The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-09-18

the Democracy on NOFth CatoAho
Declare Themselves In Favor OF the
Free and Unlimited Coinage of Sill
yer ?-The Last State Convention De.
clared Itself Explicitly, also the State
Committee Since-Mr. BuxtOn'sView.
WINSTON, N. O., Sept. II.
To the Editor of the News and Observer:
The Smith convention, soon to assem-
BILE in your city, may do great harm to
the cause of Democracy in this State,
and for the life of me / cannot see any
good to come out of it. The Dem Gratis
of North Carolina in favor of free coin
age of silver are in large majority at
this time; but suppose it were otherwise,
what would they do if the single gold
standard advocates were in the ascend
ant and should attempt to force that
doctrine upon them in a State electlonI
Let every Democrat who is thinking of
attending this convention consider that
aspect of this question. The silver
Democrats who wish the success OF their
party. certainly cannot desire to read out
of the party those Democrats who are
opposed to free coinage. We cannot at
ford to make such test, nor can those
who favor single gold standard afford
to make adhesion to that policy test OF
Democracy. If either wing of the party
should take such a step, it would be folly
for the party to nominate a candidate
for President or a candidate for Gov
ernor. 1t may be said that it is neces-
sary to declare for free coinage to en-
courage friends elsewhere and influence
public sentiment. How often, IN order
to be understood, shall the Democ-
racy of North Carolina declars them
selves on this subject? In the last
State convention the platform was very
explicit on this and our State committee,
which has since declared the same thing
and no one doubts how they stand on
this question. I see that it is non
partisan convention. Can it be possible
that these good men and Democrats are
arranging fusion between our party
and the Popoulists3 Surely this cannot
be. 1t has only been twelve months
since we were denouncing a similar
fusion between the Republicans and
Populists, and such a course would show
as much want of consistency as some of
the more recent converts from Democ-
raey to Populism have shown. Notably
in the case Of our great orator, Mr..
Henry, for whom we all feel the greatest
sympathy in his disappointments, and
vet it now seems that Senator Butler
and his friends will take charge OF this
convention and shape its policy. Are
the Democrats of North Carolina pre-
pared for this so soon after the last cam
paign? I cannot believe it. In Con-
gressional and county conventions there
would be propriety in insisting upon
nominating men of their persuasion as
candidates for Congress and the State
Legislature, because Congress can alone
determine whether we shall or not have
free coinage; and the members
of the General Assembly viii elect
aSenator now who will have vote on the
question. So in relation to dele
gates to a National Convention. They
may with propriety insist upon sending
men who favor free coinage, for that
convention will make a platform and
nominate a candidate for President.
suggest for the consideration of the Dem
ocracy, that in our next State Conven-
ton for the nomination of state officers
we nominate good men and a sound
state platform. What have the admins
tration Democrats of Kentucky gained
by declaring for the single standard
They have simply jeopardized the sue
cess of our ticket. If they had assemb-
led and adopted platform dealing ex-
IL Gfof of H.
mated Hardin there would to-day be no
doubt of his election by the usual Demo
cratic majority. Whereas now it is by
no means assured.
With regard to the Presidency, if the
National Convention would nominate a
good man, who whatever his position on
the silver question, will approve an act of
Congress for the coinage of silver, not
a Democrat would hesitate to vote the
ticket2
| see no necessity for disruptiug the
Democratic party of this State on the
silver issue. This can and ought to
to be avoided. To make it an issue in
this State will but court defeat.
I submit these suggestions to Demo
Gratis, not in captious spirit, but to in
duce them seriously to consider how they
may unite and solidify the party without
forcing any Democrat to quit the party
or stultify himself by the abandonment
of an opinion he may sincerely entertain.
l could heartily support single gold
standard Democrat, and every true Dem
ocrat in favor of a gold standard could
and would, on such platform, vote for
a free silver Democrat And while we
are getting things in order, cannot the
NEWS AND OBSERVER and the Charlotte
Observer, the two leading Democratic
dailies of the State, get little closer to-
gether along this line and stop pulling
the party to pieces over this issue'
Respectfully,
j. @. BUXTON.