Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-03-13
poiiticians or Statesmen ?

Was it politicians or statesmen who. I'D
the Indiana Republican State Convention
of Thursday last, declined TO CONSTRUCT
new platform, but contented themselves
with reaffirming the Republican national
platform of 1888? In a recent issue
we SAID that though the invitations 10
Mr.. HILL and Mr.. CLEVELAND might be hu-
merous their addresses on the SILVER ques-
sion would be few and far between. They
will not unnecessarily rush into thickes'
of FRAY wherein they may be slam before
their time. They will not initiate JOBS
"untbinking war-horse." The same sort
OF motives which governed the states
men, or politicians OF Indiana
are the motives, and the only mo
tiyes. which we intended to iav
TO the charge of the two leading can
didates for the nomination OF the Demo
cratic convention for President OF the
United States. Mr.. CLEVELAND suffered
defeat in 1888 as consequence Of his rush.
ING needlessly into the forefront OF battle.
He is not bold enough or thoughtless
enough TO do so again. He will be wiser
hereafter Both he and HILL will propa-
bly, be es careful how they talk on tne
silver question as the ancient oracies useu
To DO IN framing answers to the questions
propounded to them. II is not their
duty to construct the platform OF the
national Democratic party, ana SO IL
they decide TO remain silent untii
they shall have read the platform
which is TO be constructed by the Chicago
convention, nobody can blame them' es-
pecially in view of the opinions on the Sill
yer question which both of them have IN
times past expressed. We for our part
do not know but that either MIR. CLE'L-
LAND or Mr.. HILL would agree to stand
upon the Chicago platform. even if it had
in it free-coinsge plank. But we are con-
fident that neither of them VIII pegih
campaign of education " on the silver
question before the DIST of June. Cali
them statesmen or call them politicians,
they will none the less decline 10 saw on
the limb upon which they are sitting.
How will the politicians or the
statesmen" in the National House OF
Representatives decide to vote upon the
three amendments to the silver bill which
it is said its opponents will propose when
the bill comes up for consideration? How
will Mr.. CLEVELAND or Mr.. HILL treat
these amendments ? Will they come out
either for or against them? We predict
that they will not. Yet there is nothing
wrong pr Sc in these amendments. The
free-coinage bill is based upon the as
sumption or theory that the result OF It's
passage would be to put gold and silver
upon an equality-to make silver as valuG-
bic Sixteen to one) as gold. II this
result is to follow the CONVEX
sion of that bill into a law there
is no good reason why pensioners. deposi-
tors, ana workingmen should not be paid
off IN gold. And yet the best friends OF
the pensioners. depositors, and working
men might consistently decline to vote
for these amendments on the ground that
they were offered by enemies of the bill,
not to have them in the bill when 1t be-
comes a law but to defeat the bill itself.
In word, the Republican politicians OF
the House, backed by Mr.. HARrER aad n
few other boiling Democrats, will endeavor
to force the statesmen" of that body to
load down the silver bill with amendments
enough to kill it.
Indiana "sets the pace" for the Repub-
licans. Her Republicans do not wish to
be called politicians" as if politician
we're bad character. yet they have caused
themselves to be classed as politicians be-
cause they reafirm an old creed instead of
formulating another. Aud we should not
be- greatly surprised If the approaching
Democratic State Convention in Virginia
were TO decline to construct new plat
form on the ground that national plat
form ought to be the work of national
convention. Our statesmen or politicians
may decide not to cross stream before
they get to it.