The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-10-30
Especial to The IIerald)

Democrats gave a tremendous political
demonstration this evening. All day
long crowds had been gathering from
all parts of the county The band pa
raded the streets during the afternoon.
and this evening the booming of artil-
lery from the agricultural college an
nOunced the presence in the city of the
Democratic Standard-bearer. The
opera house was damned TO its utmost
capacity long before the time for COM
mencing the meeting, and many were
turned away. The interior of the bulk
ing was gOrgeOusly decorated with
flowers and banners.
The stage was crowded with dfstin-
Suished citizens of the county. among
whom were Hon. G. ". Thatcher L. r.
Martineau. J. NJ. Blair. Professor E. ].
MacEwan, Professor w. j. Kerr, II. J.
Mathews, A. F. Farr. F. X. Nebeker,
Bishop W. B. Preston. nearly all the
county candidates and numerous
others.
j. NJ. Blair was chairman of the
meeting. In a brief speech he intro
duced Hon. Moses Thatcher, who was
rendered an ovation. He announced
that as Mr.. Roberts stood upon plat
form. for the principles of which they
had both fought before, ne could sup
port him as Loyalty now. He paid a
nigh tribute to his ability, and urged
all Democrats to rally to his support.
He then. in The most clear. eloquent
and concise manner. discussed briefly
the financial question, explaining the
functions and power of money and the
menace to liberty and its institutions
of the ever-increasing power of the
bOndhOlder and interest gatherer. His
speech was full of apt and fcrcible il
lustratiOns, and was frequently pune
tuated with applause. His scathing de-
nunciatiOn of the crime of 1873. pictured
in words Of terrible meaning and force,
that were delivered with a vehemence
that almost daZed his audience, was
greeted at its close with wild and ire
mendOus applause. as was his impas-
stoned tribute to the gallant Twenty
fourth. to Dewey, Schley and Hobson.
He closed with a tribute TO Hon. W. J.
Bryan, and sat down amid a tempest
OF cheers.
OVATION TO ROBERTS.
The Hyrum band, which was in at
tendance. then rendered a selection, at
ter which Hon. b. Il. Roberts was in
trOduced, and accorded a reception
that was equal to that rendered Mr..
Thatcher. He commenced his remarks
with a brief statement of the funda-
mental principles of Democracy. which,
he said, were still as potent and as
dear to the Democratic heart as they
ever were. He deplOred the fact that
matters have been brought forward
that are not and ought net 10 be made
issues of the campaign. He could not
conceive why Republicans should mage
the war an issue. At best the govern
ment had taken a fifth-class European
nation across its knee and administered
a sound spanking. There is nothing in
the achievements of Dewey, HObsOn,
Schley, Merritt or Wheeler Of which
the Republican party can boast. for
they are Democrats. 1t was not a Re
publican war, but an American war,
and was won by the men behind the
guns. He numerically scored the adj
miniStratiOn because of the neglect and
starvation Of troops.
Woman suffrage was not an issue, de-
spite all the Republicans say: The
sisters and 1 fought that out in the
constitutional convention. The sisters
won. and since that time no one has
heard me say aught against it. 1t is
not an issue and nothing but the des-
peration Of the opponents would prompt
them to say so. Neither am 1 an issue,
the Salt Lake Tribune to the contrary
Notwithstanding. 1t is a great princi-
pie we are cOntending for. The tariff
cannot be made an issue. the official
declarations of the Democratic party
have eliminated that from the cam
paign.
Silver is the only issue. He read
from the Tribune report of Eldredge
stating in his speech here that the sill
yer question had been settled. and
pointed out the fOOlishness of such a
statement Bryan's overwhelming ma
jOrity justifieS the statement that sill
yer is the paramount issue. Assum-
ing that the people of Utah still desire
the free coinage ST silver. how can
they quickest and best secure it?
Mr. Roberts read the declaration of
the St. Louis platform upon the money
question. and alluded graphically TO the
futile efforts of the commission an
pointed TO try and effect an interna-
tfcnal agreement. WOlcOtt's report rem
dered to the senate was described by
Republican papers in the east as the
funeral sermon of the silver cause.
The local Republican party will
sacrifice the cause of silver in
order to worship at the shrine of pro-
lection. He would venture a good
round Yankee guess. if not a predic-
ton. that in 1900, when the political
parties will stand unmasked. the state
Republicans will be with the national
marty against silver and for the single
standard. He compared the silver plank
of the Chicago platform with the state
ment made in Hanna's letter to Glen
Miller The comparison evoked tumul-
tuous applause and in fact all refer
ence to the Democratic attitude on the
silver question brought forth mighty
cheers.
The speaker read statistics from Null
hall. showing the comparative progress
sive force of the nations. That exer-
cised by the United States is equal 10
that put forth by England. Germany
and France Who would contend that
these countries could not establish and
maintain a bimetallic policy? When
why should reasonable men doubt our
ability to do it? We can and will and