The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1897-10-07
JAMES HAMILTON Lewis
A Royal Welcome By The Patriots Of
America Extended 10 Him.
HlYU WA-WA BY The NOTED ORATOR
The Opera House Filled TO Overflow
ing-Standing Room at Pre-.
mium-verbatia Report OF col.
Lewis Splendid Effort.

/
Col. and Mrs. James Hamilton Lewis
were honored guests of Yakima citizens
on Saturday. The Col and his bride
were in attendance on the jubilee festivi.
ties and were entertained at the home OF
II. j. Snively, Esq. So great was the
desire to see and hear the distinguished
orator that committee of Washington
lodge No. | Patriots of America, prevailed
upon him to consent to address the peo
pie at Mason's opera house in the even.
ing. Although short notice was given a
Gro wded house greeted the congressman,
and notwithstanding the Yakima Orches.
ira was fatigued by the overwork of the
jubilee and ball, that excellent organiza.
ton volunteered to welcome the famous
gentleman by discoursing popular airs
while the crowd was patiently awaiting
his arrival, which was greeted with en-
thusiastic applause. Miss Daisy Boyle
presided at the piano, playing some live
ly music, until relieved by Miss Bunnel,
the accoUpanist Of the Orchestra. Major
Preble, chaplain of Washington lodge, p.
of A., presented Col. Lewis to the audi
ence, on behalf OF the lodge in an eloquent
manner, stating that one OF the objects of
the Patriots of America organization is to
scrutinize the actions of the members of
congress and they were there to hear Col.
Lewis, the eminent orator and statesman
give an account of his stewardship, while
in congress.
Col. Lewis, in his usual happy vein. re-
sponded and said that as he was the tail
end OF the jubilee procession headed by
Chiefs Moses ar White Swan, the audi
ence would be =. Mt with "tenas wa
wa" 80 far as he was concerned. The
speaker eslized, he said, that the object
OF the Patriots of America was a noble
one and he had observed the wonderful
growth of the order throughout the ma
ton, especially within the past six
months, and the order would be surely
instrumental in restoring the government
to the original intention of its founders,
and for one he was proud to submit bis
congressional record to it's criticism and
inspection. When he entered congress
he found both great political parties &C.
quiescing in policy of inaction and the
agents OF the great trusts and corporations
in practical control OF the machinery OF
legislation. The speaker said that the
silver question was of great Importance
and he did not yield one jot or title OF his
devotion to its restoration as a money
metal OF the constitution, yet, there were
other questions of equal importance.
The railroad problem; the trust infamy
and government by injunction were pres
sing for immediate solution and settle
ment. A sentiment that met!wth hearty
applause by the audience. Col. Lewis
said that congress was besieged by thlr.
teen different trusts, and millions OF the
peoples money were doled out to them
in consideration of past political contri-
buttons. The sugar trust alone cleared
thirteen millions in a few weeks by stock
manipulation encouraged by congression-
al action, while that trust would realize a
profit of seventy-two millions during
President McKinley's term by favorable
legislation in it's interest. The speaker
here challenged anyone in the audience
to contradict the assertion, to which
there was no reply. Col. Lewis said that
seeming prosperity, growing out Of the
misfortunes OF other lands in crop famine,
was not the kind Of prosperity that free
and generous people aspr ed to, and there
could be no general and enduring pros
perity under existing conditions. Col.
Lewis told several apt anecdotes to illus
trate the character of trust and other cor.
porate influence over congressional legis-
lation and in the courts OF the land.
There were two tramps, he said, SEN
fenced for six months by down east
judge. The next case called was that OF
two we'll dressed and ornamented million
aires, whom the judge Immediately dis
charged, in an obsequious manner.
bystander inquired what the two trsmps
were conyicted for, and he was told, ooh,
they stole ride on railroad" "Well,
what did those two gentlemen do who
have just been discharged" "Why,
they stole the railroad" was the reply.
(Laughter). Col. Lewis said that in the
beginning man captured and trained the
horse to do his transporting for him, and
then. in time, hitched a coach to him
and thus made step in advance. But
the railway promoters came along and
begged the right of way over the public
highways and put locomotive on rails
to pull the coach after it. Instead, how.
ever, OF the railroads continuing as the
servants of the public they had become
it's masters. and with lines of railroads
which, il extended in a single track to