New-York tribune., 1895-08-17
THE DEMOCRATIC CONFERENCE.

II seems merely Il waste Of time to refer to the
Washington conference Of silver Democrats.
The world has marched and left them and
their pet issue behind. To call them cranks Is
rather an insult to the genuine and unaduterated
cranks who are not merely partisans. The free
silver Democrats are mainly partisans who dis
cover that the financial dishonesty. which the
Democrats have for many years cultivated mere
ly rs trick TO win elections against Repub-
lican good faith. now threatens under the name
of Populism to sweep the Democratic party on
the face Of the earth In frantic anxiety for
their party and their own places these silver
Democrats rush TO the footlights protesting that
they are quite as crazy and dishonest on the
money question anybody else The lunatics
who really believe that the millions are ground
down under the hoofs Of monetary despots are
morally much more worthy persons. however
little can be said for their mental capacity.
II Is rightly said that the Popusts themselves
have hardly ever gone to wilder extremes in
monetary discussion than appear in the address
OF these silver Democrats. In fact the effort to
out-Populst the Populists Is painfully evident
50 that few can b, deceived by it in the least
On the surface there Is the pretcnce thar the
democratic party Is. and always has been. quite
ms bad and brainless the silver Democrats
now profess TO be- but that Is not quite the fact
l. has been vicious and dangerous in its ten
,hncies ever since the War Of Rebellion, because
tlat struggle brought crushing defeat TO South
Gn and pro-savery Democracy through the cnor
nous resources which free people. with faifh
in their Government. gladly offered for its sup
Tort Ever since that time the dearest hope OF
the Southern Democracy. ever tho ruling force
In that party. has been TO crush and humiliate
the Industries and financial institutions or the
North by which suppression OF the rebellion
was made possible. Quite as naturally. all the
Comprehend Democracy OF the North has taken
sides with the Southern repudiators and nfa-
tionists.
But the Democratic party bad not been preach
ing these destructive notions long TO Western
and Southern voters when IL discovered that 1t
was in danger % lighting a fire which Ii had
not the power to quench. Monetary and prop
crty interests in the great commercial cities
took alarm and as those cities give In later
years the only chance the Democratic party has
Of carrying Northern States. the crack in the
party began which has since been widening TO
a break The issue for the last two years has
been between the Democrats who hope TO save
Western and Southern States by going even fur
thcr than the Popusts in financial fOolishness
and dishonesty. and those who want TO save
some Eastern States by keeping within telescope
sight Of business interests.
This conference does not make any break but
vainly attempts to prevent one. II is imagined
tba, Western and Southern Democrats though
crammcd with Tho dcma agogulsm and dishonesty
which the party has taught so long. may he held
within party lines until the convention by pro-
posa to organize and struggle for control OF
II. and may then be pacated by some double
faced declaration. and swept away by partisan
habit and feeling into the support Of any Demo
cratic candidate. Exactly as the same voters
supported Mr.. Cleveland in 1892, and men like
Senator Vest pledged their faith that he could
be trusted so the candidate Of 1896, the Demo
Gratis imagine may be trustlnglv supported by
silver extremists and Wall Street bankers, side
by side, each thinking the other Is cheated IL
is n trick which has been played many times,
and succeeded once. The result Is the reason II
cannot succeed again.