The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-09-03
FOE TIE GOLD STANDARD.
Mass- Meeting of Democrats Held In In
diGn0pOIis.


diGn0pOiis.
INDIANAPOLIS, IND. Sept. "a
mass-meeting called in support of the
sound-money movement was held this
evening in the convention hall The at
tendance was as large as could be accom-
modated in the building. The chairman,
John R. Fellows, made a strong speech,
the striking points of which elected fire.
quent applausa.
Louis R. Erich, one of the Colorado
delegation, was next introduced. He said
he had come to the convention against
the advice and entreaty of many friends,
who had told him that public opinion was
much intlamed IN his State. He admitted
that 1T was so. but did not believe that the
State of Colorado had descended to a level
where it would not tolerate and respect
the free expression of honest opinion. He
pretaced his further remarks by personal
statement, as showing the standpoint from
which ne had Investigated the question.
he said that he owned large interests in
silver mines, and that the continued silver
agitation had made his property unsal-
able.
lie then, at great length and with very
pointed personal references to both the
senators from Nevada, traced the history
OF the silver agitation to the development
and decline of the twenty mines on the
Comstock lode, which, after paying at one
time over SAT, 000 900 in dividends, had so
fallen away that they paid not one cent.
he charged that the silver child was born
In the Comstock bed. Thereafter began
the silver legislation of Congress. He fol-
lowed this in detail, speaking of it as sill
yer poison which had begun to undermine
our monetary system, and the cure offered
was poison in larger doses. The silver
poison, he said had affected our business
relations externally as well as internally.
Inc nations look upon us with suspicion.
Our securities are thrown back on us and
our gold drained from the country. Our
foreign trade is diminishing. The world
hesitates to do business with nation
which threatens to depreciate it's money
standard. He concluded as follows:
II have no fears as to the result of this
election. Its outcome will teach the nm.
looking nations that the crown of over
one hundred years of political life under
republican institutions shall not be the
national impairment of debt obligations.
and it will be held up as a warning to orr
children and our children's children that
public policy that is tainted with but a
! breath of dishonesty will be Indignantly
spurned by This pround American people.
Il have the deepest sympathy with
many of the free-silver adherents. They
are my neighbors. am bound to them
by my interests. my associations and nv
affections. They are honest and sincere
men. They love their country and would
not willingly plunge it into destruction.
But they have been deluded and misled.
The best friend of truth is time, and as
time rolls on our misguided fellow-citizens
will yet be grateful to those who helped
check them in their mad rush to self
destruction; they Will yet thank God for
the defeat which will overwhelm them in
Novem Der, and they will bless US who are
assembled in indianapolis this day. By
courage and patriotism the influences of
this convention will make that defeat in
evitable."
Hon. David LawIer of Minnesota and
several others made earnest addresses and
the meeting adjourned at late hour.