necessary to replace the incomes which the inhabitants are now producing, would be $2.202,000,000. This single agency of the Equitable collects more money for life assurance than the gross premium receipts of all the home fire insurance companies on their entire business throughout the country, and as much as the total amount paid for all fire insurance in the city of Pittsburg." At the conclusion of his remarks Mr. Woods introduced Mr. Alexander. The president accounted for Mr. Woods' wonderful record by industry, application, modesty with energetic push, fair treatment, high aims and confidence inspired in those with whom he has been brought into business relations. Referring to his own responsibilities, Mr. Alexander said: "I am president of the Equitable corporation, and let me say that I am overwhelmed with the gravity of its responsibilities when I recall that in the management of its more than $300,000,000 of assets and surplus I feel tremendously the weight that rests upon my shoulders as the trustee of the widows and orphans of our policyholders. business is not like that of a railroad, where errors can be made and corrected; our mistakes may not be discovered until the expiration of thirty, forty or fifty years from now, when they will not be easy to correct." Our Robert E. Clark was introduced as the president of the "Lunch Club." In speaking of the work accomplished by the Pittsburg agency during the present year he said that the new business written during the eighteen days of April aggregated $1,294,900. Mr. Tarbell was the next speaker, and after congratulating Mr. Woods on his magnificent showing, addressed the agents in part as follows: "It has been said here to-night that next to the ministry and the medical men, many of whom are here present, and in honoring whom I bow as low as any man, the insurance agent is next in importance in the walks of life. I dissent from that statement, much as I agree with him who made it in almost everything, and from whom I am always willing to learn and but too happy to listen. I desire to say that the insurance agent is entitled to the first place, for the man who does not or will not make provision for his wife and loved ones is too mean to have a soul to save or a body to be cured." The chief medical examiner of the Society, Dr. W. R. Bross, said that agents complain frequently that the average medical examiner fails to keep his appointments. Such a failure, he said, is the most fatal of all to life assurance. Dr. Bross spoke regarding the care that should be taken in the examination of the heart. "It is better to lose one new risk," he said, "than to gain it and lose the policyholder in impaired health when he was taken as a risk by the Society." F. F. Edwards also spoke. Manager Woods read messages of regret from Vice-President James H. Hyde and from officials of the Society in Paris, London and New York, all the messages being most cordially received. The prizes that had been awarded to agents under the rules adopted last October, twenty-four in number, were announced by President Alexander: For the greatest amount of business done: First, Edward Agnew; second, H. C. Fry; third, Leonard Fosdick; fourth, C. R. Notman; fifth. S. W. Guthrie; sixth, C. B. Coleman; seventh, S. L. Goldman; eighth, T. F. Myler; ninth, E. S. Nally; tenth, R. P. Clarke; eleventh, F. V. Little; twelfth, W. H. Stevenson. For the greatest number of lives assured: First, Mrs. M. E. McCready; second. T. C. MeKeon; third, W. H. McManus; fourth, Ț. S. Hardis; fifth, W. A. Moore; sixth, H. K. Beegle: seventh, D. S. Lynn; eighth, A. E. Umstead: ninth, B. C. Boyd; tenth, J. S. McCargar; eleventh, S. O. Wright; twelfth, J. H. Eskridge. The banquet broke up amid enthusiastic cheering. * * VANITY. THE EQUITABLE NEWS. We Aiter all, vanity is as much a virtue as a vice. It is easy to recite copy-book maxims against its sinfulness, but it is a passion that can move us to good as well as to evil. Ambition is only vanity ennobled. want to win praise and admiration-or, Fame, as we prefer to name it-and so we write great books, and paint grand pictures, and sing sweet songs, and toil with willing hands in study, loom, and laboratory. * Do not let us abuse vanity, therefore. Rather let us use it. Honor itself is but the highest form of vanity. Snobs are vain, but so, too, are heroes. Come, my young brother bucks, let us be vain together. Let us join hands and help each other to increase our vanity. Let us be vain, not of our trousers and hair, but of brave hearts and working hands, of truth, of purity, of nobility. Let us be too vain to stoop to aught that is mean or base, too vain for petty selfishness and littleminded envy, too vain to say an unkind word or do an unkind act. Let us be vain of being single-hearted, upright gentlemen in the midst of a world of knaves. Let us pride ourselves upon thinking high thoughts and achieving great deeds, living good lives. Jerome K. Jerome. WORTH THINKING OVER. "Never wait for a thing to turn up. Go and turn it up yourself. It takes less time, and it is surer to be done." "He who waits to do a great deal at once will seldom do anything at all." "Fortunes are made by taking opportunities; character is made by making them." "Ceremonies are different in every country, but true politeness is everywhere the same." "Perseverance in laudable pursuits will reward all our toils, and produce effects far beyond our calculation." "Many golden opportunities are thrown away because of want of self-confidence." Selected. MAJOR A. MYERS. Major Myers, the Society's senior manager in Norfolk, Virginia, rounds out on May 18, fourteen years' connection with the Equitable. He first entered its service in 1888 in connection with Messrs. Peyton & Ellerson, of Richmond, his first direct contract being dated March 1, 1890. In the early part of 1901 he took his son, Mr. Henry L. Myers, into partnership with him under the firm name of A. Myers & Son. The new firm celebrated its birth by writing in 1901 the largest business in the history of the Norfolk Agency, having more than doubled the business of the preceding year. Socially Major Myers' standing is of the highest, and he is one of the bestknown and most highly respected citizens in the State of Virginia. He is the soul of honor, and wherever he is known his word is recognized as being as good as his bond. In fact the Major is a gentleman of the "old school," a Chesterfield in his manners, and one feels instinctively on meeting him that his politeness is inborn and not veneer. Although somewhat advanced in years, his activity would put to shame many a man half his age, and he still writes every year a very creditable amount of personal business. |