Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-09-27
The New York Democrats.

The proceedings the other day Of the
Democratic State Convention Of New
York show that the Empire State Of the
Union was on that occasion governed
more by local considerations than any
otler State in the Union has been gov
prned. The platform adopted at SYRIA
euse reads as II there were no Demo-
cratic party outside Of New York. What
The people OF any other State may think
or do would seem TO be a matter OF
profound Indifference TO our New YORK
brethren.
Take. for instance, the money plank
Of the Syracuse platform. II is bold
defiance. not only Of the free-silverites
of the whole Union, but Of all the Dem
ocrats who have expressed a Willingness
10 accept something less than free sill
yer. II is. in a word New York plat
form-a local platform.
six Richmonds have / slain" exclaim-
ed Richard III. at the battle OF Bos-
worth field So we may say as 10 the
money plank of the Syracuse platform
that II has appeared 10 us in several
forms But here is that plank as II
read after the convention Itself had ia
ken il in hand and trimmed it to suit
the New Workers. Read 1t:
IA. Sound money; gold and silver the
only legal tender: no currency inconvertl-
bic with coin: gradual retirement ana
extinction OF the greenback currency;
no free and unlimited coinage Of silver"
Analysing the plank, we may say, as
we have had occasion TO say before,
that everybody is in favor Of sound mon
ey. But everybody is not In favor Of
making gold and silver the only legal
tender. Under such law no national
bank notes, no greenbacks or other ma
tlonal currency, would be legal ten
der The next new requirement Of the
New York Democrats Is that all Of
those bank notes and national Treasury
notes shall be redeemabie in coin. mo
currency inconvertible with COIN
that is. no currency not redeemabe in
gold and silver.
The next requirement IS one that
everybody expected from New York.
1t declares against the free and unlimited
coinage Of silver.
Such is the sound-money plank of the
Syracuse convention. 1t does not at all
voice the views OF Senator David b. Hill,
as we shall proceed TO show.
On Friday, the oath day of May, the
Democratic Editorial Association of New
York State gave a banquet at Delmoni-
cos. There were many other distin-
guished speakers, but Mr.. Hills speech
was the most notable. He declared his
belief as TO the silver problem. His Ian
guage was as follows:
IL do not think that majority of
either party in any State advocate coin
age-laws which the advocates believe
Will produce n silver dollar of less value,
In fact, than the gold dollar. Those who
urge an immediate opening OF our minis
to silver on a ratio of is to l really fancy,
so far as the majority are concerned,
that the United States can. alone and I'M
aided, do as much for silver now as BIZ
metallic France did from 1903 to 1873 i
think that impossible-at least under
present conditions. / do believe that the
concerted laws of the principal govern
ments OF the world combined can, on
ratio OF 10 IL. determine and maintain
or uncoined silver and gold. Upon that
belief l shall act TIL 1t is overthrown by
facts"
Mr.. Hill regards the free and unlim-
tied coinage Of silver at ratio OF l6 to /
as an impossibility. That is. by this
country alone. But he believes, and de-
clares that he will act upon that belief
until It is overthrown by facts that the
principal governments OF the world COM
bined can. on a ratio Of Is 1-2 to /. de-
termlne and maintain the relative value
everywhere OF coined or uncoined silver
and gold. What real bimetallist could
ask anything better from Mr.. Hill? He
Is In favor OF international cooperation,
as we are.
There are other features OF the SYRIA
cuse platform which we may comment
upon hereafter. Excise planks and other
local pianks may command our attention
In due time