Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-08-15
About Platforms.

The number - the Democrats who
hold 10 the doctrine that they are bound
by the uttcraucos of one Democratic
Rational Convention until another Demo
cratic National Convention absolyes them
from thor allegiance 10 those utteranccS
is probably small Just AZ this time. The
condition Of things which now obtains IN
Washington formds the idea that the
Democrats there or anywhere else IN the
country. are bound by the free-colngco
plank OF the Chicago platform, # indeed.
that convention land down any such plank
gs thai. or by the auti-iree-c1lnace plank
.. that convention. If 1t laid down aEy
such plank as this. II We DO not know
whether that platform declares for free
silver or not. how are we t. formulate .
resolution setting forth the currency
creed oi orr party friends:
When We see the great Democratic
leader Mr.. BLAND. Of Missouri, champion
7uc uu the floor Of the House OF Repro
p.u.ai. yes the free coinage of silver, nni
anotLcraud uch distinguished Democratic
leader ~ Nr. WILSON, Of West Virginia,
CA8mwonIug the cause of the opponents
ut FREQ coinage. We cannot but come TO
the c0uc,us.ou ihat the utterayces Of the
Chicago convention on the silver question
8, not binding upon the Democrats. And
If that plank IS not binding. how can the
other p.nubs be binding: Are W. TO
choose those of the plauks by which We
ure stll willing 20 be bound AMI discard
tL9s. Of tie blanks by which We are not
wiling % Doc bouudf When we have Mr..
NuTrrr. e Alabama. on tho one sldo and
Nr Cp.aatv. of New York. on the other,
W. are compelled. whether we would or
Lot. o. acknowledge that the teachings of
The Chicago platform on the silver qucs-
ton must now be regarded is having been
tup,r-edel hy the coEveuIng OF an extra
session of Congress by a Democratic
President. and the action Of the members
ii that Congress IN declaring in the most
uumi-takabie language as well Is by the
mos; significant action that the silver qucs-
ton rises above all questions Of party
politics"
Again: Last year the Virginia Demo
crate state Convention. after speeches had
been made by Mr.. HOLMES CONRAD. Of
Frederick. ID opposition TO free coinage,
tud by Mr.. CABuwEIL, of Hanover; Mr..
ELau PAriEsoy, of Buckingham, and Hon.
= 9HS W. DANIEL IN favor Of free coinage,
rejected Mr.. CuNKAp's motion 10 recon-
III. by an overwhelming vote" a..
our report az the time stated, and
passed Sir. CAHDwELLs resolution a.
~ came from the Committee on
1Ie Platform. Shall we have a Virginia
platform III 1873 Numerically opposed u
tuc Virginia platform If 1892? Or, still
more significant question, shall the Var
gina Democratic State Convention Of
1898 array itself against the policy Of the
Democratic Administration in Washington
On that one issue overshGdowing all other
issues, the currency problem; Shall We
preserve silence on that question and
talk big " on other questions?
Again: The Democratic State Convention
If 1892 reailirmed the Democratic national
platforms OF 1854 and 1858. Shall We re-
affirm those old platforms? Senator
DANIEL SAID last year that froe-silver COIN
ace was q Democratic doctrine vt fourteen
years ndlng-meanlng that the BLAND
bill, d Democratic measure, was passed IN
1878. Now Mr. BLAND leads the friends Of
free coinage. Is he not Democrat in
good staDdingy
In our report of the proceedings Of tho
Democratic State Convention of last year
1t was stated that Mr.. CONRAD. insisted
upon 1t that that was not the occasion for
ali expression of opinion on the silver
question. viii Mr.. CONRAD take the other
aide this year. and advocate an expression
of opinion on the silver question? viii
such men as DANIEL, CALDWELL, and PAT
TYSON, and the overwhelming majority Of
the members of the State Convention Of
1892 be willing TO recant their last years
utterances Shall We ask them to do IL?
Think Of these matters, friends, and let
Virginia set the pace" for the whole
county.