Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-02-07
New York Letter.
POLITICAL-THE CHARITY BALL-LIFE IN
sURANCE-A SERIOUS CASE-BUsINESs.
New York, February-1977.
POLITICAL.

DUhAhOE-A pEhlOOo CApEs DJolN
New YORK, February-187.
POLITICAL.
The passage of the compromise elector-
al bill, has soothed the timid souls of the
business nel who had been bull-dozed by
Tilden and his gang, by fear of war. The
straight Republicans don't believe IN 1t,
and never did, for they know it was Il
trick of the Democratic spoilsmen, and
was contrived to make the great dema-
gogue President. 1t was artfully contrived,
and carried ou' with diabolic skill. Til
den had his local copperhead press breathe
war and gore till he got the business in
terest shaking in its shoes; and then he
appeared with this proposition to arbitrate
for a place he never had the shadow of Il
claim to. 1t was eagerly accepted and the
little game was about to win, when. presto,
one Of these sudden changes which even
Tilden cannot fOrsee, took place, and his
kettle of fish is upset. Tilden expected to
have a majority of the Supreme Court
with him, but the election of Davis to the
Illinois Senate made that impossible, and
Bradley, good Republican and an honest
man, takes the place, giving the Republi-
cans the majority of the Commission.
Now the democracy are not so much in
favor of it as they were. When it was
supposed that Davis, bitter partisan, was
to be the fifth judge, thus giving the Tilden-
ties majority in the Commission, it was
all pleasant. But now that the majority on
the Commission are Republicans, it is
quite another thing, and the Sun and
other rabid democratic sheets are as eXtrav-
agant in their denunciation of it as they
were in its praise u week ago. Tildcn is
rs mad rs a March hare about Davis, and
has asked him not to accept the senatorial
position to which he has been elected, but
remain on the bench. But Mr.. Davis is
not stupid enough to forego his ambition
to serve Mr.. Tildcn's, and so he politely
declined, and Bradley was selected, This
ensures Hayes fair, legal treatment, and
/ that is all any republican wants. If he is
legally elected, he must be inaugurated-
if not not, The Republicans of the city are
iubilnnt over this result"
The position of Senator Conkling, of
this State is unfavorably commented on.
1t is not denied that he felt very much ag-
grioved at the nomination Of Hayes. lie
retired from public gaze after the conyen-
ton, and did not emerge from his retire
mont till after the struggle was over. He
supported the compromise in way that
was singular to say the least, for II re-
publican and his enemies in the city assert
that he is preparing for Il change of base.
1t is not supposed that he will 90 over to
the democracy, but it is expected that he,
Davis, and II dozen others who have had a
mlf-and-half utilization with the republic
can party, will organize an independent
body, and be the Spanish flies of the body.
Conkling is soreheaded, and is in the pre-
else frame of mind to make II fool of HIM
self, us greater men than he have done. 1t
is pity that 4 man with the tllents he !
possesses could not be better balanced.
lie has too good IN opinion of himself.
CHARITY.
There is great deal of actual charity
in New York. Probably no city in the
world does more in proportion to its popu-
lution and wealth, but mixed up with ii is
in amount of snobbcry and bosh that is
us disgusting us true charity is delightful
The charity ball, in aid of the Founding
Asylum is regularly the event of the sea-
son, and while it nets II very considerable
amount of money for n very deserving OBJ
ieCt, the manner of it is enough to turn q
Christians stomach. 1t is us snobbish Us
anything can well be. TO begin with, it'll
is made exclusive, and all the snobs and
all the would-be fashionables have to have
their names in all the papers. The list of
Lady Patronesses y has to appear in
! lnOfr unl thn of Il
them runs up into the thousands. Now all
this is of no account whatever, from al
business point Of view, except that us it is
recognized as the big thing of the year
Mrs. Shocks Thompson would not thrill
for charity at all unless she saw her name
in the list. 1t pleases the wife of II stock
Spectator, who has made n fortune in
year or two, and who has lately moved in
to gorgeous house on one Of the avenues,
to have her name published rs II prom-
nent lady for it establishes her conse-
qucnce, and only costs her the price of
half dozen tickets ut five dollars each
Fully one-half Of what ought to be the
profit of the ball goes to feed the vanity of
those who attend it; that is, they contrib
ute fifty cents to their own vanity, and
fifty cents to the poor. Perhaps it is well
enough to get fifty cents on the dollar out
of them. But the ball itself is - gorgeous
affair. When people dance for charity
they go prepared to do it. No woman of
fashion appeared last night with less than
100000 Of diamonds on her person and
the cost of some of the toilets ran up
II long way into the thousands. The ball
cost the people who attended it probably
$3.50 900, and the net result to the charity
was something like $4,000. $4,000 for
the world, and $4,000 for the poor.
THE LIFE INSURANCE PROBLEM,
The failure of three or four Life Insnr-
0nco Companies, which will he followed
in rapid succession by three Or four more,
makes Il decided ripple in financial circles
These events are Of more importance than
appears UPON the surface. The companies
gather money from all parts of the coun-
try and hold it here in New York for in
vestmcnt. 1t is loaned on real estate, and
is presumed to be invested so safely that
nothing can affect it. The Life Insurance
Companies with their millions upon mill
ions Withdrawn from the circulation of the
country, represent IN important factor in
the financial interests of the country, and
anything that disturbs them disturbs the
whole country. They are the depositors
of the peoples money, to Il greater extent
than are the savings banks, AMI their re.
lation TO the people is one Of confidence
purely, for the man in the country knows
very little of the people in whose hands
he entrusts his earnings, and he has to
take it on faith. Now, when one of these
companies breaks, and it is shown that for
years there has been systematic stealing;
that the statements have been cooked;
that assets that never existed have been
put in; that liabilities that did exist have
been left out and the whole fraud has been
sworn to, and that the officers created by
the state are not shrewd enough to detect
the swndlc, it is calculated to uproot
things in II rather uncomfortable manner.
The Continental was mass of corruption
all through, and the Security-IIeaven
save the mark-was still worse The
good companies feel it sorely; for out in
Minnesota the difference between the SOL
vent and the insolvent does not appear
And the result is all Life Insurance is dis
credited There have been three failures
Of this class within II few weeks, and the
effect is an almost entire stoppage of re-
ceipts from this source. The persuasive
agent finds himself blocked in the middle
of his discourse upon the benefits of Life
Insurance, by the terrible word Seeuri-