ensation depends on the difficult or favorable
conditions attending its care. These conditions greatly vary, perhaps
in no two cases are exactly alike, and so there can be no fixed price
or rate at which one will receive and care for the property of
another. The extreme limit of liberality permitted is that he may care
for the property of another for nothing. He is not permitted to pay a
price for the privilege. The revealed divine law, true ethics and
equity and duty of self preservation forbid him. Perfect preservation
of any amount, large or small, for any time, long or short, whatever
the incidental advantages to the borrower, is the highest compensation
a borrower is permitted to give for any loan. The demand for more than
this by the owner is to be resisted as unjust and oppressive.

An express company receives a package of money for which it receipts
and becomes responsible and agrees to deliver to the owner at some
distant point. For this service it receives compensation in accordance
with the amount of service. If the conditions are dangerous and the
distance great the charge is large. If the conditions are very
favorable and safe the charges are small.

If the amount of service is reduced to the minimum, in rare cases, no
charge may be made. But that a price should be paid for the privilege
of caring for and conveying it, is inconsistent with the management
of an honest business. The purpose would be either to rob the owner of
his wealth or to rob the employes of their services.

An insurance company undertakes to protect a property for a term of
years, to a distant date. A rate is given for protection from a single
element, as fire. If all destructive agents are included the rate is
higher. The rate is higher for a long than a short period. All the
business world recognize the value of this service and nearly every
kind of property may now be insured. The premium is cheerfully paid by
the owner of the property for the service rendered him. It is a real
and valuable service to have his property protected, preserved, or
restored, so that it cannot be lost before the distant date. It is
conceivable that a property might be so indestructible that the risk
would be practically nothing and a policy might be issued without a
premium, but that a price should be paid for the privilege of
protecting any property is utterly inconsistent with rational
insurance.

Now usury presumes to reverse this ethical order and r