The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-08-09

! Tor iess) silver dollars, or I'm new prom
ses TO pay. at the option OF the debtor
or rcdecmcr. You do not need 10 be told
/ hat only tho least valuable OF these dol
ars would remain In use. The invariablc
experience of all the ages fixes that fact
/ beforehand. And co leave no possible
doubt as to what the party means and ex-
poets to be the result Of its proposals.
as candidate for the presidency declares:
1--WE are going to fight for that which come
are pleased to calf dishonest money
Should this party so led. come 10 power
upon this platform. the Government dues
instead OF being paid, as now, in gold at
/ 20 cents or IN paper, which II now re-
deems with such gold and never with sli-
/ ver. would be paid i'm silver or I'm paper
/ redeemed I'm silver which silver we could
use in trade at only It's bullion value or
81 cents on the dollar. The Rreenhacks
being then redeemed In 5e cent dollars,
tho Government bonds and their interest
being paid IN 52-cent dollars. our national
bank currency. which rests on Government
bonds. rcdecmahle I'm 52-cent greenbacks,
and tho gold gone from domestic circula-
ton into International trade, we shall be
on the single ~ cent silver dollar basis.
One-huncrel-Ccnt gold dollars do not swap
even for 52-cent dollars Of silver, iron, or
copper. Tifty-two cents worth or any
thing can mover buy more than ~ cents
worth Of anything else. Then the purchas-
ing power Of your policies will be cut in
two
Coming upon n silver basis would intense
" stimulate again the production OF silver.
I The ores are now easily accessible. in In
exhaustihlc quantity. from which silver
can be put upon tho market at n profit
+ Of forty 10 fftv cents an ounce. at which
I I'LL -. xvr~th
thirty 10 thrtv-eleht cents. or less than
a greenback was during the darkest DAYS
Of 1854. Under that stimulus and under
such conditions there can he no possible
douht that the price OF silver would stead
ily decline on the average towards The
point az which It can BE produced, which
In some mines IS said 10 be already less
than twenty-five cents an ounce. and IN
ventlons and improvements have not ceas-
ed Should We come upon silver basis
your policies would for the present be
paid IN '"dollars" worth 70 your families
only about fifty cents: and the great bulk
Of them would probably be paid In dol
lars" worth not moro than from twenty
five 10 thirty-fve cents.
II e. therefore our duty 10 warn you
that Nv 50 much rs n was your duty 20
make this provision for the protection ~
your families. by so much IS II your pres
ent duty 10 see. so far as YOUR action can
/ prevent f. that no part % that provision
Is lost 10 them by being paid I'm dol
! lars" which are worth anything less than
! the 100 cents in which you have been pay
ing your premiums and in which. there
/ fore. you and we supposed you were maxi
! ing that provision. trusting 10 the person.
al and political integrity Of the American
| peorle 10 keep their honor bright and
/ thoir money good. We have never sun
/ posed-and do not yet suppOse-that the
money standard Of this great country. pro-
/ ducing for and trading with all tho coun-
/ tries ~ t'Te earth 6 az the mercy Of a
/ lot Of people who have lot of
cheapening metal 10 sell TO US TO
use for a new standard. and who have
/ long hcen carefully and at great exnensc
organizing their scheme politically by
l~inPir0 into one camp all tho discomfort.
the Jealousy. envy, and hatred which the
unwise unthriftv improvidcnt idle. and
self-indulgent arc supposed 10 harbor to-
wards the self-res'rained Industrious care
ful. saving. thrifty. and wisely provident
Every word ~ that is as true as gos-
pei We are utterly unable 10 understand
how any man. who has sought 10 make
provision for his family by insurlng his
life. can tolerate the idea Of free silver.
John A. Mccall. president OF the New
York Life Insurance Company. has also
issued circular 20 the policy-holdcrs OF
that company of the same tenor. lie says
that during the debauched currency period
OF 1903 thirty life insurance companies
retired from business. lie then continues:
The life insurance companies and assoc
/ Citations Of this country operating In New
York state number more than 100000
policy holders. II 10 this IS added bene-
nciarles OF insurance. their wives. and
children, except industrial pOlicy-hOlders
there are at least 2jO0oO10 persons inter-
cstce in the payment Of claims by these
associations During the year 1885 these
companies paid 10 policy-holders and their
bcnehciaries S6j.1036l0. The total out
standing insurance contracted to be paid
is S9.C9l49I4l. This sum must be paid
at some time or other (says the circular.
for death is certain. How shall il lie
paid? In what kind Of dollars2 Dollars in
gold worth 100 cents. or dollars in silver
worth % cents. or less? The insurance
policy itself Is an agreement 10 pay in
lawful money and the main Issue involved
in the forthcoming election brings home
10 every pOicy-holder this question. In
whar commodity shall the payment be
made?
with silver dollars end gold dollars AZ
parity. The question answers itself: but
With dollars worth only % cents. what may
be the effect on wife and children for
whom tho pclicy-holder hoped TO provide
| I'm event Of death or on his business which
he expects to straightcn out with the
| proceeds Of his policy? The premiums
have been paid in gold or its equivalent and
"a compel the policy-holder to accept one
half value at the maturity Of the claim
would 30 rs ubiquitous as though no hal
Deen robbed on the highway II the views
OF the Chicago candidate prevail. the
companies could not even n they are wifi
ING. provide for the payment Of their
claims in gold dollars. Surely II Is not
political question that confronts ~. The
chosen officers may officially appeal 10 the
Insured for united action against those who
would greatly impair. n not destroy. the
protection secured by much self-denial
These are words Of soberness and truth
10 which all men should give ear.
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TACTENTNGS