The Meeker herald., 1896-08-29
THAT INSURANCE GAG
oRR4M8.s LETTER TO POLICY
ns0LDgR8 AMoWER8D.

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Holieyholders in the Connection Nu-
hal LIE insurance company recently
rsestvsd . lettse from Col. Jacob L.
0rssae. president Of the company. call
l1g their attention to the probable Of
1sct the victory Of free silver would
havo upon life insurance policy hold
M.
T1s lstter begins with the assertion
ehAk It never was thought necessary to
provide that either premiums or poll
ciss should be paid in any particular
kind OF quality Of dollars, 1t being as
sumed that the American people were
honest to keep their dollars
worth their face value. But now, Col.
Greene says. comes political party
avowinE its purpose to make . dollar
mean three distinct and different
thingsrto wit: A gold dollar. worth ~
bullion 100 cents; = silver dollar. now
worth - bullion only 81 cents; pa
par promise of dollar to be issued
by the government. redeem
able In 100-cent gold dollars. 52-cent
(oe lsss) silver dollars or in new prom
isss to pay. At the option OF the debtor
or redeemer. The least valuable OF
these dollars would remain In use. We
should be on the single 52-cent dollar
basis, and then the purchasing power
Of policies would be cut in two.
"The change to a silver basis" the
letter continues, would stimulate the
production Of silver. The ores now
ars easily accessible in such vast guam
titles that under such changed condi-
tons the price woud steadily decline.
On . silver basis your policies would
for the present be paid In dollars
worth only about so cents, and the bulk
OF them probably would be paid In dol
lars worth from rs to SO cents. We
therefore warn you that as It il your
duty to make this provision for your
families 70 1t is your present duty to see
that NO part Of that provision is lost"
J. G. Roberts Of Chicago recently
mailed the following reply to Col.
0fesue:
Jacob L. Greene, Hartford, Conn:
Dear SRA copy OF your circular
to your policy holders has been handed
to me and have examined 1t careful
". end In my opinion you are treading
upon dangerous ground. There is
an old adage which runs something
like this: Folks that live In glass
houses should not throw stones How
ever. you have thrown down the gaunt-
let, and ~ an advocate of free silver
accept the gauge OF battle.
II have had some experience with
LIE insurance companies. both ~ VIC
tim and ~ m attorney. have been
called upuu 1nvs tfMss % dsfsnd the
widow and orphan against the scoun-
drslism Of life insurance companies.
and have won my suit in each case. I
have ever found that the weaker and
more defenceless the beneficiary the
more arrogant and INSCRIPTIONS was
the insurance company. and from my
knowledge OF the companies generally
I doubt II there ia an insurance presi
dent alive that would not sit up nights
from now until the November election
to study out some scheme to beat the
policy holders out of ten cents ON the
dollar.
"As business proposition your cir
oular IL failure, for II there is any
thing the American people never will
submit to 1t Is coercion, especially upon
their right to exercise their own judg
mont in voting. AS a political propo-
sttion you have done more to help the
cause Of free silver than any other rich
man in America. ~
Life insurance il something that the
public knows but little about. These
Institutions have posed ~ eleemosy-
nary concerns. when a. q matter OF
fact they rank but little ii any above
the old Louisiana lottery.
"But you have declared war, and to
ths utmost extent Of my power the
public shall be fully informed upon the
msthods and schemes OF your class.
shall make $50 speeches upon the
stump between now and election, In all
Of which ! shall advertise the life in
surance business, and your company in
particular. The war will not end with
election. I shall carry the fight to the
state Legislature Of Illinois and to the
congress of the United States, and en-
dsavo9 10 sscure the passage Of laws TO
restrain the present eoxnpantes from
further power to continue their Illicit
gains-
II am we'll versed in the statistics Of
Life Insurance. but shall leave NO stone
unturusd nor spare any expense to -
cure all the evidence necessary 70 snow
Gha& ysur interest y not In your policy
holders, but that ~ the largest monsy
IsodsEs N the world. you want 70 make
money out Of It's scarcity.
II win show that 1t does not cost 10
pse ssok Of the money dlched from the
people 70 pay the death losses: 81 per
csat Of Ill the policies lapse. OF the