Smyrna times. [volume] (Smyrna, Del.) 1854-1987, 1896-07-15
SKETCH OF MR.. WILLIS.
Congressman Jonathan S. Willis
IN at Oxford Md, in 1880, but v
L., E.
The Chicago Convention and DeClara-
ton of Principles.

The new gospel of Free Silver
Coinage" has brought with it a pecu-
liar political muddle. The Chicago |
Convention was ostensibly a Demo |
cratic Convention, but according to |
the old leading Democrtic papers, it
was anything but a Democratic Con-
ventiOn, but rather populistic as
semblage of men holding their widest
theories, who did not hesitate in get
ting a two thirds majority to unseat
legally elected members and put Popu-
lists in their place The new ideas of
Bland, Altgeld, Tillman ETC., seem to
have a strong following in the West
and South, but not so in the East,
where they consider the national
honor has been repudiated and the
uame of Democracy shamefully be-
trayed. A Democratic paper thus says:
Nearly every Democratic paper in
New England opposes the conventions
ultimatum. Not q Democratic journal
in New York, Philadelphia or Balti-
more has a word in favor of it. The
Brooklyn Eagle, Buffalo Courier and
other leading newspapers of Demo
cratic faith and influence, advocate
open revolt and independent nominal
tiOns.
With so much determined Demo
cratic opposition, the cause of the free
silver infatiOnists is surely doomed to
defeat, as it ought to be-"
1t is certain that the three demo-
cratic papers that are almost entirely
relied on in this section declare against
the platform and the candidates, as the
following editorial quotations from
Saturdays papers will show:
HONEST DEMOCRATS CANNOT SUPPORT IT.
Every Evening;
"When the assemblage of wild theo-
rists that met in Chicago this week, in
| the guise of a Democratic National
Convention, adopted a platform that
disOwned Democratic sentiment and
endorsed POpulism, anarchism and in
fatiOn, it turned its back upon the
honest Democratic voters of the coun-
try, and made it impossible for the
latter to cOuntenance or support its
actions. That platform marked the
parting of the ways, and it is of small
Importance who may be selected to
stand with the erratic young silver in
fiatiOnist of Nebraska upon it. The
best men in the country, standing upon
such q platform, would meet with q
just reputation at the polls.
Honest voters of any faith; men of
fixed, independent convictions; men
who recognize the supremacy of the
law; men who believe in maintaining
inviolate the faith and credit of the
nation; men who believe that coin dol
lars should be instrinsically worth one
hundred cents at all times; in fact, all
men who believe in honest politics and
just regard for political principles,
cannot endorse the miserable farce
enacted at Chicago this week. They
cannot afford to support for President
any man who accepts nomination
upon such platform,
The only hope of true Democrats,
therefore, is in the later nomination OF
a candidate who can stand upon plat
form that Democrat with a conscience
can vote for and support. Failing in
this, even Mckinley would prove the
lesser of two evils confronting the
country"
POPuLIsM, NOT DEMOCRACY.
Philadelphia Record:
''The platform adopted by the Chiea-
go Convention is such declaration OF
purposes and principles as no consist.
emit Democrat and no lover of the
country can conscientiously approve.
No man fit to be President or Vice
President of the United States could
in honor stand upon it: and it is there,
fore unnecessary to consider what
manner of persons have been presented
for the suffrages of the people. Be
cause the Record has been supporter
OF Democratic principles it repudiates
condemns and splits upon this Com.
munlstic, Populistic deliverance. The
worst misfortune that could now be.
fall the Democratic party would be the
election OF President and a Congress
pledged to carry into effect the aims O
this revolutionary, Socialistic schem,
of political action.
The propositions to authorize fire.,
silver coinage at the ratio of 16 TO /, in
dependently of other nations. anC
thereby to establish silver monometal
, lism; to impair the sanctity of con
tracts; 10 repudiate the obligations o
the government; to override or de
bauch the Federal Courts; to put i
out OF the power of the Executive Il
: protect the public credit or the publ
{ safety, and to authorize the Congress
/ to issue unlimited AMOUNTS of legal
3 tender notes, are all embodied in thi
Chlcago manifesto. They are set in
framework of undisputed Democrat
doctrine; but this cannot disgnise the
aDhofrent quality. 1t makes Their