The cheapness of the insurance offered by these organizations is better appreciated when compared with that offered by old-line companies. The following table shows the cost of insurance per $1000 in a typical life insurance company for different classes of railway employees and letter carriers at thirty-five years of age: Class of Employees. Rate per $1000.[85] Engineers .................................... $27.23 Conductors ................................... 22.23 Firemen ...................................... 27.23 Trainmen ..................................... 27.23 Telegraphers ................................. 22.23 Switchmen .................................... 27.23 Maintenance-of-Way Employees ................. 27.23 Letter Carriers .............................. 27.30 [Footnote 85: The letter carriers' rate is that of the New England Mutual Life Insurance Company, the rates of the other classes of employees are those of the Aetna Life Insurance Company.] Assuming that the average age at admission of the members of unions is thirty-five, the cost of insurance in the regular companies is far higher than the cost for an equal amount in the unions. The conductors pay their union twenty-five per cent. less than they would have to pay to an insurance company and the locomotive firemen pay considerably less than one half of company rates. These rates, moreover, are for insurance against death only, while the insurance offered by the brotherhoods also provides against total disability. The compulsory insurance has not been in operation long enough in any of the organizations for its full effect to be seen. It is certain that as the unions grow older they must materially raise the rates at which they issue insurance. The rapid growth in membership has brought into all the unions in this class in recent years a proportionately large number of young men. The limitation on the age of the insured has contributed to this result. As these members grow older, the death rate will increase. As has been noted above, however, it has not been primarily the cheapness of the insurance but the combination of death and disability insurance which has been the advantage possessed by the union systems.