Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1898-05-05
UnionistS at MaCIGav,
A Rousing Meeting Is Held at Mr.
Geer's Home Precinct.
Hons. ], s. Smith and E. c. Neal, Of
Linn County, Deliv Able Addresses
County Candidates Present.

many being obliged to stand through
out the evening.
No ole who has ever visited thu
little burg, so beautifully located IL
the Waldo Hills, will question IT.
claim of having a greater number Of
handsome young ladies in proportion tC
its population, than any other Oregon
city. The young ladies were out iu
full force last evening and their in.
flueuce will be noticeable after the
votes are counted in June, when the
large Republican majority in this pre-
cinct will he greatly reduced.
1t was $3.50 p. m. when Chairman
Geo. E. Allen called the meeting to
order, w. V. Hurst being in charge
of the secretary's books. The pre-
liminary exercises of the evening con-
sisted of recitations and musical Dum-
bers. Orchestral music was furnished
at intervals throughout the evening
by the Kays' orchestra, whose playing
for amateur performers meTited the
generous applause that followed each
selection.
Miss Lavilla Hummason, very ap-
propriately recited quotation from
a celebrated reformer, and Miss Jen-
ME Griffith's Interpretation Ct the eX-
periences of legal practitioner, was
warmly received. Miss Stella Mar
tins recitation was in touch with the
exercises of the evening and was hear
tily applauded. This trio of young
ladies in their respective recitations
displayed rare ability as elocutionsts.
The selection by the Macleay quar-
tette and the vocalization by Johnnie
Short were appreciated as was attested
by the encores that followed
Hon j. $, Smith, a representative
from Linn county to the was-to-have-
been legislature of 1896, was intro
duced, and INDUCED his audience in
one of the most practical, fair and
impartial discussions of the all, i'm
portant money question that this
writer ever had the privilege of hear
ing. Usually addresses on this ques-
tion are tiresome and uuinteresting,
but Mr.. Smith and the speaker who
followed him, handled their subject
in such thorough and intensely in
teresting manner, that they held the
undivided attention of the entire au-
dience. Mr.. Smith avoided all person
alities and after a few Introductory
remarks began an intelligent and
comprehensive discussion of the
money question and the principles ad-
vocated in the Union platform.
The speaker admitted that the pres
ent political situation IN this state
was peculiarly interesting one that
invited the most careful consider
alton of the voters as to the principles
involved. 1t was not until last year
that any party dared intimate in its
platform that it demanded the gold
standard The speaker rldiculed the
idea or even the possibility Of ''inter-
national agreement" which was only
one of the various delusions practiced
by the gold crowd in obtaining votes
at the late presidential election. There
were scores of voters in Linn County
who supported Mckinley thinking
him sincere in the proposition Of free
coinage of silver by international
agreement who would this year vote
the Union ticket.
Mr.. Smith, in speaking of the many
Inconsistencies of the Republicans
that were quite apparent, made the
assertion that there was not a man on
the Republican ticket who within ten
years past had not advocated the free
coinage of silver and now they were
equally as active in perpetuating the
existing gold standard. This same
party wishes to issue $5O0,0O0,0OO in
interest bearing gold bonds TO appease
the gold crowd and also approves OF
Cages policy of retiring the green
lacks and substitut ug therefor gold
bonds.
In speaking Of the Republican ''far-
mer" candidate for governor, Mr..
Smith very effectively exploded that
theory by defining the terms ''agricul-
turalist" and farmer" An agricul-
turalst is one who works the soil
while farmer is one who works the
aQriculturalist. Mr.. Smiths practi-
cal definitions for these terms were
received with vociferous applause.
sit is time TO TURF out Of the state
house the gang of boodlers that has so
long reignedIthere, ''said the man from
Linn. In county affairs Mr.. Smith
alleged that the expenses Of running
Marion county for the past year was
s84 900 while under Populist admins
tratlon Linn county's affairs had cost
the taxpayers but $4,000. Linn
county's area is equal to that Of Mar
ion; she has as many miles Of road;
she builds as many bridges annually
and practically pays her officers the
same salary. This $4,000 difference
in the managing the two counties
was termed a premium" paid by
Marion county taxpayers in order TO
have Republican administration.
Ia concluding his splendid address
Mr.. Smith admonished the voters 20
lag aside all petty differences and 10
vote for the vital principles at issue
in the coming election and above all