The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-10-31
LEWIS LOSES CONFIDENCE.
HIS SPEECHES ARE NOW ON THE
DEFENSIVE ORDER.
At Chehaifs He Devoted Most of His
Time 10 His Personal Troubles
Left Conduct of the War Alone

Special Dispatch TO the Post-In.elligencer.
CHEHALIS. Oct. 20.-Congressman Lewis
spoke here last night. He had probably
the largest audience tina. ever assembled
In this town 20 listen to political speech
when he began. The large crowd was Que
10 the liberal advertising he has received
a the hands Of the opposition papers and
10 the herculean efforts Of the fusionists to
make his visit the occasion Of the greatest
demonstration Of the campaign. A spe-
c!al train was hired at Ceutralia and 80
tickets were distributed gratis. II was
Saturday. and large part Of the crowd
which usually comes 10 town On that day
remained to hear Lewis in the evening
The results Of the meeting are crafty
ing 10 the Republicans and extremely dis
appointing 10 the adherents Of Lewis. The
speaker had hardly begun his address be-
fore the crowd began 10 walk out and by
the time he was half done there was p.enty
OF room n the hall for ali who wanted
10 get In. Undoubtedly most Of the peo-
pie present were attracted out Of curl
osity.
Lewis was not In his old form. He has
lost his one-time exuberance Of spirits. ard
plainly he was in distress last night. He
took the defensive in his speech. ard
though he tried occasionally to discuss the
issues OF the campaign he required ever
and anon 10 the subject Of Col Lewis
wrongs a, the hands OF the press and his
opponents. Nothing was more apparent
throughout the evening than that the
colonel Is suffering grievously from the
raalady that assa.led the country a short
time ago when his party was IN power
.ack Of confidence.
In a way the colonel made foxy talk
He avoided most OF the startling charges
against the administration and many prom
inent Republicans which he has made else
where.
A few Of the stale faIsehoods of his cam
no ign ba a hon Ja
Secretary Gage had cabled Lord Salisbury
that the administration did not want TO DO
anything for silver, Notwithstanding the
commission that had been appointed and
sent TO England He alleged that an eight
hour law drafted by himself and Gardner
Of New Jersey was seven times refused
consideration in the senate AT the instance
OF Senator Hanna. and consequently the
poor, unhappy laboring men continued 70
he trampled under the iron heel. He ex-
planned that he was at one time opposed 10
the annexation Of Hawaii. because that
meant the assumption by the United States
Of s4,0oa0oo of bonds owned By Spreckels
and the sugar trust. He said he was al
ways In favor CT the Nicaragua canal. but
government should stand good for 500 Co.,.
co of its Indebtedness while five out OF
seven members of the directors were for
elgners He said the Democrats and Popu-
lists in congress had done their Level best
to have the claims Of Cuba considered.
while Hanna was getting the bankers OF
tHe country 10 duFiSe congress mat l!oth-
Ing should be done He referred again tn
the Washingt Post as the organ Of the
administration and said the gold plank of
the Republican party of this state was die
tated by Hanna. He fixed the cost of the
war this time a. only $4,000 600. and said
these expenses could have been paid ont
Of the treasury without issuing bonds. He
was not In favor of the single tax. and he
said the platform on which he is running
declares only for liberal exemptions from
taxation"
Fnsionists this morning do not hesitate
10 say that Lewis has disa appointed them.
One Of them remarked reckless of the fact
that he might be overheard. that "f Jones
didn't have the best of the Walla Walla
debate. T. was because he was a mighty
poor stick"