The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-08-30

Plain Talk Concerning the situation and
the Dcmncracy'- Peril.

/ endorsement Of the fndncidl pOucy or
Cleveland and Carlisle But Mr.. H..
Wat Hardin. a blatant advocate OF the
free and unlimited coinage 81 silver
was nominated for Governor. lie had in
/ dustriously canyassed the State for SIX
months preceding the Convention, had
thorough organization. and, in addi-
/ ton, had the active and monetary sup
! port Of the l.. and y r. L. CO.. and
| several other corporations against Ais
/ opponent. clay. who was REGARDED as
/ hostile 10 those interests. Believing free
silver 10 bee popular, be had advocated
/ IL in every speech he made. Nacn the
/ platform was adopted Senator Blackburn
advised him not 20 accept the nomna-
ton, as he could not do so without stulti-
/ flying himself An hour or more elapsed
between the time Of the nomination and
the appearance OF Hardin on the stage.
I But be did accept.
Senator Blackburn had been equally ac-
tive and boisterous ia the advocacy OF
free silver. lie had succeeded boz sscur-
ing the adoption OF q free-silvcr res0lu-
ton by the preceding state Convention.
Ia an authorized interview Published In
January. he said he intended To- atters
the late Convention and force the light
ing for another such resolution. On
another interview published in April. ana
D
Of the popularity OF his pos ton that bee
declared. III there be- one upon The list
OF announced candidates for the Senate
who will avOw himself am opponent OF
silver coinage and advocate d single gold
standard. and who Will so declare HIM
self / will ask YOU 10 urge every friend
of mine in Kentucky holding those views,
IA who. in spite OF that fact, lis row sup
porting me. 20 Withdraw his support from
d ..Hf. b.
been bold enough 10 make such q de-
clarauon."
It is needless to say that he has come
down from this high perch. The action
OF the Convention was "a great shock
both 10 Blackburn and Hardin. There
was much doubt whether Hardin would
repuiiate the platform and reassert his
former views OF subordinate those views
tc the VIII Of the party as expressed by
tho Convention. Tie carefully abstaineI
from giving any Information Oh the SUBJ
jcct until the joint debate in this city
between himself and Ar Bradley, the
Republican nominee
Great interest was therefore aroused.
and large crowd assembled 10 hear the
joint discussion. Every one expected
Hardin would take tho one couise or
the other, but 20 the surprise or every
body he reasserted his former views.
and attempted 10 reconcile them with
the platform against which both Die and
blackburn had fought SO hard i'm the
Convention. Indeed. so pronounced was
the sentiment OF that body that Black
burn could not secure the vote OF his
own district, nor any other. for a place
as member of the Committee Oh Reso-
lutions.
II the action Of the convention affords
any basis for cstimateins the sentiment
OF the state. there is certainly IT. power
iul sound-money element in the party. if
u Us not in The majority. s. large part
or that element VIII not support Hardin
or Blackburn under any circumstances.
IL is overwhelmingly dominant iu Louis
Vile, and, indeed in every town of inn
portance In the State. 10 is composed
OF business men, of the better class ct
farmers, AMI OF professional men.
These are the men who put up the
money, when necessary. 10 carry cleo
tons. they are the men who form
organizations; they have the brains
OF the party. il is safe TO say that thc
approaching election must Doe decided !
without their active support.
Hardins speech I'm this city was "a fiat |
failure. Tie attempted 10 read d.. got I
the pages disOrdered. and then attomDted !
10 speak without them. but finally had |
10 take some five or six minutes % gee /
arrange them. The Democrats We're /
mortified, and the Republicans rendered |
JGDi.ant by the complete triumph oil their |
champion, who spoke only with notes.
but Who had an his points well in hand. |
and presented them with unexpected !
adrOltness and force
il has been lntlmated by several |
newspapers that hardln's speech was
written hy Norman, the State Auditor. ID
shrewd intrigucr, and just now probably
the most powerful politician ion the
state. If so, he perpetrated cruel
Joke on the nominee for Governor Near
the conclusion Of the speech. it COM
tanned tribute TO women, many ladies'
being present and the women selected
from history, whom. by implication. at
least the speaker held mp as models
We're AsI asia, LenObi1. and ClcOpatra-
the latter he pronounced CleopatrIa-au
notorious courtesans, and one an assas-
sin. IN addition.
The division In the party Is decD and
irreconcilable. TWO of the Democratic
newspapers Of tbs city the Anzeieer
and Evening Post, oppose the election OF
Hardin the former in "a bitter article.
declaring that the German Democratic
vote VIII bolt him IN q body. The Cou-
and Times are on the fence
ana VIII give him but languid support
II any. The country papers are almost
divided on the issue though
most Of them support the ticket. In
many counties the conflict has become So
Intense between the two wings OF the
party that where a frco-silyer candidate
for the Legislature has been nominated
The sound-moncy element VIII bolt. and
where sound-m0ney candidate has been
nominated the frec-s-lvcr element will
bolt When fl is remembered that the
Republicans elected five out of eleven
congressman az the last election. and 4
perhaps six, since II rs probable that
Denny Will get the scat from ihe Lex
ngton district. some idea may be formed
lf the uncertainty of the result Party
bonds were badly broken throughout the
State. 4 Democratic majority i'm this
'ity Of nearly four thousand a. changed
INTO Republican majority OF nearly five
thousand. ola Democrats voted th.
Republican ticket. for the first time i'm
heir lives. The bosses have not since
been able 20 drive the rccalcitrants into
Inc and restore discipline. Indeed many
II the bosses boltcd. \ much more serl-
'us issue between the Democrats ana |
Republicans than now exists must arise
before party lines Will again Doe sharnIy |
itawn. True Democratic Administra-
ion brought about this condition, but IL
.x!sts.
So grave has the situation become tint
he state Central Committee was sum-
] oned by its chairman 10 consider ana
adopt some device for harmonlzlng tne
warning clements. al the oan1natss
we're invited 10 attend. and Chairman
eng, I'm opening thu meeting. stated that
General Hardin inter Ills domination