The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-08-24

Senator Harris OF Tennessee and the lit
tie band Of silverites that recently gath
cred at Washington and agreed upon a
plan for committing the Democratic party
to free silver coinage are determined TO be
cheerful whether the next national demo-
cratic convention declares for free silver
coinage or stands squarely for sound mon
ey. In an interview given out at Wash
inston. d. c.. Wednesday night the sena-
TOR said that If the siIverites in the Demo-
cratic party failed to secure the nomina-
ton OF a free silverite for President and
the adoption OF a free silver coinage plank
in the national democratic platform they
would cheerfully submit as democrats TO
the Will Of the majority.
This is a very interesting statement It is
so seldom that the senator is in a cheerful
frame OF mind when things don't go his
way that this statement Of his that he VII
cheerfulIy accept the will of the majority
of his party in national convention assem-
bled is likely to cause surprise. Stnl Il is
some satisfaction to know that he and his
fellow silverites have made up their minds
The excuse for this Washington inter-
view is rather interesting. The senator be
came impressed with the idea that his
democratic friends. particularly those in
the south. were not altogether pleased
with the scheme Of himself and other sill
verites TO conduct an organized campaign
in behalf Of free silver coinage within the
Democratic party. and so he thought it
wise to explain just what the scheme is.
He wants it distinctly understood that
neither he nor his friends are going 10 get
outside OF democratic lines. They think by
organizing they can elect a majority OF the
delegates to the next national democratic
convention, and therefore they propose
to organize and use such means as politi-
clans usually resort to, for the purpose of
electing silverites only to the convention.
What a pity it is that the senator and
cratic masses to express their views on
the silver question in the election Of dele
gates To conduct such an organized cam
paign as they propose viii require the ex-
penditure Of a great deal of money. Where
is the money to come from? VIII the sill
yer mine owners furnish it? Suppose the
silver mine owners. the most of whom. as
far as we are informed, are populists and
republicans, should offer funds with
which to carry on the campaign which
Senator Harris, ex-senator Walsh and
others have inaugurated, would it be ae-
te
ought to have answered in his interview.
1t would be interesting to know If the
money of pecuniarily interested parties,
without regard to their politics. Is to be
used by democrats to bring trouble into
the Democratic party.
The inference we. draw from Senator
Harris Interview is that he realized that
in attempting to organize a silver party
inside the Democratic party he has made
a mistake, and is now cropping around in
search of an escape from the consequences
Of his mistake. He is afraid that the sound
Of the misguided silverites. will organize
a sound money campaign. and that such
a degree of feeling will be aroused that
harmonious action in the national conven-
ton will be impossible. That is why prob
ably he hastens to say that If he and his
followers are defeated they will cheerfully
accept defeat. But if the outcome of
their nl-advised course should be a split
in the party who would care whether they
viewed the result Of their work with cheer
full minds or not? The wisest thing for
Senator Harris and his silverite friends to
do is to abandon their scheme for organ
izing party within the Democratic party
and let democrats fight out their differ
ences in the way they have always fought
them out. If they do that they will be much
more likely to have cheerful minds than
If they continue in the course they have
adopted.