The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-08-31
THE SALT LAKE HERALD, MONDAY, AUGUST 81. 1896.

It might be interesting in this connec-
ton to ask Mr.. Seward for public
explanation OF his sudden unanticipat-
ed departure from China at a time
when he occupied a. lucrative govern
mant position there. 1t would also be
interesting to know, in view of Mr..
Stewards high regard for the Chinese
(Which is a. silver standard country
why he condemns those who favor a
moderate use of this metal when he
thinks so much of those who practic-
ally find an exclusive use of it wanted?
Is it not nearly time for men occu-
plying positions of trust in insurance
companies to recover from the insane
idea that because people feel them
trustworthy to collect and disburse
their money that they are therefore
necessarily familiar with all the func-
tions of money? Mr.. Seward may know
great deal about insurance-he may
even have some knowledge of the func-
ton of money If so, he is among those
wise men who are unwilling to distrib-
Ute the knowledge they possess to an
unappreciative world, and will not,
therefore, cast his pearls before swine.
Nevertheless, like others, he might bet
ter serve his company and the agents
who make insurance their business if
he left the discussion of economic ques-
tons to those wto devote as much time
to that end as Mr.. Seward is supposed
to do to Spiritualism and insurance.
Speaking of insurance, 1T is a note
worthy fact that all the insurance
Journals in the east are devoting a
good deal of time and space to dis
couraging the free coinage of silver
''heresy.' One of these Journals re-
Gently took cognizance of the attitude
of the insurance Commissioners of the
G. a a of aJ-1c 10
York Life and Connecticut Mutual, be-
cause of their announcement that if
silver should receive free coinage at a
ratio of Is to l they would pay policy
holders in 50-cent dollars The journal
in question quotes the insurance law of
Colorado, which prohibits the invest
ment of insurance funds in silver
mines, and with much glee itadicizes
the expression that the state of Colo
RADIO thereby discountenances its own
silver product. 1t would be too mild
a term TO state that the individual
guilty of writing this is an ass,
who expresses his opinion of a matter
concerning which he is totally ignor-
ant. Tt is a law that obtains in all
mining states, or should, and SO OBJ
tains OR should so obtain for the reason
that mining Of amy kind is uncertain.
The funds in the hands of insurance
insurance company, though their in
vestmenr is directed by them. They are
the contributions of policy holders to
common fund and the surveillance of
the law is directed to their safe in
vestment No man considers mining in
the same light thar he considers real
estate or municipal bonds. While min
ing is gradually being reduced to a
more legitimate condition, there is
nevertheless much uncertainty about it,
and it is for this reason that those who
have the daring 90 invest in the pro-
duction of the precious metals-so es-
sential for the civilization of man
should be rewarded in proportion to
the hazard taken. If the laws of New
York prohibited insurance companies
and banks from putting money in the
hands of stock brokers to play upon
the stock exchange in New York the
logic of the insurance papers position
would be: Behold the laws of New
York discourage investment in the
stocks of New York" No greater
strength comes to the silver cause
than is given through such idiotic ex-
pressions
R. WASHINGTON SEQUARD.