le by the majority of insurance men.

Such a far reaching reform is too much to hope for, at least in the
immediate future.

No well informed life insurance expert will deny that there are
opportunities for improvement in the business, but to graft new
methods on old companies is a hopeless undertaking.

It is well, however, to have new methods well matured in advance of
the public demand, and I feel convinced that the ideas here set forth
are in the line of the reform which, before long, must be instituted
by the companies if they would retain the confidence and patronage of
the community.

Doubtless many insurance presidents could tell of suggestions which
have impressed them favorably and which they would gladly have adopted
were it not for the injustice done thereby to older members and the
changes necessary to bring existing contracts into conformity with the
new system. Similar objections may be urged against the ideas here
advanced, and I must confess I hardly see a way by which the present
suggestions can be utilized by existing companies. We can only hope
that sooner or later some of the new theories may be practically
tested. Meanwhile the companies at present in the field are doing a
great work for the good of humanity, even though their methods may be,
in some particulars, more practical than scientific.

Winchester, Mass. FRANK J. WILLS.

* * * * *

THE FLOOD AT KARLSBAD.

During the flood which occurred in Germany and Bohemia, the last week
of November, Karlsbad was especially unfortunate; it suffered such an
inundation as had never before been known in the "Sprudelstadt." On
the evening of November 23, the Tepl was very much swollen by the
rain, which had continued for several days, but it was supposed that
there was no danger of a flood, as the bed of the river had been put
in proper condition. During the forenoon of November 24, the water
suddenly began to rise with such astonishing rapidity that within half
an hour all the lower streets were like turbulent rivers and the Alte
and Neue Wiese were transformed into a lake. The stores on the Alte
Wiese were under water to the roofs, and the proprietors, who were
trying to save their goods, were surprised by the water and had to
take refuge in the trees. They were rescued by having ropes thrown to
them, and during this work a catastrophe occurred which was a great
misfortune to all classes