Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-03-15
WHAT TO DO At STANTON.

The Democratic press and people are
beginning TO give earnest attention 70
the questions that must be disposed OF
at Staunton.
First in Importance Is that relating 10
tho currency. The day OF straddles mas
passed. Our State convention VIII have
u say one thing or another. 1t VIII nave
to say that IT is for the free coinage OF
silver at the ratio OF 16 to independ-
ertly OF the action OF other nations, or
that II is opposed 10 the free coinage oil
silver at Is 10 l, unless the co-opera''Oii
OF the great commercial countries oi
the world shall first be obtained.
This is the issue; II is pain enough
and in our judgment should be squareN
met. Ever since the minis OF lndia
were closed to the free coinage OF silver
the Dispatch has been saying that to
attempt to Ego II alone" In the matter
of free coinage would be suicidal Tor the
United States, and we say so SUM- put
we adhere 10 the doctrine that the ma
jority should rule. If we abandon thls
doctrine we abandon the foundation
stone Of Democracy and would soon see
our party falling TO pieces.
All that we ask Of the delegates VINO
may be appointed TO the Stauhtoh
convention and those who may Dc
appointed to the Chicago conven-
tion is that they shall go to their
nosts prepared to discuss the questions at
issue calmly and kindly, and that they
will abide the judgment Of the majority
No "sound-money" man, no "free-sii-
yer" man has a right to think Of bolt
ing in case judgment goes against him.
There Is no place in Democratic con-
vention for such man. The use OF
convention is that conflicting views may
be compared and reconclled, If possible
and that the judgment Of the majority
may be ascertained and pronounced. In
short. II Is a tribunal for the arbitration OF
our differences, and whoever enters II
should enter it in good faith and sub
nit to the will OF the majority.
While we see no middle ground
that the Democratic party can oc-
cupy. possibly the Dispatch may DO
the party and the public some good by
ton. The Dispatch has not the slightest
idea of denouncing our free-silver
brethren as knaves or fools. nor VIII
II characterize the sound-money men or
"coldites" as rascals and tools OF wall
street. That the currency issue must be
dealt with at Stanton and at Chicago
seems inevitable 1t cannot be post
poned longer 1t will admit OF no strad-
ding. 1t has been discussed almost IN
cessantly for five or six years, and II
the people do not understand IL no"
they never will; but we need not let
our angry passions rise and divide our
party into two warlike factions.
We realize the danger there Is OF
having a split in our party; that danger
we must seek to avoid by the temperate
ness OF our discussions and 10 avoid a vote
on the main question will be well nigh
impossible. as things look now. Nor can
wa say that II we could avoid vote
we ought TO do so.
Nothing kills business like uncer-
tainty. 1t Is uncertainty that the busl-
ness world is now fighting against. NO
course that could be adopted would be
worse than the uncertainty that Is now
checking enterprise and depreclating
values The time for action has come
and if the Democratic party of Virginia
is wise it will declare az Staunton That
in the judgment of the Democratic party
of Virginia the United States ought not
to attempt the free coinage OF silver at
a ratio OF 16 to l, until 1t has hrst Sc
cured the cooperation of the great COM
mercial nations of the world.
While we consider the currency ques-
ton by long odds the foremost question
Of the day, we don't want to see 1t split
our party, and it cannot split our party
IL all Democrats are prepared to do as
the Dispatch is prepared to do-submit in
good temper and in good faith to the
Judgment of the majority.