The herald., 1896-08-15
LADIES WERE ALSO PRESENT
Some Arguments Presented for the SIM
gle Standard
Why He Thinks California Should Be for the
Yellow Metal
An Address Against Free Silver Coinage and
Some Mili Censure for Republicans
Who Favor II 1usic and
Other Addresses

campaign for reelection to congress be-
fore his neighbors in this city last night
Music hall was we'll filled to hear the
Republican candidate explain the reas-
ons for his reputation of the free silver
plank in the platform of the state and
district congressional conventions of his
party. In the audience We're great
many ladies and a great many more
Democrats and Populists who had been
drawn out by curiosity. The stage was
occupied by some twenty vice-presi-
dents of more or less renown in the cir
cles in which they move.
Frank P. Flint called the meeting to
order, making way, however, at once
for Col. r. B. Treat who was named as
the permanent chairman. The stage was
abundantly decorated with pampas
plumes and national bunting, the form
er emblems also decorating the lapels
Of the coats of nearly all the distin-
guished guests.
In opening the meeting President
Flint of the Mckinley club asked his
hearers, such of them as were not MEM
bers, to sign the rolls of the club, 1900
names of which are needed, according
to President Flint, before the present
campaign is ended.
Col. Treat, upon being introduced,
made short speech, dealing in glitter
ing generalitieS. in which protection was
the keynote and the Populist party was
the target. The speaker bemoaned the
fact of the numerous desertions from
the Republican party in the present
campaign because of the single gold
standard in the Republican national
plaform He characterized the last Re
publican administration as having been
| the most prosperous for the laboring
| man in the history of the country. Col.
| Treat declared that the Republican par
| ty was the only real friend of silver and
most of those who favor a ratio of 16 to
don't know enough to run peanut stand.
will you desert this great Republican
| party for the heterogeneous Democratic
PopuIist party?" pleaded the orator.
Yes" came from part of the hall.
"No,' was the protest in another cor
ner. Col. Treat apostrophiZed Major
Mckinley and then introduced the
Amphion Glee club. which sang some
| campaign numbers and then the serious
| business of the evening began Col.
| Treat had at one stage of the proceed
ings been hissed a bit, but the silver
Republicans in the rear of the hail. re-
sponsible for the outburst, were permit
ted to leave the meeting unpunished.
In introducing Congressman McLach-
Ian, Col. Treat referred to the latter as
one who, under somewhat peculiar con-
ditions, had the courage to define his
position and the ability to defend it.
The Sixth district congressman was re-
ceived with applause when he made his
bow. He began by stigmatizing the
| free silver movement as a heresy, and
| denied what Col. Treat had said, by
| claiming that neither the Republican
| nor the Democratic parties had ever be-
| fore advocated free silver coinage. He
| declared that the Republican party had
two years ago, without deliberation in
| his Judgment, declared for free silver.
and there was considerable hand-clap-
| ping at this statement. He had never
| voted in congress contrary to that party
| declaration. The reason for his action.
| he said. was that he knew that with
President Cleveland in the White House
| free silver was an impossibility. He
! had been one of thrty-five Republicans
| who had in the last congress so voted.
Upon his arrival home he found he had
| been again nominated upon a similar
| platform. He had a once consulted the
| congressional committee of his party,
! and having received an assent from that
body he had come out fairly and made d
| declaration for the gold standard plank
| IN the RepuDllcan nat1Onal PLATFORM.
| Upon that declaration he stood ready to
make his canvass, and, if elected, to
| battle for it upon the floor of congress.
| The speaker went into a history of
moneyin the United States, declaring
that even when all of the leading coun-
| tresin the world were coming silver its
parity with gold could not be maintain
ed, neither in the United States nor
anywhere else. rs there anyone in the
| hujldinp' - asked the orator. who be-
| lieves that this parity of 16 to l can be
maintained?" Yes. yes came from
| several throats amid laughter. Point
| me to one nation or to one single states
man who has ever done it, retorted
| the congressman.
Continuing, the speaker thrashed over
the arguments of those who are believ-
ers in the single gold standard, quoting
copious statistics in defense of his posi-
ton. 'California,' declared the speak
er, should be the last state in the union
| to favor silver coinage. as here is mined
every year s13000,000 in gold to $780, ,00C
| in silver" This statement made tbs
congressman's friend, Captain H. u
Osborne, blush to the roots of his hair
! Captain Osborne was the chairman OF
the platform committee which at Sac
| ramento nominated McLachlan with a
| 16 to l whoop, without regard to the
action OF any other nation on earth.
| Frank p Flint also looked uncomfort
| able. Flint was one of those who went
to st. Louis under cast-iron instructions