Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-06-10
THE RICHMOND DISTRICT.

Most OF the gold Democrats in Rich-
Snond are predicting n Republican vic
tory I'm the Third District and in virginia.
Hundreds say they will stay at home on
the day of election rather than vote 1oi
free silver. Many of these VIII be WHIP
ned into line but 1t looks as If very re-
spc.table number would refuse TO support
nee silver candidates. There Is rumor
current that a local Democrat has Of
fered to put up $4,000 TO help the Repub-
licans to carry the Third District.-Rich-
mond letter I'm the Petersburg lndex-Ap-
peal.
Let "a local Democrat put up his &c.
900. After the election is over he would
very likely wish that he had 1t back and
invested in silver or any other kind OF
dollars. Whatever falling OFF Of the
Democratic vote there may be i'm Rich
mond ought to be fully made up by an
Increased country vote.
IL the men who are in the majority in
the Democratic party in this State Will
but be prudent and considerate of the
feelings of the minority, the Richmond
District and most of the other districts of
the Old Dominion will be as safe as usual
in November. Fair representation should
be offered the minority upon all commit
tees and In all conventions. They should
not be ignored; they ought TO be treated
like friends and brothers. Their votes
may be badly needed I'm November.
In last Sundays issue we had quizzng
article on the Richmond District and the
unit rule. We said that If IL was right
that Virginia should vote as a unit in the
National Democratic Convention, II would
be right for Richmond to vote as a unit
in the Third District Congressional Con-
vention OF our party. But we opposed the
unit rule at Staunton, and we are going
TO oppose it at Richmond.
The unit-rule theory, carried out TO its
legitimate conclusions. would hopelessly
wreck and ruin the Democratic party in
This State. For instance If the Demo-
Gratis OF Richmond were TO instruct their
delegates in their district convention TO
''cast their votes as n unit on all ques-
tions," the voice OF all the counties of the
district would be silenced. The country
delegates might as well not come here. for
Richmond could outvote them all. They
would be as powerless at Richmond as
the Norfolk District delegates ore going
TO be at Chicago.
And yet some of these countrymen-yes.
and some OF our city men. too-voted to
put the unit-rule muzzle upon Glennan
and West. the Norfolk District delegates.
The majority at stanton defended their
course by saying that in Michigan the
free silverites had been similarly muzzled
by the goldtcs. Never shall we forget the
singing retort that Judge Leigh r. Watts
made TO this argument. SO we insist
that the unit rule was wrong and impolitic
at Stanton. and we shall insist that il
would be wrong and impolltic at Rich
mond. In short. we hope and expect to
see the Democrats OF this city treat the
Democrats OF other portions of the dis
trict with old-time courtesy and conslde-
ration. But the more you think OF the
unit rule as applicable to the political af-
fairs OF our party in this congressional dis
trict, the clearer you are bound TO see the
mistake that was made by the majority
at Staunton--and all to conscript two more
soldiers for field already won.