Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1896-07-09
GOLD ADVOCATES.

GOLD ADVOCATES.
Hold . Big Mass Meeting Preparatory to
"a the Convention.
s. Chicago, July GA public meeting Of the
friends of the "sound money cause was
held Saturday evening in the Auditorium
"a theater connected with the hotel Of
that name and capable of seating 5000 or
1000 spectators. There was not a vacant
seat to be had when the serious business
of the evening began-the hour between
seven and eight having been filled up by
select pieces of music given by the band Of
the First regiment. On the platform were
seated Senator Gray, of Delaware: John r.
Fellows. of New York: Franklin McVeagh,
Of Chicago, many other prominent sup
1orters Of the sound-money cause and q
large number of ladies.
Roswell P. Flower, Of New York, in CALI
ing the meeting to order announced with
emphasis that the question to be discussed,
the democratic side Of the currency Ques-
ton, was one which threatened to imperil
the life Of the democratic party. He paid
farmer in sound finance and declared that
the raisers of cotton, wheat and corn had
been misled on the currency question and
were imperiling the life Of the democratic
party and the welfare of every man in the
land who owns dollar, a statement which
the audience Endorsed and approved by ap-
plause. Gov. Flower, who spoke earnestly
and affectedly, concluded his short address
by. introducing Franklin McVeagh as the
chairman of the meeting.
Where the first speaker had attacked
only the argument Of the free silverites,
Mr.. McVeagh attacked their arguments
and their methods. He laid aside his man
uscript for moment to add emphasis by
gesture to his vigorous denial that a ma
jority of the democrats of the United
States would Of their own choice offer a
sixteen to one platform to the people of
the United States. He denied that the
convention represented the people, because
If Illinois had not aligned itself with free
silver there would have been no majority
he trumpeted this defiance to the demo-
cratic powers that be in the state: ''Illi-
nois in this convention Is sinking and
saturated with fraud"
The bitterness in the speakers tones and
the sting Of his words electrified the audi
ence, which broke out in enthusiastic and
prolonged cheers. AS the applause began
to die away the speaker continued:
1.-THE movement in Illinois has risen on
the Acknowledgement of honest money
democrats" Another burst Of cheers in
terrupted the speaker, who gathered voice
to shout with all his strength, And Illi-
nois marched at the command Of Altseld.''
After Mr.. MacVeagh had finished, in re-
Spouse to loud calls, William E. Russell
came forward. His speech was powerful
argum ent, dealing more with facts than
with sentiment. and he begged the silver
men to stop and consider well before taking
the step they contemplated. The country,
he believed, stood on the threshold Of Sec
tional and geographical division, with its
attendant miseries. May God save us
from crossing that Threshold" said Mr.
Russell, and with the applause that fol-
lowed were mingled several fervent amens.
When he came to the sentence: 1--WE must
not turn our backs upon an administration
which with courage and fidelity has up
held the nations credit" men and women
stood on their chairs and yelled their APP
prevail of the words.
Gov. RusSelrs remarks particularly
brought out in strong relief the difficulty
which is beginning to loom up before the
silver managers-what to do with the tariff.
Nearly all the boiling republican delegates
at St. Louis declared that their states were
solid for free silver and protection. Gov.
Russell seized upon this point and asserted
that If republican protection was right in
principle, then silver legislation was equal
ly so, but If protection was wrong in prin-
cipal. unjust and oppressive in practice. as
the democratic party had ever declared
and still declared, then silver Legislation
was equally so and ought to receive equally
emphatic condemnation. This point was OBJ
viOusly directed against the arguments ad-
vanced in favor of the selection of Senator
Teller as the free-silver standard bearer,
he being also an earnest advocate of pro-
lection, and as such it's force was appre-
ciated. The effect will undoubtedly be 70
augment the perplexities which the man
ayers are finding in dealing with the tariff
plank of the platform.
Senator Gray, of Delaware, followed Mr.
Russell. He read partly from manuscript
strong. forceful arraignment of the free
silver fallacy, pointing out that its evils
would rebound at once upon the toiler and
the wage-earner.
when q man works week or a month
he Is a creditor in the amount of his wages"
said the senator, land when you pay him
In currency which is deprecated you
cheat him.
Loud and continued applause greeted this
enunciation Of principle. The speaker
dwelt more upon the results following on
the free coinage Of silver than upon har-
mony, and pointed out that the new pol
icy meant the ruin of the democratic party.
After Senator Gray came John r, Eel
lows, Of New York. the most eloquent Of
the brilliant coterie which made the oc-
casion momentous. The speaker was as
one inspired after he had been talking ten
minutes. and he made one Of the greatest
efforts of his life. His appeal to demo-
Gratis not to cast off the good offices Of the
east was piteous in its intensity and
warmth.
The voice Of Col Fellows shook as. in
making personal appeal to the delegates
from the south. he told how he served four
years in the confederate army for his prin-
ciples and lived through the bitter period of
reconstruction afterward; how he was cast
by fate into the marts of trade in New
York and there found brothers greet.
ing, found that yesterday was dead and
that to-day and tomorrow were open for
ell. In burning words he spoke Of what
New York had done for the SOUTH and
there was not whisper in the vast audi
ence as he told Of the relief sent to Chicago
by New York after the great fire.
Course New York; said the sneaker
"vilify it, traduce it, condemn it. But in
the hour of calamity YOU will turn sorrox.