New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-06-14
THE SILVER CONVENTION AT MEMPHIS.

THE SILVER con LNIION ~ hH"i mr.
prom start to finish there wild enthusi-
asm." say dispatches about the Memphis Silver
Convention. 1t is quite likely. In any gathering
Of cranks, representing n tenth OF the voters OF
less, there Is apt 10 be more enthusiasm 10 TIE
square inch than in body Of grave ana reSpoh-
sible men who have twothirds OF all the voters
behind them, and know that the welfare OF hiili-
ions will depend upon their action The SILVER
people have largely developed those qualities OF
mind and heart which enincnily tit them I" De
n wildly enthusiastic minority. They can take
more things for granted In less time than any
other people extaLt. can 60 ahead with sublime
disregard for facts and delightful Indifference
IN CONSEQUENCES which only the hablt,ial gambler
and .had man" Of the Far West can translate
from theory into practice, and they can bcStow
a genuine and intense hatred upon any man ~
common-sense who. differing from them. must
necessarily be IN enemy Of mankind. To people
Of these gifts 1t comes naturally TO be enIh'isi-
astic and also to he in a permanent minority.
The convention brought 10 light no new idea
or facts II was not notable for those who were
present nor for those who were absent The men
who have been monetary cranks for thirty years.
and began with reputation. hatred ~ bondhoid-
ers and demand for more money as soon
rs the Civil War ended. were conspicuous on the
platform. and ~ ever. pcrennally sure that vic
tory was In the air" The practical farmers. work
incmen and business men who have n"' Illus
trated their incapaclty by coniriving TO ow" more
than they can pay were in the main conSpicu"us
hy their absence Of that sort on hand beng
principally The asprants for political place
Senator Tnrple who was placed In the niied
States Senate by one Of the bascst frauds ever
pcrpctratcd. and consented TO proni thereby was
the most eminent cXpoundcr OF the honesty ana
v,r,ue az free coinage AMI set forth again his
theory tina, the legal status ~ two kinds OF money
need have no relation 10 their commercial valu"
Two comments on this performance. or rather
on the purpose hchini 1t. ar" worth noticing
The Hon Henry Wat,-rson declares that II The
Democratic party takes M The fre"coiiagr
heresy II Will make Kentucky Republican
State for 10000 Democrats or more VIII support
the Republican ticket. He considers That the
Populsts ought Of right 10 absorb The monetary
fanatics and those who hate the prosperous
enough 10 make war on prosperity. ana u" prop
ohly knows how ia. more substantial ana ntoll-
gent Democrats feel In his own state.
The other comment was by practical
Democratic leader 81 the North who condensed
the history II his party into one remark ~ WASH
incton: I'VE have always loaded the party down
.hy accepting and | may say embracing. lot
cot notions that the common people reject as
"soon MS they begin to discuss them" II was
so when Democracy declared slavery National
and freedom sectional. II was 50 when Dclnoc
racy declared II unconstitutional 20 enforce the
Constitution against rebels. II was when
copperhead malignity tried 10 stir up hatred ~
bondholders II was so when imitation was the
cry. and the agitation for free coinage II silver
would have ended already had II not seemed 10
Democratic leaders to Offer the only way Of
escape from destruction because OF the'- tariff
folly II cannot be said that the party has re
Gently accepted the FreeTrade hcresy. which
has governed il for more than fifty years, but
as soon as the common people began To discuss
that Democratic theory after the election ~
1892 and saw how II affected their industries In
the spring Of 1893 they rejected the theory and
the party as usual Then II was foolish enough
70 imagine that a revival Of all old monetary
follies and fanatlcsms would serve 10 divert
the people from the defence Of their business
and their Industries. That will he found the
browning bundcr Of party which has been
laundering for fifty years.