The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-05-24
THE PEOPLES PARTY LEADER
General j. b. Weaver Tickles the Ears
of His Followers Here.

General ]. B. Weaver did not arrive I'M
til 5:l5 O'Clock last evening, so the meet
ing at the Armory, which was to take
place at o'clock, had to be postponed I'M
til 7:30 in the evening. On his arrival at
the depot he was met by band and about
fifty or sixty adherents of the Peoples
party. who marched in an irregular pro-
cession up TO Second street and thence to
the Occidental hotel. One disciple of the
faith who was in the procession was hilari-
ously drunk, and every now and then
sent up a shout of "'Rah for Weaver. A
bigoted Individual who saw the procession
designated it "a crowd of old women of
both sexes"
At the hotel a large crowd of working
men gathered about to snake hands with
General Weaver. Shortly afterward he
was closeted in his room with the local
high chief, NJ. F. Knox, when a PoSr-IS-
TEILIGENCER reporter called.
General Weaver said he had Just com.
pleted q tour OF the state of Oregon and
was going directly East after speaking at
Tacoma tonight.
The speech of General Weaver at the
Armory hail last night was disappoint-
ment to those who expected to hear the
Of the Peoples party. The audience was
large. great many people having been at
tracted to the meeting by the reputation.
OF the speaker. They looked for some
thing out OF the ordinary i'll the way of a
DISCUSSION on economic questions, but they
did not hear it. Many of those present
were ready 10 pronounce great whatever
the plausible speaker might have to say
.f,,, =
merts. Still another class was attracted
there ont Of cur osity and for amusement
and were satisfied with the repetition of
Old jokes which were supplied in abund-
ance without even the merit of new
dress.
General Weaver took the precaution to
inform his audience early in his speech OF
his devotion TO the cause. He tod them
he had spoken on an average Of about
once day for every working day IN the
past two years, but he omitted the more
interesting point of telling them no hired
him and paid his salary Tie told of the
great reception with which he met all over
the country, and especially IN the South,
and some one in the back Of the hall suy-
gestei IN ! whisper: What a martyr
he IS"
lie then waded into the two old parties
ana pretended to show by the quotation
OF . single sentence from Senator Allison.
without reading any Of what followed-a
method OF quoting TO which 'retormers''
usually take serious exception when ap-
piled to themselves-tha there was no
difference between them. He even SIAN
dered the Democracy by referring to Gov.
eruor Pennoyer a = Democra'.snd Quoting
him IS authority on the same point
The speaker next attacked the tariff and
utterly failed 20 make : sing. c point. from
an economic point OF view. lie reasoned
that because the, price Of the single prod
nc; whea, was liked in Liverpool. The CON-
pGtitive wheat market Of The world. there
fore the producers were forced 10 sell their
produce in a competitive market while
they were forced by protective tariff %
bay in 4 uOD-COmpeiItlve market III what
ever price trusts saw Iii to TX. He did
uot even venture TO suggest remedy fur
Their than that trusts must be ear out
The single point that he made in his
whole speech was an illustration with ref
erence TO the national banking system.
Bat he dare net venture - analvze the
sU5-treasLry-iarm scheme winch he
recommended u take Its place. His dis
cussion Of the financial question was
made M almost entirely OF Diatitudes
souhis;-y and cheap Wit intended 70 tickle
the ear o.. an indu!gent audience. As an
illustration. When discussing free silver
which. of course. he favored, lie said The
people sent all the way 10 Iowa 10 bring
him out here 10 tell them what the matter
was. when II they had felt in their pock-
cts they would have known. lie then
waited 10 hear the audience laugh
lie said hut little in favor of the gov.
eminent ownership Of railroads, bu,
wanted q pension for the family OF every
man killed IN the employ Of railroad
lie closed with that expression 50 fami.-