Seattle's Silver Crusaders Packed the Armory and Demanded a Free-Silver Senator

The first silver meeting at the Armory last evening called out a crowd, and although the body of the hall was occupied for the greater part by Populists, the political complexion of the speakers was pretty well divided among the Populists, Democrats and Republicans. While a Populist spirit predominated, all the speakers agreed on one proposition—they demanded the free and unlimited coinage of silver at the ratio of 16 to 1. Those who addressed the meeting were R. H. Lindsay, John Wiley, P. P. Carroll, Capt. William D. O'Toole, W. F. Hays and Richard Winsor. M. M. Holmes presided.

Hays opened the meeting with a half-hour speech, in which he stated that 7,000,000 tramps were harbored in this country because there was no safe circulating medium. He said the free coinage of silver would mean an increase in the volume of the currency of at least 10 per cent, and every man would be able to earn his livelihood.

Mr. Lindsay was introduced with much fervor, and the speaker opened up by abusing the Post-Intelligencer for printing the notice that the meeting was to take place and declared that between the lines he was able to discern a slur. He said that the selection of a senator by the present Legislature was of paramount importance to the people of the whole country. A free silver senator should be elected. He vented the history of the gold standard since it was first enacted in England in 1816, and declared that the demonetization of silver in this country in 1873 had practically turned everything over to the Britishers. He called attention to the fact that England had fortifications and coaling stations along the whole Atlantic and Pacific seaboard and was in a position to force the payment of national obligations on a gold basis. He declared that the silver coined in other countries was not sufficient to endanger a flood of the white metal into this country should the United States enforce the free coinage act. Then the speaker gave evidence of not liking Grover Cleveland, who, he declared, was a “bay window full of brass.”

This made Capt. O'Toole, who happens, by Grover Cleveland's grace, to be register of the land office, feel a little ill at ease, and he finally left the platform and took his seat in the body of the house.

When Mr. Lindsay finished, the chairman called on Capt. O'Toole, and that gentleman came forward slowly and declared he was not there to criticise his superior and that he did not appear as an office holder, but as an intelligent American citizen. He then quoted the statement that half the wealth of the country is owned by 24,000 men, and declared that instead of there being overproduction of wheat, causing a decline to 19 cents a bushel, there was an overproduction of rascally legislation. He declared in favor of free silver and said the Democrats were all right and would come around after a while. In the course of his remarks he read an extract from a speech of John G. Carlisle, secretary of the treasury, favoring free silver. When he had finished a dozen men asked at once where Mr. Carlisle stands now on the question, but the captain quickly replied: “I haven't been on any exploring expedition for some time!” This retort brought down the house.

John Wiley was next introduced as the “King bee Republican of King county.” He said he felt it an honor to be present and make a speech. He said that one-third of the gold and three-sevenths of the silver in the world is in the United States, and then proceeded to give a minute history of the metal since the time of Herod. He declared that it was very probable that some of the silver accumulated by Caesar and his Roman soldiers was at that moment in the pockets of those in the audience, that perhaps the silver received by Judas Iscariot for betraying his Master was also in the pockets of some of his hearers. He then called attention to the fact that at the Republican convention at Spokane he had said God's ratio of silver was 16 to 1 because He had put it in the ground at that ratio. He said a senator should be chosen who is in favor of free silver, but no names were mentioned. He said, however, he had a friend who was a candidate for the position and was a good man because he was for free silver.

P. P. Carroll and Judge Winsor made only short speeches, owing to the lateness of the hour, and the meeting adjourned at 10:10 o'clock.