The San Francisco call., 1896-09-23
John Sherman Accused of Sur.
reptitiously Demonetiz-
ing Silver.
WHAT REYNOLDS YEARNED FOR
Discussion of the Tariff-Speeches by
Thomas F. Haggerty and
P. M. Wellin.

joint meeting of the Thirty-ninth and
the Thirty first district silver clubs was
held at the Peoples party tent last even
ing. Prior TO opening the meeting a small
boy was stationed in the entrance with a
snaredrum. He made as much noise as
the drummer boy of the Rappahan-
mock" but failed TO awaken a responsive
chord in the breasts of the passing crowds,
and when Hon. H. K. Mitchell of Nevada
was introduced as the first speaker of the
evening by William Walsh, president OF
the Thirty-ninth club. he was perforce
few stragglers. Later on the house filed
until a fair.sized audience faced the
speaker.
Mitchell began his oratorical effort by
throwing verbal stones at the ''act of 1873
which demonetized silver"
"Jonn Sherman, he declared, ''was the
man responsible for that base act. 1t was
he who surreptitiously inserted in an act
covering fifteen pages of the Congressional
Record single line providing that gold
should be the unit of value.
Grant signed that act, without realiz-
ing the full intent of the disaster brought
on by the scratching of his quill, and " hen
slipped in by Sherman he bitterly denied
any knowledge of the existence of the line
making gold the standard of value.''
After lengthy ram bic among the musty
tones of Grecian and Roman antiquity
the speaker returned TO the age of the liv-
ing and accused Mckinley of having for
saken his lifelong convictions for the gold
OF trusts and corporations. Not content
with the chance McKinley's record fur
nished him for vituperation, Mitchell
turned his guns against Grover Cleveland,
where he was evidently more at home.
81 want to tell you what 1 think of
Grover Cleveland, he shouted = that
most damnable OF all traitors. If he had
lived in the age of Judas Iscariot the lat
ters name would never have been perpetu-
ated as the greatest traitor in the history
OF the earth. CeVeland's name will be
immortalized as the Benedict Arnold of
the Dem ocratic party"
After quoting various statistics on the
financial question Mitchell said silver had
been used as a medium of exchange since
the beginning of the world, and read an
extract from the Book of Genesis to prove
his assertion. His hearers applauded as
he left the platform.
The next speaker was Z. a. Reynolds.
He characterized the present political
condition as a contest in which the plain
people were on one side and the Shylocks
on the other. What his empty heart
yearned for was the dollar of the consti-
tuition" incidentally with an increased
purchasing power.
Thomas F. Haggerty was then intro
duced as "our old-time Populist and silver
man, who was willing to address as
sem blage." Mr.. Haggertv evidently did
not like this, as he defined himself at the
outset as Delnocrat-not a Jeffersonian
nor even a Jacksonian Democrat, but a
William Jennings Bryan Democrat. His
speech was devoted mainly to outlining
the various periods in American history
and an elucidation of the reforms in
augurated by Democracy. He believed
protection entirely unnecessary; that this
country can compete with any nation,
even the pauper labor OF Europe, and come
out triumphant.
Some Of Haggerty's language regarding
England did not suit gray-haired men,
Der OF the audience and he made audible
protest several times, evoking Kisses and
catcalls- The speaker finally invited the
d1sturber TO depart and seek consolation in
the 'stlll, small voice of nature" if he did
not like his words. The old gentleman did
not depart and raised hue and cry sew
eral times afterward.
Haggerty's speech was very lengthy
and was mostly devoted to the political
outlook as he found it in the East and
Europe.
The last speaker of the evening was P.
M. Welliu, who spoke at great length on
the tariff and silver questions. The meet
ing then adjourned after the chairman
had announced another meeting for next
Tuesday eve ming.