The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-09-03
SILVER IN FIRST WARD.
A Large Audience Listens to
John Madden.
AfterWard a Roll of Members of
First Ward Silver Club
Is Stretched Clear Across the Stage
Containing 600 Names, 1877 of
Them Said to be Former
Republicans.

Political enthusiasm reached a tenn
perature several degrees above the cen
fury mark in the First ward last night.
An audience, numbering between 400
and 500 men gathered in Lulzens' Opera
House to perfect the organization of the
First Ward Bryan Free Silver club and
listen to the speeches by John Madden.
J. J. Miller, and w. T. Pence. The
meeting was successful.
The organization of the club was per
fected by the election of J. s. Morse,
president. J. B. Billiard, vice presi-
dent, T. N. Davis, secretary, and James
HEnley, treasurer 1t was decided to
hold weekly meetings each Wednesday
evening, but a permanent meeting place
has not yet been secured.
w. I. Pence was first introduced and
made an interesting talk on the fnan-
cial question Mr.. Pence read extracts
from an article written by Hugh Nc
CuUOugh, secretary of the treasury, and
also extracts from the Chicago Bank
err on the situation in Mexico He was
followed by J. j. Miller who in a short
speech introduced John Madden of En-
pOria, free silver candidate for congress
from this district. Mr.. Miller was on
o the programme for a speech, but said
that he would give his time to Mr..
Madden He said I won't make
speech tonight but 4 will at some other
time. am willing to divide time with
any Republican speaker in this county,
without regard to VINO he is or the color
OF his hair If 1 don't skin him in the
estimation of the audience 1 won't
make another political speech during
the campaign
Mr.. Madden is eloquent and displays
InEch OratOT1CaI ability He spoke en-
tertalnlngiy for over an hour and held
the marked attention OF the entire audi
ence. His brilliant expressions We're
greeted with prolonged cheering. He
said
MI. President, Ladies and Gentlemen:
am pleased to meet tonight the fellow
TONusmen OF the gentleman nominated
for congress on the other side. When
we meet in an occasion such as this to
discuss questions so vital to the inter
ests of the people, we should forget if
possible that We are partisans and think
only that we are Americans. We are
all agreed upon the fact that we love
our common country and her inStitu-
tons and are-F ready to sustain those in
situations, but the trouble is. as the
old saying goes, there are many men
OF many minds
The great and vital question before
the American people today is the mon
ey question. In this we are all inter
ested. On this question rests the great
ness of the country at large. If GER
tain causes will produce certain effects,
the sinking effects which we now see
before US demonstrate that the causes
which made these effects were wrong.
This we propose to remedy.
What we are demanding, what we
are asking at the hands of our states
men, IS that silver, purely an American
product, be restored to its old place
under the constitution. This means
nothing more or less than the free and
unlimited coinage of silver at the ratio
of 16 to 1, and without compromise.
(Cheers.)
I'VE are asked why we don't leave
this money question to the men who
are informed on this matter Why not
allow the bankers and capitalists to
handle this matter. Were your fathers
who framed the constitution of this
country, bankers or capitalists? No.
They We're plain men like yourselves
who, when the call for liberty came
took down their guns from the antlers
and on the field of Lexington and at
Bunker's Hill forced the principles and
privileges which you ought to enjoy
4Cheers.)
When silver is restored to the place
given it under the constitution what
are you going to be confronted with?
Mr. Sherman says that if we have free
aud unlimited coinage of silver the
pensioners of this country and the pen
siOners' widows and orphans will be
paid off in debaSed currency, in SO
cent dO1ars.f such men as John Sher-
man are now so sOlicitous about the
soldiers and the soldiers widows and
orphans, 1 ask you why We're they not
sOlicitous about the soldier from 1861 to
1865? Why are they not sOIicitous
when they We're paying the men in the
ranks with 81 cent dollars? These very