Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-10-05
DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES.
Commissioner Reagan Replies to an Open
Letter From u Dis.runtled Pcnnsyl-
vania Democrat.
Special to the Gazette.

Special to the Gazette.
AUSTIN. Ten, Oct. 1.-THE following
letter and ~nswer, which explain them
selves, were given to the press by Judge
Reagan:
YORK, PA. Sept. %, 1891.
Hon John H. Reagan, Palestine Tex.
DEAR SIR-Wishing to address private
letter TO number of leading Democrats,
and therefore trainers of public opinion,
promptly. am obliged to do il i'll type IN
stead, as | have preferred, by pen, which
under the circumstances you will excuse.
1t must, | am sure, strike you that the
Democratic party to-day is little like
giant going out to battle with one strong
arm free and invincible, the other wholly
unserviceable and IN fact needing the con-
slant assistance of the sound llnb.
The strong arm represents the Demo-
cratic party on the question OF tariff taxa
ton. On this lire we have the ear and
confidence of the whole people. Our weak
and worse than unless side is our position
on the currency question. Up TO and until
the opening of the late war the Democratic
party had always been the conservative, but
enterprisinG, safe party upon dl questions
affecting the banks or the currency
generally. and as such was the stay of bust
ness and the trust OF the merchant. the
farmer. the manufacturer ana the work
men Since the war we seem 10 have had
at intervals attacks of greater or less dura-
ton of every infantile financial disorder
going No scheme of imitation, no crazy
idea about printing srecnbacks ad
hDiitum. no fantastic dream OF TWO
standards of value of different intrinsic
worth, but has had a greater or smaller fac
ton Of the party on its SIDE untu our
permanent accession TO power mas become
the dread of many of the safest, strongest
and most conservative interests of the
country It is not that they doubt our
patriotism, nor our love for the people, but
they are
FOREVER IN DREAD
of some ill-considered, well meant but
dangerous action in connection with the
financial affairs of the people. Who for
instance doubts that the Democratic party
would have been in tull sway at Washing
ton and N most of the states ever since
1876 but for its attitude on the .greenbaca
question, What gave the Republican party
a new lease in 1876 but Democratic opposi-
ton TO resumption! What stands to-day in
our path but the (unfoundedl fear that we
will, under the lash of the silver ring. try
to establish a double standard of value and
reduce the entire business OASIS OF the
country from the worlds standard of 100
cents to % Centsl
The time is at hand when we can get rid
of all this distrust and re-establlsh our
selves iq the confidence OF the business
public and 60 INTO the campaign OF 1857
with both arms free and the party invinci
bic l believe the plain and easy path is
poig.e,lout in an article in the Forum for
s65eieSSf, and that the plan for Dempcratic
banking system therein outlined and de-
tailed will. if adopted by the party, put il
back in the seat of power it held before the
war We were never so well placed to re-
take position of great advantage as now.
To-day, on financial questions. We are really
Iacc @bar thu RprnDllrau Marty
Our platforms in Maryland and especially
in New York and Pennsylvania, are alto
gether safer than those of the Republicans
in Ohio, Indiana aud Kansas. The national
Republican platform is distinctly less con-
sentative than the national Democratic
platform of three years ago. In Ohio the
Etogbublican candidate latter voting for free
silver in congress and making, IN February
at Toledo, violent and bitter attack on
ex-President Cleveland because he stood
firmly for the whole people and in oppo-
sition to the silver ring) is making his cam