Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1895-06-27
popclNe THE REAL ISSUE.
Hon. Aston Gordon Dayton, Con-
gresham from this district, writes as
follows to the american Economist:

gresham from this district, writes as
follows to the american Economist:
Il may be mistaken, but believe that
the present agitation of the currency
question is in measure needless. To
my mind the all-important question be-
fore the American people today is res
toraton of our tariff duties upon sound
protective lines, and to do this should
be the first duty of the Fifty-fourth Con-
gress. 1t is not so much a question OF
currency as it is a question of revenue,
and it is not so much a question OF rev.
enue as it is question of protection and
American patriotism.
These sentiments are on line with
the action of the Republican league at
Cleveland last week and with the ut
terances of the Republican leaders gen
orally. The one thing to do, in their
eyes, is to dodge the money question.
They know full well the only issue be-
fore the people is that of free silver VS..
sound money, but it is the deliberate
policy of the Republicans to dodge that
issue. They mean to win the next
fight, and their sails will be set to
catch every passing breeze. They will
not run the risk of losing votes in the
North by endorsing the free silver
ideas from the West, nor will they
ALLEVIATE the western voters by declar-
ing fol sound money. They will carry
water on both shoulders and let prin-
ciple look out for itself.
On the surface of things this plan
appears to be good politics-apparent-
ly it is safer to keep the party united
by cowardly Sinking than to run the
risk Of losing votes by taking an hon
est stand for one side or the other. But
is it, after all wise policy? Can the
Republicans fool the people with a
say-nothing, hoOdwinking scheme,
shifty and evasive? AS for ourselves
we are quite willing to have the Re-
publicans pursue the policy they have
apparently planned, and only ask that
the Democrats pursue the opposite
course and honestly announce and
courageously stand by their convictions
on the money question. In this con-
nection we take the liberty of quoting
from private letter received this day
from a West Virginia Democrat and a
patriot. He says:
am as firm believer in the good
sense and honest courage of the mass Of
the American people as was Thomas
jefferson. believe that they admire
courage, that they admire convictions,
and that they will stand up and trust
leaders and parties that are true to con-
victionS and who place their trust in
the sense and integrity of their constit-
uentS. In this opinion | am not alone.
| am sure that the mass of intelligent
sentiment in this country, which has
given victory to the Democratic party
in recent wears are watching us at this
iuncture with great clOseneSS, and II we
are as true TO ourselves and our cOnvic-
tions and as much in line with the in
dependent thought of the country as we
were in 1892, we can win Just as great Il
victory. craftsmanship in my judg-
ment is the art of being honest TO the
people and true to intelligent convic-
tons There is no other good policy.
Already independent leaders like those
who rally around the great metropolitan
press are becoming disguised and soreIy
tried with the ''Say-nOthing policy of
our opponents, and will if we go before
the country in 1896 with good, honest,
straightforward sound money and tar
iff reform policy, rally to us in sufficient
NUM- ers to Overwhelm the supporters
of any makeshift say-nOthing policy.
Although our patience is sometimes
pretty severely tried by political events
and temporary disturbances Of the
equilibrium of the voters, we cannot
but agree with our friend. The peo-
pie must be trusted. The party that
undertakes to fool them will come to
grief sooner or later
If Mr.. Gordon and his friends de-
sire to dodge the living issue in poll
tics let them do so. But let every
Democrat have the courage of his in
telligent convictions,