Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1905-10-19
TAKE from the Commoner:

Democrats Will rememDe tnat
John A. Mccall, president of the
New York Life Insurance Com
pany, was very active in his OPP
position to the Democratic national
ticket in 1896. Mr.. Mccall fire.
quently gave Understanding news
paper interviews, declaring that he
was actuated by high and lofty
motives, and he issued a circular
to the policyholders in his COM
pany, in which he warned them
that the election of the Democratic
ticket would force the company
into paying claims of the insured
in $50 cent dollars" In that let
ter Mr.. Mccall said: "To compel
the policyholder or his family to
accept one-half the value that he
has paid for at the maturity of the
claim would be as Ubiquitous and
indefensible as though he had been
robbed on the highway" Mr..
Mccall further said that the issue
in 1896 sinvolves the honor of the
people and the prosperity of the
country" to which, as Mr.. Mccall
put it, ''the Chicago candidate and
platform are antagonistic." Mr..
Mccall then asked those who
would heir him to set aside their
"non-esseltial conIict'o Is" and
aid in the defeat of the Democratic
ticket ''for patriotic reasons if for
no other" In the letter he had
much to say concerning the ''sacred
trusts" confided to his care. He
sought to make his policyholders
believe that his opposition to the
Democratic ticket was based upon
his anxiety to guard those "sacred
trusts" The testimony before the
New York Insurance Committee
shows that at the time he was
making those appeals in behalf of
the Republican national ticket,
and not only then, but long prior
to that time and since that time,
Mr.. Mccall and his associates were
traficking in the "sacred trusts"
confided to their care. The testi-
mony shows that Mr.. Mccall and
his associates had small concep-
ton of honor when it came to
handling the policyholders money.
1t was not $50 cent dollars that
Mr.. Mccall and his boon COM
panions were afraid of in that
campaign. They knew they were
guilty OF fraud, bribery OF legis-
latures, corruption of politics and
misuse of trust funds. They were
afraid OF criminal prosecution, and
they felt safer under a Republican
administration.
Following the above T given
fifteen lies contained in a circular
issued a few years ago by the New
York Life-ffteen lies developed
by the investigation now going on,
and the Commoner thus concludes:
Aside from the false statements
made in the circular referred to,
Mr.. Mccall and his associates have
not hesitated to become respon-
sible for false statements in other
forms. Immediately after the
election of 1896 Governor Culber-
son of Texas called upon Presi-
dent Mccall, demanding that in
conformity with the Texas law,
President Mccall give the amount,
if any, paid by or on behalf of his
insurance company for political
purposes during the Presidential
campaign. Replying to that de-
mand, Mr.. Mccall caused to be
sent to Governor Culberson an
affidavit by T. M. Banta, cashier
of the New York Life Insurance
Company, to the effect that "no
moneys were directly or indirectly
paid by this company to the Re-
publican campaign fund during
the recent Presidential election
Hugh S. Thompson, comptroller
of the New York Life also made
affidavit to the same effect. John
c. Whitney, auditor OF the New
York Life, made a similar affidavit.
In his testimony before the New
York Insurance Committee Mr.,
Mccall testified that the company
had paid in the Presidential cam
paign of 1896 the sum of $4,000 tc
the Republican national campaign
fund, thus showing that the sworr
statements which Mr.. Mccall
caused his subordinates to make
to the governor of Texas, were
false. These men who traffic in
the money of their policyholders.
who rob the widows and orphan:
whose interests are intrusted te
their care, who publish false state.
ments concerning the method:
pursued by their company, whc
cause their subordinates either tt
commit perjury or, because 0.
crooked bookkeeping, to in
nocently swear to statements which
the superiors know to be false
these are the men who, in the cam
paigns OF 1896 and 1900 posed a
the faithful defenders of nationa
honor, and the valiant champion:
of the business interests of tn,
country! What is to be done witt
these we'll dressed rascals? Ar,
they to be permitted to escape will
their plumber? Or should they not
as is the practice toward common
rogues, be driven from their pc
sitions OF trusts and held strict,
to account in the criminal court
of the State?