New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-08-24
WANT NO GOLD CLA USE.
MERCER COUNTY BUSINESS MEN OBJECT
TO A BOND ISSUE
THEY SAY THAT POLITICS is RESPONSIBLE FOR
THE ACTION OF THE FREEHOLDERs AND
DECLARE THAT FREE SILVER Is
A PASSING CRAZE.

Trenton. Aug. % (SpecaD.-The business OF
the city and county have presented numerously
signed protest to the Mercer County Board of Free
holders demanding that the authorization of the
county legislators of the issuance Of 500 o road i'm
provemeni bonds payable at maturity In gold or its
equivalent he Withdrawn.
The business men intimate in this protest that
politics is responsible for the recent action of the
Freeholders and they point out in emphat language
the dangers to the business community of any public
body contracting to pay future public debts in gold
They declare that the free coinage of silver is only
passing craze. sure to die out in a few weeks. and
they demand that the resolution authorizing the
Finance Committee TO use the gold clause" In the
bonds and that fixing the Of interest al g. instead
of per cent he forthwith rescnded. and bonds paya-
bic in the lawful money of the United States and
bearing per cent interest be issued in their stead
The protest handed TO Director Josiah Jones OF
the Board Of Freehoders by a committee OF the bust
yesterday. and the gold clause bonds are
advertised for sale the Court House Thursday.
the committee demanded that a special meeting OF
the Board be called for tomorrow afternoon. Director
Jones complied with the request for the meet
ing
The business men aroused by the action OF the
Freeholders their last meeting. Some time the
Board authorized the Finance Committee 10 issue
and advertise for sale 100000 road improvement
bonds a per interest and payable in the coin
Of the realm The Finance Committee did as directed.
but when the day fixed for the sale arrived they say.
bidders were on hand 10 buy the bonds The COM
mttee stated that the failure 10 sell the per cent
bonds was owing the silver scare and without
further ado they recommended to the Board OF Free
holders the resolution authorizing the issue OF
the per cent bonds be resc!nded This recommenda-
ton was promptly acquiesced In, and Immediately a
resolution was introduced authorizing the issue Of
800 900 road improvement bonds. but this authorize
ton empowered the Finance Committee to make the
interest per cent and 20 the words guarantee
ing the payment Of the bonds at maturity in gold or
its equivalent.
John g. Stout. a prominent tobacconlst. who has
signed the protest said that he present at the
time the per cent bonds offered for sale. and
he knows positively that there were bidders on nand.
but the committee seemed 10 be in hurry, and be-
cause people did not jump right up and proclaim
their intentions the sale declared of In this pro-
test the business men declare ii to be an unwise
policy to Increase the difficulty OF other public cor
poratons and Of private citizens securing loans paya
bic in lawful money Of the United states by thus
stimulating and encouraging financial scare and
assert the belief hat when lawful bodies cannot
raise loans payable in lawful money at per cent the
true remedy is TO stop expenditures and not to In
crease the rate Of interest
The protest is signed by such men as General Rich-
ard A. Donnelly. Samuel K wilson, the woollen
manufacturer: James 5. Aiken, Edward Grant COOK
Alexander c. Yard. A a. Skirm and about two hum
dred others prominent in business circles ana repre-
senting all political parties