Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1893-07-20
COLORADO AROUSED.
Intense Feeling Displayed at a Silver Mass
Meeting.

A mass meeting was called by Presi-
dent Merrick of the state silver league
at coliseum hall, Denver, July IL.
The building was crowded with dele
gates from every section OF the state
who had come to see what could be
done toward crystalizing the senti-
ment of Colorado for the establish
ment of the free and unlimited coinage
of silver. There appeared to be but
one feeling in all the gathering, and
that was free coinage or nothing. In
his address calling the meeting to Or
der, President Merrick said: "Weask
for justice for our rights. We will ac-
cept nothing less. The crime of 1878
has gone on all these years unpun-
ished. We are here to demand the
early and speedy settlement of the
silver question"
| At this point some of the extremists
attempted to introduce resolution.
This created an uproar which came
near terminating in a riot. Quiet was
| finally restored and a recess taken.
| On reassembllng it could be seen
that the spirit which controlled the
delegates at the morning session was
not under control, but only awaiting
an opportunity to break out again.
Hon. Chas. 5. Thomas, Democratic
national committeeman from Colo
rado, was made permanent chairman.
In assuming the chairmanship, he
said:
ave are face to face with a crisis
which has had but few parallels in the
history of this country, so deep, so
broad, so far-reaching that it does not
involve exaggeration to predict that
it means another phase of the old
question of slavery over again. 1t Is
the stagnation of business, the paraly-
sis OF commerce" This stagnation,
Thomas went on to show, was from
the failure to restore silver to its
legitimate ratio of sixteen to one.
! At the conclusion of Thomas re-
marks there was a allfor Gov. Waite,
The echo was taken up in a mighty
shout from 900 lungs, which was
carried to the galleries where as many
more joined in the demonstration
AS the old gray haired governor
started down the aisle to the platform
the scene presented was beyond pens
description. Men whose future de
pended upon the cause for which they
were fighting, stood in their seats and
yelled until exhausted. The execu
tive, who comes from Aspen, one o
the leading silver mining camps OF the
state, confined his remarks to the
question of silver and its demoDetiza
ton, and paid his respects to those IL
the east and Europe working not only
the ruin of the west, but the entir,
! country, by forcing such policy, anc
concluded by saying:
: "If the money power shall attempt
to sustain it's usurpation by strons
hand, we will meet that issue when II
is forced upon US, for IL is better, IN
fnitely, that blood should flow to th'
horses brides rather than our ma
tional liberties be destroyed. II it !!
true that the United States is unabl'
! to carry out it's governmental polio,
. without the dictation or consent o
, foreign powers, if we are province o
: European monarchies, then we neet
another revolution; another appea
to arms, and we have won that battle
! II war is forced upon us, we Will sen'
\ to Halifax far greater army of Brit
ISL IOEltS " Jul
r than our forefathers sent there afte
s the revolutionary war;"
The address created a sensation
and scene of great confusion followed
the applause being deafening. Judg
{ Kerr of Pueblo got the floor and spok
in the same meinfiammatory vein as Gov
:. Waite. He endorsed the recent revo
: lutionary telegram sent east, i'll whic
e it was declared that if war upon silve
continued it would result in the ives
repudiating all her obligations, tina
so, 900 men would be paupers, an
500, 900 people on the verge OF starva
10 ton, and revolution would be tn
= final result. 1t was then moved tha
|, the convention indorse the remark
:, of Gov. Waite. The motion was cal
!. ried amid the greatest enthusiasm
- The convention then adjourned unit
= the next day, when the committee o
e resolutions were to report.