Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-06-03

i
which they secured victory. with d.
ylded counsels and Its high purposes
pursued through weary years aban-
doned, the Democracy today secs the
triumphant prospect Of 1899 obscured
by tho shadow OF impending defeat.
The South, in the very hour when
the fruits OF victory were In our grasp.
has turned away from the national
Democracy In the East. and is invited
TO chase the rainbow vision OF a new
| financial gospel In the delusive hope OF
an alliance with the West In this
condition OF affairs It would seem TO
be the duty OF every Democrat TO make
some effort TO restore harmony in the
party.
Mr.. Cleveland is the only man that
the Democratic party has been able to
elect to the presidency since 1886. His
career from the beginning as mayor
of Buffalo has been that Of a reformer.
always on the side OF the people and
for the good CT the whole country. What
ever may be his qualities as a leader
and statesman he has chiefly com
mended himself to the country by n
firm and almost obstinate adherence
TO what seemed 20 him TO be right; Of
tentimes to the detriment OF temporary
party advantage and his own future.
Twice president. and now confronted
by an unwritten law against third
term, he has reached the limit OF official
honor for the American citizen. and can
have no other conceivable ambition
than TO round out his reputation as the
wise and patriotic president Of n great
people. 1t is strange that people who
are not blinded by prejudice should
forget this. The man who nvowod his
willingness TO be damned rather than
yiele to dlshonorable proposal to Sc
cure the vote OF his own state when a
candidate for the presidency, can surely
be trusted. If hitherto he has always
been found on the side Of right. with n
devotion to Democratic principles that
won the respect and confidence OF his
political opponents, 1t would seem that
his acts ard policies should now COM
mund peculiar attention.
During his first administration. and
IN all his Official utterances Mr.. CIeve-
land declared his position az opposed
TO the free and unlimited coinage OF
silver by this country alone. though ia
vorlng the use of both metals under
wise safeguards. In published letter
in 1891 written at time when his
denomination was being anxiously con-
Hdcred by the people. and evidently
written for the express purpose OF in
forming them Of his Views he reafnrmed
his former opinions ON silver coinage
and lett no ground TO hope that he
would change. So generally was his
position ON this question recognized
that for months after writing that let
ter he was regarded by the press rs
being politically dead; ana yet In 1899
the Democratic party at Chicago with
fun knowledge that this man had the
courage OF his convictions not only
nominated him for the presidency, but
adopted platform Of principles which
embodied his views on the coinage OF
silver, and published It to the people
as the pledge Of what his policy should
be for the next four years.
The wise policy OF that platform did
not satisfy the greed OF the owners OF
silver mines In the Northwest and OF
their friends who now demand the Inn
mediate adoption OF free silver coin
age, with no safeguards whatever. OF
the latter there are many. und they
threaten to part company with tho ma
tonal Democracy whose Views are in
terpreted In the Chicago platform; the
way to do 1t is to 10 outside OF the ma
uonal Democratic party.
on both sides OF this question are
honest tarin reformers, We have
many candidates for governor. any one
OF whom would make a good officer. ir-
respective OF his views on silver eoiu-
age; but no one OF them when elected
VIII ever be called on TO Sign a bill
regulating coinage or TO do any other
act affecting national finances. why.
then should this silver coinage question
be injected into the canvass for state
offices to disrupt the party and de-
liver It TO It's enemies7 Questions OF
national finance should be indie
pendent OF party conflicts in state
canvass, and be solved by the wlsest
ana purest statesmen regardless OF men
or OF their political advancement. Such
was the opinion OF one of the greatest
statesmen America has ever produced,
ana II was 80 generally entertained by
our fathers that the ratio between gold
and silver was twice changed without
being made an issue in politics.
This finance problem was forced into
the last state canvass. and suatained
men for office from governor down ON
platform at variance with views 1
have expressed l would do so again.
not on account OF this platform. but re-
Eardless OF It, Nor would l make the
opinion OF candidate for the next
congress who differed with me the sole
reason for opposing him IL he had been
found faithful, worthy and In other re-
spects well qualified, for whatever may
be our dissensions In Texas there is no
danger that the country will pass to a
silver basis. We should pause and
view the situation calmly. The great
body OF the American people have
done so and have decided that thcy
Will NOT cnpnpntf fhfo ,,,,.t... ~