The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1895-07-22
lie Has Changed Ills Mind

80 $50 ~
There Is not an intelligent democratic
voter In this state who has failed to
observe the peculiar tactics of that plia-
bile element which has come to he de-
Scrlpcd rs the cuckoo contingent
Whenever The Constitution has de-
manded that the platform 800 ton
which the party was ret lower
IN all departments Of tecnt
for the first time in a ror-
ricd ont the rrsporF
hrcn that The auiua. n
demands was based oil ISL
tion 10 Mr. Cleveland; th;s IN bot
tom Of it all was a dccp-seatcd pre9udice
against the administration because the
editor and proprietor Of an Atlanta news.
paper published across the way had been
honored 10y an appointment to cabinet
position
This from first TO last has been the
reply made 10 every demand of The
Constitution that the solemn pledges Of
The platform Of 1872 be carried out. II
would have heen an unanSwcrable reply
II The Constitution had represented no
democrats everywhere had concluded to
regard The fundamental principles Of
democracy As good enough to he set
forth in n string 81 resolutions. hut not
good enough Ia be carried out. Ii would
have been IN unanswcrable reply il dem
OcratS everywhere had suddenly come
10 the conclusion 10 change their minds
4 MI. ha l.. ]
doctrines of the republican party. sr
no such change has taken place. p
have abundant reasons for kn
ana the fact that the democratiC
have been repudiatcd continue
somewhat heavily on the stoi
those who worked for dcmOci
cess in lSg2 because they were
~ devoted 10 the principles Sc.
the platform Moreover. il has
taste in the mouths of those
for the democratic candidate
they believed that the democrat
would bc promptly ana Faithful
out
For itself. The Constitution ha.
Say-that IL owes no man or any
men anything II stands now whct
stood when every policy and prncl. >
that IL advocates was urged by he dem
ocrltic party. 1t has not changed its
mind or its principles. When such a
change occurs il will not pretend to be
democratic newspaper. but will have
the courage of It's convictions. But dem
Ocratic principles do not change ana are
not clnngcal,le. They are elemental.
They remain the same from wear to year
and from age 10 age. Men may change,
hut principles never.
When Secretary IIoke Smith wrote his
letter To Colonel W. L. Peek democratic
principles were precisely what they are
now He an iunced himself for the free
coinage Of silver as mater Of course.
Secretary Smith simply announced the
democratic position-a position that had
been emphasized by the declarations Of
national and state democratic con
ventions. by the action of democrats in
the federal legislature and by the resolu-
tions passed by various democratic state
assemblies In 1880 the democrats in
the senate had unanimously voted for a
| free coinage bill and the democrats in
! the house. although in a minority. only
waited for an opportunity TO vote the
same way. Consequently, when Secre-
I tary Smith. writing to Colonel Peek. de
clared that he was in favor of the free
coinage Of silver he simply enunciate
! a democratic principle and announced
| democratic policy. ~
lie says now. by way of apologizip,.i 4, n
| the fact. that he was a demoGo, rs
| 1890 and i'm favor of the democrs ~
\ ciples involved In the rcstoratiii9E
yer; that he has changed his NJ" m
] 1hes.
h. sc
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