Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1895-05-21
THE GREENSBORO EPISODE.


Greensboro convention on the curren-
cy question was the direct result of
the stupid conduct Of the Louisville
daily papers, that have deserted the
teachings of the Democratic party
and have been for months devoting
their energies to disorganizing the
party and wrecking its future. The
convention was composed OF thought
full, conservative men, mindful Of the
party's interests above all things. Be
ing good Democrats, the great body
of them were in line with the
party's principles on the currency
question. Of the three hundred dele
gates present, fully four-ffths were
for honest gold and silver money.
There were few extreme silver men
intent on passing strong resolutions,
but the great majority were perfectly
willing to let the troublesome ques-
ton rest until the state convention.
But from the very first the seeds of
discord were sown by the Louisville
papers. They insisted on directing
the eyes of the whole country to
Owensboro as the center of "populis-
tic ideas" and filed columns of space
with graphic accounts of the heroic
work the friends of the "administra-
ton" and "sound( Omoney" were do
ing. On the second day, embolden-
ed by the conservatism shown, these
false leaders and perverters of public
sentiment loudly boosted that great
victory would be won and that the
so-called apostles of Sound money"
had found hardly enough silver men
to make it interesting for them. 1t
was such stuff and nonsense as this
that changed the temper OF the con-
vention.
The Wheeler substitute was writ
ten at conference of delegates rep
resenting three large silver counties
Christian, Crittenden and McCracken
and embodied the conclusions of
some of the strongest honest money
men at the convention. Not gold
bug was present and the minority
had nothing to do with the resolu-
ton, except to throw their votes to il
in the convention. The conservative
plan would have prevailed but for
the attempt of the goldbugs to adjourn
the convention, before, it's nominee
had been invited to appear, and fail
ing in this to break it up or howl
down every man that attempted to
speak. This disgraceful proceeding
disguised all decent men present and
the three counties represented in the
conference above mentioned cast their
votes for the Rhea resolutions. The
silver recommendation may have
been premature and inexpedient, but
it unquestionably represents the views
of the Democrats of the district.
The Owensboro episode should
prove lesson to the Louisville rene
gades. If they continue their work
of disruption, the people will go to
the state convention determined to
ram a silver resolution down their
threats. If on the other hand the
Louisville papers could see an inch
from their noses and would show
some regard for the party's welfare,
they would cease to antagonize the
party's often-expressed principle of
free bimetalism and turn their atten-
ton to harmonizing the forces that
will assemble in convention within
less than five weeks There is need
for wisdom and sound judgment.
The unwise and ill-timed visits of
Secretary Carlisle, for the purpose of
making public confessions of change
of faith, will work further harm, and
unless the Courier-Journal and Times
the Post is a hopeless case-pursue
more patriotic course between now
and June 20, there is likely to be a
repetition of the work at Greensboro
on larger scale. If the party is
rushing to ruin the Courier-J Journal
has opened the throttle.