The herald., 1898-02-15

At the depot large nuHpel VI ventura
citizens Joined in extending most hearty
expressions of welcome, among them being
Col. F. W. Ewing. T. o. Toland, Dr.
Staire, Judge Shepherd, T. A. Rice and
many others.
A pleasant feature on the part of the
business men of Ventura which showed a
degree of courtesy that needs no comment,
was the closing of nearly all of the stores,
including one of the banks, during Mr..
Towne's address.
A band paraded the main street and
promptly at 2 o'clock the meeting was
caHed to order by r. A. Dague, who intro
duced Judge G. 8. Barnes as chairman Of
the meeting. The Judge. IN brief address,
introduced Mr.. Towne. Mr. Towne was
we'll received by the audience of nearly
500 people who we'll filled the Armory hall
where the meeting was held.
Mr.. Towne promptly took up the ques-
ton of bimetallism in its most important
points and for two hours held his hearers
closest attention in one Of the finest ad-
dresses ever delivered in Ventura. The
speaker referred to the position of this
country as being one of the granoest.
richest freest, noblest countries on Gods s
earth. today considering one of the greatest
questions ever placed before people to
solve.
He referred to the fact that today for
grand Pacific ocean, and as the grandeur
of the scene appeared to him it took him
back over the pages of history to the ages
ago when man first, thousands of years
ago. began his march westward in the
| path of civilization and pictured the trend
of the onward march of man from these
| dark times to the present in the solving of
questions of great magnitude. Today We
are face TO face with the greatest problem
| for civilized man to settle. Where is the
land for us to march westward to If we
| fail In freeing ourselves from bondage
| the greatest that has ever enthalled man
| Where is the people or the race that is to
settle that which means our very existence
If we fail in doing our duty to ourselves
and to our country?
Mr.. Towne then took up the main POSI-
ton of his address by stating that the
silver question Is not the only question to
be solved, but this demands prompt solu-
ton for not more than one or two polit-
ical questions can be settled at one time.
The world never faced greater or more
important question than the money ques-
tion. The speaker examined the word
money and reviewed its past history,
illustrating clearly the beginning and use
OF money from the time of the barter be-
tween the tribes of one commodity for an
other. The people. said he, never until
recently realized the significance Of the
money question anu tHe dtttIHpt VI tuc
gold power to shroud this question with a
cover of mystery. That it should be re-
signed to the bankers and brokers of the
world to settle was an attempt to create
the idea that this subject was one that the
banking class was the only one that could
deal with SO abstruse subject,
The speaker contended that the banking
element. as a class, knows but very little
about the subject of finance as relating to
ho conditions that a financial n01iCV WOnld
create. Mr.. Towne paid his respects to the
Sound Money leagues of the country
and defined what the bimetallist believed
was sound and honest money.
Mr.. Towne then reviewed the history of
the various commissions appointed to con-
slider the fall of silver and the commits
sions for bringing about an international
agreement and proved by the leading gold
authorities that gold man cannot an
swer six questions he would put to him and
not contradict himself twice. He touched
the matter of the price of wheat in 1897,
and developed by apt Illustrations the rea-
sons for the price of wheat last year.
Mr.. Towne's address was delivered in
clear. ringing tones and his audience
showed its appreciation at his utterance
by constant applause.He appealed to his
hearers that as the representative of the
Silver Republican party of the United
States he stood before them arguing for
what he considered was right and justice
and urged that all Democrats, all the Sill
yer Republicans and all the Populists lay
aside all their isms, all their differences,
and join together in one band fighting, for
there were but two political parties today.
those against us and thoee for us. Let
him carry the news to the Atlantic ocean
that California could be depended on to
cast itself on the side of the people.
His closing remarks were uttered with
brilliancy that held his hearers SPELL
bound. Then they arose and gave three
hearty cheers for Mr.. Towne. who called
for three cheers for William Jennings
Bryan. which were given with will.
After the meeting great number greeted
Mr.. Towne personally. A meeting of many
of the prominent members of all the parties
interested in the silver issue was called
to take up a plan of union of forces for
Ventura cOlIrty