The morning call., 1893-08-25


''Ihis is Government of the people, for
the people and by the pPOple-not a Gov
eminent for few bankers and stock
brokers'"
So spoke Colonel A. c. Ellis at the silver
meeting in Metropolitan Temple last night,
aud he was cheered to the echo bv an audi
ence that crowded the spacious floor aud
the balconies. He had remarked that none
had heard of ''gold meetings" being held
in this great land-that is, such meetings
of the people, and the only ones who had
assembled together to decry free silver
were bankers and members of so-caled
chambers of commerce.
The meeting was held for the purpose Of
sounding a warning note that Congress
might hear; it was held that the people Of
San Francisco might assemble, and by
their presence give voice and weight 20 the
protests now being sent from the great
West to Washington. urging the Repre-
sentatives there not to degrade silver. that
American metal. but coin it freely.
1t was q studious audience, an audience
that listened TO every word spoken on the
intricate question of the hour Withal it
was demonstratlye audience and no one
could leave the hall without being con-
WINGED that those present wished to earn
esty protest against the debasement of
silver and the usurpation of its place by
gold.
When President Belshaw began his
opening address the room was comfortably
filed, but before he had finished there were
many in the rear and alsles who were COM
PEELED to stand. Hundreds of persons seen
at the ceremonies attendant upon the in
auguraii0n of work on the Mdwinter Fair
site were in the hall in spite of the fatigue
resultant from attending two such demon
strations in one day. They had taken the
long trip to Golden Gate Park to give ap-
prevail to the work which will prove a
boon to their STATE; they had hurried
home. hurried through dinner and FASTENED
TO the evening meeting to lend their voices
and presence to the great protest rolling
westward toward Washington, q protest
against the uplifting of gold to the detri-
ment of silver.
By means of a letter Congressman
Bowers spoke TO the audience there
assembled. President Belshaw was the
spokesman for the legislator, who is fight
ing the battle for silver at the nations
capital. The letter read was as follows:
House OF REPRESENTATIVES,, Z. 81
WASHINGTON. d. C.,
August 8, 1893.
Dfr. j. H. Tjngnlon, room 9, 324 Pine street,
San Francisco, CGL.-DEAR SIR: Yours of
August Il, lDcloSing seven petitions respecting
the silver question and faV0ilng the free coin
age of silver at hand. l VIII present them at
the first opportunity. At present there are no
committees ana the House Is not receiving any
petitions or doing any business except the dis.
cuSsiOn OF the silver ques ion.
am heartily in accord with the petitions re-
specting the free coinage OF silver and am not Il
conditional man. ] silver man all the
w. w BOWERS.
IL would have done Mr. Bowers and
other friends of silver good 20 have heard
the cheer with which this was greeted.
and it would also have been a. warning
note to those who seem hent upnn legis-
lating in the interest of Wall street. Fol-
lowing this letter another was read. 1t
was a voice from sister town and was
as follows:
WILLIAMS. Colusa County, Cal. Aug. %.
4. C. UnslUorfh-DEAR SIR: / send you The
petition of our town FOR free silver. ! think
your committee can u.s. Ii 10 better adVanl age
than we can. We pOlled total vote of 227
last fall. Tie petition has 1874 names. L hope
the whole State VIII do well as we have.
Yours respectfully, j. b. COMPTON.
On the platform, resting upon a ia BILE
Immediately behind the speakers desk,
was n idIR0 IolI VI paper Lbll tudt ~
prevent spreading had TO be tied up with
heavy binding Irvine. 1t was a petition
with names of thousands of signers. The
paper is so long that Pres jdent Belshaw
said any one in the audience could take
one end of it. walk down the stairs, out
into the street and along several blocks be-
fore the mass would be Strengthened out
and he. still standing on the platform,
would be holding the other end. This
enormous petition will soon be consigned
to the mails and carried to Washington to
be there read in the House OF Representa-
tives. Upon the list can be found the
names of thousands of voters and this
document will speak with no uncertain
sound Tor San Francisco.
This was the petition urging the free
coinage of silver.
1t was also announced from the platform
that petitions were rolling in from the
country, and would be forwarded with this
document from here. And it was said at
the same time that the friends of silver in
the interior would be asked ia the future
to send similar documents direct to the
capital. and not wait to take the round
about way via this port,