Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1893-07-20

ground in the minds of many Demo
Gratis throughout the land that some
party leaders do not intend to accept
the Chicago platform in good faith, or
to regard it as an authoritative decla-
ration of Democratic principles. They
seem to look upon it as mere tempo
rary make-shift to tide the party over
a critical period in it's history-good
enough for single campaign and
single victory, but not to be allowed
by its declaration to hamper the future
action of the party. Bimetalism was one
of its planks and accepted by the rank
and file of the party with the same
iff Reform. Had doubt of the faith
of the party on this issue been raised
in the minds of the people of the West
in 1892, the Democratic victory of that
year might not have been won. But
the people of tho West and South raj
lied to the standard of Democracy and
bore it to victory such as has seldom
fallen to the lot of any political party.
That the great body of these mon desire
the full rehabilitation of silver it is
folly to deny; that they are dissapoint-
ed in that there should be any question
of such full restoration of the white
metal to it's constitutional and chief
use, one has but to spend a day
among the rank and file to ascertain.
The people of this country are not fools,
although they may not be so cultured
as the inhabitants of Boston, or so
skilful in the art of picking pockets as
Russell Sage. We wish to say here
that we have no disposition to foment
dissatisfaction or uneasiness in the
party we have been identified with so
many years. God forbid! Its victor
les have been our victories, and its de-
feats have been our defeats. We be-
lieved that through its agency the
shackles would be stricken from our
commerce and the gives be taken from
the limbs of our finances. We still so
believe, but we cannot help feeling a
little apprehensive when Secretary
Carlisle gets instruction from such
sterling Democrats as John B. Hender-
son, and when John Sherman pats the
administration on the back and says,
That's right, my boys!" If bimetal-
ism is abandoned at the bidding of
Wall street, what assurance have the
people that Tariff Reform will not be
dropped when the demand comes from
the same quarter In fact, what as
surance will the people have that any
principle of the party hitherto deemed
vital will not be dropped at a demand
from the same source? 1t will not do
to rely upon the inertia of party af-
filliations; there is whore the Republic
cans of Kansas made their fatal mis-
take. A single step backward means
defeat and disintegration. 1t is the
class of men in the party like those
elected by the protected industries of
Rhode Island who wanted friends in the
Democratic caucus to look after their
interest that are endeavOring to force
the party to the single standard in vi
olation of it's pledges. We must not
lose sight of the fact that it was the
last feather that broke the camel's
back. Does anybOdy-even the gold
bug~-deny that adopting the gold
standard will increase the debt of ev-
cry debtor in this country? John
Sherman admitted this was the effect
of the demonstration act of 1873. Can
the Democratic party, with safety to
itself, permit one cent to be added in
its name to the burden Of debt that the |
producing classes of this country are
already staggering underP To do this
would be no ordinary folly; it would be
q crime. Some of our party leaders
and most of our great dailies say, 'Re-
peal the Sherman act;" so does John
Sherman. for the matter of that: but
the repeal of the Sherman act, pure and
simple, without making it a stepping
stone to replacing silver in its old and
rightful position. would snap the last
thread that holds silver to the money
of this country. Suppose Democrat
ic Congress should repeal the only law
that gives silver a quasi standing as
money, would that not be placing us
upon gold basis by the party's actionP
Repeal the Sherman act, certainly, but
by q law that restores silver to its