The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1895-06-15
THE MISSOURI DEMOCRATIC
SITUATION.

THE MISSOURI DEMOCRATIC
SITUATION.
No thoughtful! man, who is CONVEX
SAINT with political affairs in Missouri
come to the study of the situation
is now presented for considera-
ton by democrats without more or less
anxiety. A condition of apathy pre-
vailed at the last general election
which was sufficient to cause thousands
of democrats to remain away from the
polls. Indeed, hundreds of men who
went to the polling places out OF the
habits of a life time, even then refused
to vote. 1t is all very we'll for enthu-
siasts upon The one side or the other
of controverted positions to urge and
insist upon the rightfdlness Of their
views. but it should be borne in mind
that those who differ from them may,
and NO doubt are, al honest as them
selves. None will deny that the
financial question is one of supreme
Importance.
Now that even the republicans con-
cede the wisdom of the democratic
policy of tariff reform, and that its
justification is being every day exem-
plified by the starting of new factories,
the increase of wages in old ones and
the development of new industries
generally, it is safe to say that the
issue of the approaching campaign
must be upon the settlement of the
monetary system of the government.
There is no escape from this conclu-
sion. But, while this is true, demo-
Gratis upon the one side or the other
of this interesting and important mat
ter should remember that there are
principles involved in loyalty to their
historic party which are greater than
mere material ines. As between
democracy and republicanism there IRE
the rights and the liberties of the
people involved, therefore in the dis
cussion of details of finance charity
and consideration should prevail. No
man who has considered the history of
his country for the past thirty-fve
years will fail to realize that there has
never upon earth existed a party of
the same magnitude which has had the
cohesion of the republican party.
Whatever else may be said of it its
discipline has been magnificent. In
some senses it is not . political party
but athoroughly organized and drilled
military contingent. 1t obeys the
behests of its leaders as completely as
would the trained hosts of an emperor.
1t may here and there upon occasion
show ebullitions of %impatience, Of
restraint, but when the bugle blast is
blown for the closing of the ranks
dissatisfaction and mutterings are put
aside and as one man the hosts Of
republication from Passamaquoddy to
San Diego and from Puget Sound to
the Rio Grande fall in and keep step
to the music of their martial bands.
No democrat should be deluded into
false security. Led upon the one hand
by the intelligence and power of con-
centrated wealth and followed at the
other extreme by the proletariat, with
the center brought up by thousands
under the influence of pensions and
the preiudices of the war, this repub.
lican party standing for plutocracy
and centralized government il q dan
gerous menace to the welfare of our
country. To meet it and defeat it, OF
even to check it, in its arrogance and
power Is . feat which is at best difficult
of accomplishment. There is bat one
political organization that has even
the shadow OF q hope to accomplish
this, and IL the cohesion and strength
OF this organization be spent in accri-
monious quarrels and disturbances
there will be written in the pages Of
our history . sad commentary upon
the ability of the people to protect
themselves against insidious assaults.
This newspaper is, and has been,
and will continue to be as warm IN
advocate as it knows how, of the free
and unlimited coinage of silver and
gold at the present ratio of sixteen to
one without awaiting the consent Oh
cooperation Of foreign nations, and the
rehabilitation of the silver dollar BY
restoring its character as the standard
or unit of value as it existed prior te
Mr.. Sherman's act of 1873. W.
believe this Is right. We believe thaI
as this country vas among those which
led in the demonstration of silver il
can just as easily again take the LEAD
in its RECOMMENDATION. We do no
believe the lugubrious prediction
which are made by gold advocates tina
q financial cstaclysm will come will
the restoration of silver coinage. The,
have made predictions in the pas
which were not fulfilled and we thinl
they are no more prophets now thar
then.
We see that in foreign countries tn
agitation for the restoration Of silve
can no longer be repressed and tina
except In England the leading politica
bodies are thoughtfully considering tn
proposition that gold is not sufficien
as . money metal. We fail to Sc
anything erratic or extreme in tn
silver advocates position. We thin
We see q selfish motive on the part O
} the investor classes In their desire t
make money scarce and interest high
J This is our position. The votes i
! congress frequently had but not effect
ively recorded show that 1t is tn
position of the national Democrat
party. There Is no question but tbs
. very large percentage of the peopl
in the west aud south, an overwheln
n - l--sl