The herald., 1893-07-12
A SILVER MASS MEETING
Citizens Of Colorado Clamor
for Free Coinage.
A Sensational Speech Made by
Governor Waite.
He Warns the Gold Power Not to
Advance too Far.
The People of the West VIII Wade In
Blood II Necessary to Pre-
serve Their Rights and
Liberty. .
BY the Associated Press.1

By the Associated Press.l
DENVER, Colo., July 11.-A mass meet.
ing was called by President Merrick of
the State Silver league at coliseum hall
today. The building was crowded with
thousands Of delegates from every Sec
tion Of the state, who had come to see
what could be done towards crystalizing
sentiment in Colorado for the establish
ment of 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
order. President Msrrick said. 1--WE ask
for justice, for our rights; we will accept
nothing else. The crime of 1873 has
gone on all these years unpunished; We
are here to demand an early and speedy
settlement of the silver question"
Following his remarks committee
on organization was appointed and o
motion made to take o recess. At this
point some extremists attempted to in
troduce resolution. This created an
uproar which came near terminating in
a riot. Quiet was finally restored and q
recess taken.
On reassembling 1t could be seen that
the spirit which controlled the delegates
at the morning session was not under
control, but only waiting an opportu-
nifty to break out again. Hon. Charles
s. Thomas, Democratic national COM
mitteeman from Colorado, was made
permanent chairman. In assuming the
chairman he said: I'VE are face to face
with crisis which has had but few
parallels in the history of this country !;
so deep, so broad, $50 far-reaching, it
does hot involve exsggeration. to predict
that it means another phase of the old
question Of slavery over again. It is the
stagnation of business and paralysis Of
commerce."
(. This staenation, Thomas went on to
show, was from the failure to restore
silver to ita. legitimate ratioof I6 to l.. *
j At the conclusion Of Thonss, remarks
there was q call for Governor Waite.
The echo was taken up in q mighty
shout from 1000 lungs, which was car
ried to the galleries, where az MANY
more joined in the demonstration. As
the old gray-haired governor started
0OWA bAO 0inlO w sn0 Dl6tIOlm. tuo
scene presented was beyond description.
Men whose future depended upon the
cause for which they were lighting stood
in their seats and yelled until ex-
haueted.
The executive, who comes from Aspen,
one OF the leading eilver mining camps
in the state, confined his remarks to the
question OF silver and it's delnonetiza.
tion, and to those in the east and
Europe who were not only the ruin OF
the west, but the entire country, by
forcing such policy, and concluded by
saying:
IF the money power shall attempt to
sustain it's usurpation by strong hand,
we will meet that issue when it ia forced
upon us, for it is infinitely better that
blood should flow to the horses' brides,
rather than that our national liberties
be destroyed. If it is time that the
United States is unable to carry out it's
governmental policy without the dicta-
tion or consent of foreign powers; if we
sre province Of European monarchy,
then we need another revolution; an
other appeal to arms, and we have won
that battle. II war is forced upon us, we
will send to Halifax far greater army
OF British tories, according to our popu-
lation, than our forefathers sent there
after the revolutionary war. The war
has begun. 1t is the same war which
must always be waged against oppres-
sion and tyranny to preserve the liber-
tics of maj"
The address created q sensation, and q
scene of great confusion followed, the
applause being deafening.
Judge Kerr of Pueblo got the floor and
spoke in the same infammatory vein as
Governor Waite. He endorsed the re-
cent revolutionary telegram sent east, in
which it was declared that if the war
upon silver continued 1t would result in
the west repudiating all her obligations |;
that 100000 men would be paupers,
500, 900 people on the verge of starvation,
and revolution would be the final re-
suit"
1t was then moved that the conven-
tion endorse the remarks of Governor
Waite. The motion was carried amid
the greatest enthusiasm. The conven-
tion adjourned until tomorrow, when the
committee on resolutions will report.
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