The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-03-03


We have no doubt that Representative
. Bryan II Nebraska. who has inaugurated
a movement 10 commit the Democratic
party 10 the free and unlimited coinage OF
silver az the ratio Of l6 70 ], is very much
in earnest He is enthusiastic in what
ever he undertakes. but he is not always
successful. Ills enthusiasm and earnest
speaker. but ne has never yet succeeded
i'm inspiring much confidence in his ability
10 solve public questions. He is not a
leader. because he IS not thinker. The
speeches he has made in congress have
had very little weight and have been for
gotten almost as soon as delivered. n
the silverites were to choose a leader they
would not give much consideration to the
claims OF Mr. Bryan.
II We are not greatly mistaken Mr..
Bryan win not get a majority OF the
democratic senators and representative
TO say that the policy Of the Democratic
party on financial matters ought TO De die
tated by the silverites in the party. There
are many silverltes who would not make
such a mistake as that
Mr.. Bryan takes it for granted that the
great majority Of democrats are in favor
Of the free and unlimited coinage Of silver
by this country alone. at the ratio Of l6
TO ]. 1t is pretty safe to say that he is
mistaken. The silver sentiment is no
stronger now than it was four. or six, or
even ten years ago, and II the silverites
were in the majority the last national
democratic platform would have contained
a free silver coinage plank.
Mr.. Bryan has no information that jus
titles the belief that they are in the ma
jority. He is in the habit Of indulging
in statements that lack the support of
facts. and that Is why his oratory is more
pleasing than convincing. If he could
only understand that facts and logic have
much more TO do with the settlement Of
questions like that Of silver than words
and ebulitions Of feeling he could see that
he is not the man to take the place that
is stin held by Mr.. Bland.
Thursdays debate in the Senate on Wal
colts resolution, providing for commits
sioners to an international silver confer
ence shows that even among the leading
silverites there are differences OF opinion
as to the proper basis for the settlement
of the silver question. Senator Stewart
wanted the commissioners instructed to
accept only the ratio of 16 to l, and he got
but nine senators to vote with him.
If the silverites undertake to run things
TO euit Themselves as Mr. BRYAN wants
them to do. they viii find they are greatly
in the minority. The opponents of free
silver coinage have never undertaken to
convert the people to their views as the
silverites have. They have simply re-
manned on the defensive, trusting to the
evils Of free silver coinage, but if they
should be forced to make a campaign to
sustain their position they would very
quickly deplete the ranks of the silver
forces, because they have the facts and
the arguments, while the silverites deal in
assertions and glittering generalities.
II Mr.. Bryan wants to split the Demo-
cratic party he is pursuing the course to
do so. 1t is certain that the Democratic
party will never consent to have its policy
in financial matters dictated by the sill
verites. a leading plank in the platform
of the Popr.ist party calls for the free
and unlimited coinage of silver. It is not
likely that the Democratic party will make
such a concession to that party as to
adopt one Of it's chief doctrines.