The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1893-07-15
WILL BE A LANDMARK
THE SILVER QUESTION IN SPOKANE
Leading Citizens Wants the Sherman
Law RepeaIed-Speeches by Sew
eral Prominent Men.


evening to pronounce in favor of the re-
monetization of silver will fill con-
spicuous page in her history forever,
however important may be the events
of the future. Advancing time draws
closer together to the prospective view
events that seem to the living witnesses
entirely distinct and separate, and
with the flow of the years the student
of local chronicles will come to view
the great confagration that swept Spo-
kane from the face of the earth in a
fire tempest of a few hourt and the de
monetization of silver, forced by foreign
money tyrants, and resulting in the sus-
pension of development work in most
of the silver mines upon which her pros
perity was based, as closely related
calamities. A larger or more enthus-
iastic meeting was never held indoors
in Spokane. Music hall was crowded
to its utmost capacity, the seats all
being occupied and all the open spaces
filled with persons standing compactly
massed. Large numbers, unable to
gain entrance, came to the doors and
went away. Throughout that vast as
semblege all minor differences regard
ing party policies were dropped and
Spokane was one great Individuality
breathing though the same lungs, think
ing through the same brains, speaking
the same thoughts.
The motion that put Judge Blake into
the chair was put, seconded and unani-
mously carried in a moment. when the
Judge opened the meeting by briefly,
clearly and comprehensively stating its
object-to declare to Washingfon's rep
resentatives in congress, and to the
world, the feelings of the people of
Spokane regarding the characterization
of silver and their wishes regarding
future legislation on the subject. Every
heart and mind in the vast concourse
was in accord with the Judge when he
said, upon resuming his seat, that the
question they had gathered to discuss
was one "between the masses on one
side and the few on the other"
Colonel j. w. Feighan was first called
to the platform, and, though his re-
marks were for the most part facetious
and laughter-provoking they were APP
propriately ardent and earnest and well
balanced with good-sense points. The
colonel thought the time was approach
ing when 1.-THE available gold money
will consist of three gold dollars-one
held by Lombard street, one by Wall
street, and the other by the Roth
childs."
j. j. Browne, banker and student Of
financial statistics, then responded to
call and made a speech weighty with
1,A = -
sufliciency of the active money volume
and the inaccuracy of the reports from
time to time sent out from official
sources of its available extent. He
warmed up as he proceeded, his hear
ers with him, and much enthusiasm was
manifested in the course of his remarks.
After brief and well received speeches
by S.. G. Hyde, Lee Fairchild and H. N.
Mcguire, the audience again, for the
fourth of fifth time, made a call for
Judge Claggett, and nothing could
silence them but the appearance of the
Judge upon the platform. Judge Clag-
gett's fame as an off-handed orator is
spread over all the mining regions, and
his manhood life has nearly all been
spent in the mining communities of the
Pacific coast. Especially to hear him
had many come, and all knew of him as
aims" The first federal law regulating
mining titles and providing for the issue
of patents to mining properties was
drafted and its passage through con
gress secured by Mr.. Claggett when
repl esenting Montana, and his practice
as a mining lawyer is widely extended.
High as was expectation the listeners
were not disappointed. Judge Cl2ggett,
while his sentences flowed out smoothly
and sonorous, came well fortified with
facts and figures, and he instructed at
the same time that he delighted his
auditors. There was not a single soul
in the vast concourse who was not
heartily in favor of the full remonetiza-
tion of silver at the conclusion of Judge
r Claggett's remarks, if there was any
before he began. The thunderous APP
plause that followed his declaration, 81
am in favor of the reconciliation of
silver and the retoration of prosperity,
even If it sinks the democratic and re-
publican parties into hell" fairly shook
the foundation of the building.
The chairman early in the proceed
ings had appointed Fenton, Peel, Curry,
Knapp, Feighan and Durham to embody
the sense of the meeting on the subject
it was called to consider. Their report
was in the form of a preamble concisely
stating the facts regarding the demone-
tization of silver and 4 resolution ex-
pressing unalterable opposition to the
repeal "of the legislation commonly
known as the Sherman act of 1890" ex-
cept on the condition that "the legisla-
tion which repeats such act shall pro