Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1896-05-05
CARLISLE'S MEETING AT
THE AUDITORIUM

Probably no one thing of re-
cent occurrence has added more
to the strength of the silver SEN
timent in Chicago than the So
called Worl1ingmen's meeting adj
dressed by Mr.. Carlisle.
In the first place, it was not
movement of the
workingmen at all, but the whole
thing was engineered by the
sound money club, and a few
bankers. The worlzingmen who
figured, in no sense represented
the great labor organizations, and
we're simply '*decoy ducks" In
the sense Of being a working
mems demonstration it was an
out and out fraud, for it was pa
tent that a large majority of the
Workingmen present were not in
accord with the speaker. The
boxes and considerable portion
ofthe parquet were we'll filled
with federal office holders, bank
ers, and other horny handed sons
of toll whose flashing diamonds,
spotless linen and fine broadcloth
lent eclat to the occasion, and
gave somewhat patrician tinge
to all assem- b]age that might
otherwise have been too severe
ly plebeian in character. These
representatives of the labor ele-
ment clapped most enthusiastic
ally at every referenceto sound"
money and honest" dollars, but
the chaps who actually do the
work-when they can getany todc
who had none of those dollars
and did not know where or when
they would getany of them-these
men generally did their cheering
on the other side. Secondly, the
speech itself was so weak, and so
thoroughly permeated with false
and ridiculous assumptions, that
the average workingmen saw
through it at d glance and it fell
perfectly fiat.
Lastly, the meeting was con-
Quoted in manner altogether I'M
American. Numerous burly
policemen dotted the hall; as if a
riot had been expected. Not a
single attempt was made to in
terrupt the speaker, although
the hearty applause which fol-
lowed his reference to free coin
age may have been deemed Of
fensive to those WHO expected
all the applause be on the other
side.
After the two hours address
was completed, Col. J. G Roberts
rose and asked the privilege Of
propounding a question. He had
to speak a number Of times in
order to make himself heard; but
he finally fixed the attention Of
the chairman and was about to
ask his question, when he was
abruptly removed from the hall
by policeman, amid cries Of
"Shame! Shamer'
Col: Roberts is himselft speak
er Of some repute. He is as fami-
liar with the money question as
Mr.. Carlisle and has submitted
to and answered innumerable
questions when speaking. His
summary expulsion was simply
an outrage. Other gentlemen,
knowing that the meeting was a
fraud upon the workingmen, and
that the great labor organizations
of the country are overwhelming
ly for free coinage, quietly passed
around through the audience
sealed envelopes containing the
proclamation to the Workingme en-,
issued and signed by Sovereign,
=Gompers, Debs, Mcbride, Robin
son, Arthur, Butler, Mcclure,
and nearly or quite all the heads
of labor organizations in the
United States. The hall was
open to the public for a public
purpose Those desiring to do
SO had just.as much right to dis
tribute proc fanatic there as
they would have had upon the
street, proYiid ed of course, they.
did it. Without distur bing the
meeting Which was the fact. But
no sooner was il. kno Wn to the
management than the police, the