The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1894-06-18
SAFE GRO UND FOR DEMO-
Let Them IndOrse All Mr..
Has Done That Can Be App

FROM Inc New York Herald.
The recently announced abandonment OE
the effort engineered from Washington to
secure from southern democratic state con-
Ventlons specific and direct endorsements OF
the financial policy of the administration
materially changes the situation in this sec"
ton, and will greatly modify the interest
which would naturally be taken in the pro-
ceedings of these conventions if it were
known that they were to be urged to per-
form this remarkably supple and CONTRA
dictory feat of political gymnastics.
A few weeks ago in one of these letters
to The Herald I made the statement that
in not single state convention in the south
would the policy which has prevailed in
Washington as regards the nations finan-
cial affairs be endorsed. A few democratic
organs, ready to endorse everything and
anything reached by the limit of the pa
tronage tether by which they are tied, boot
ed at the idea, while others, misconstrulng
the purpose of the statement, argued, in an
attempt to disprove it, that the democratic
conventions of the southern states Would
pass some kind Of resolutions of endorse
ment of the administration, just as they
have been in the habit of doing.
In this connection, and before further
commenting upon the recent development
which seems to have paved the way Ior
harmonious settlement, let me again oenhe
the position taken in the letter above re-
ferred to, that there may be no 1urthen
misunderstanding. / did not In that let
ter question, nor have I, the ACCESSIBILITY OF
passing general resolutions of endorsement
concerning the administration.
On the other hand, it would be exceeding
ly unwise and impolitc for the party IN
open convention to withhold sucn express
sions of general endorsement and OF con1-
dence in the honesty and integrity OF the
administration, and so forth, as-lt has been
customary to bestow.
While the people have by no means gotten
what they expected from the present ad-
ministration, we have much to be thankful
for in many of the things which have been
done and that we are under democratic
and not a republican administration. Hence
we should be duly thankful for those things
which we have received ana are ABOUT "
receive: nor should We be resenful Tor the
things which, though promised we nave moi
received
It would be the supreme height of folly
for q democratic convention to condemn IN
any wise a democratic administration. 1t
wouId simply be a plea of guilty TO the
charge of the enemy. At the same time
the party must maintain its honor anu Seli-
| respect which it cannot do by SUMMING
| itself by an action which not only wipes
| ont but rever5es its life record and endorses
| in specific terms that in which 1t does hoI
| believe.
| There is a safe middle ground which,
while Offering comfort to the ehellya
| will enable the party to reopen, us hSht II.
| congress- under other circumstances anu
| at another time, for the principe LOT WHICH
| If has been contending since its beginning.
The course suggested by conserVatism'
| and insisted upon by those who do not
| wish to be put in the position OF endorsing
| that which they have for years peeh con-
| tending against is to approve all That hd9
| been done by Mr.. Cleveland ana the du-
| ministratfon consistent with the pledges OF
+J,, fat
| ple, and to refrain from approving IN specl-
| fc terms such acts as conflict with the
| sentiment of the people whose expressions
| 90 to make the record of this year SlaLs
| conventions.
| certify and emphatic belief that ne IS
| right. Endorse all that he has done that
| can be consistently endorsed, call Tor the
| rademption of every pledge of the platform
and stop right there. There is not d SCUM
| ern state that will go further thah InlS'
| for the people fully realize that lot the
| party in these states to take up ana MAKE
! as its own the financial policy which Mira
| Cs1avaIan1 has applied to the admnjstra~'
| ton IS 10 court humiliation and invoke
| omen rebellion against the party WhlcH
| offers the only safe course for relief Sc
curtty and national prosperity.
These conditions would have beeh tuI"
fj5d today had the pledges of the demo-
4-NASN44he4N'
not and the result is that the bettered
condition promised with the success oil the
democracy two years ago is in the eclipse
| of business depression and general staSha-
ton. The relief is in the PLATFORM and II
its declarations are followed the wisdom
of its mandates viii at once become ap~
parent.
The party in every southern state VIII pa
exceedingly careful to avoid specific en-
dorsement of these measures. Marx my
word for it, none Of these acts viii pc ems
dorsed in the south, and even the prop
ability of such q course has disappeared
in the abandonment Of the effort. Mr.
Cleveland as man will receive III the e2l~
pressions of the southern democrats me
usual recognition accorded to any man Oh
courage and honesty of purpose
Thus there viii be harmony IN the souths
and everybody viii be satisfied except those
who are never satisfied and they are rapid
ly increasing in number. and II the popu-
lists or the republicans make any 1nroads
into the normal strength of the delnocratic
vote in any of the southern states 1t VIII
be for no earthly reason than that the
PARTY has not as yet lived up to its cam
paien pledges. There are two more years
ahead, though, and many things can D.
done, as well as undone, in that period.
CLARK HOWELL.