Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1896-07-29
An Unreasonable Demand.

An Unreasonable Demand.
William c. Whitney of New York came
out in letter last week in which we think
he takes an unwarranted and unreasonable
view of the present political situation. He
said that the responsibility of saving the
country rested with the Republican party.
But how? Republicans should sink parti-
sanship and lose sight of every issue except
the financial question. The tariff should
not be mentioned. Why? Because, for
sooth, if anything is said about the tariff
the tender consciences of the sound money
democrats will not permit them to vote for
Mckinley and another ticket will have to
be put into the field.
Mr.. Whitney said in part:
What should have been the next step in
the fight for the preservation of national
honor and sound finance? We had come
anew upon crisis-one that called for the
sinking of partisanship and the union of
sound money men to rescue the country
from disaster. Hundreds of thousands Of
democrats stood ready to declare them
selves upon this issue and were ready to
subordinate everything, even to voting for
the Republican candidate. What was the
duty of the hourp Clearly it was one that
devolved upon the Republican party and
its candidates. There should have been
an immediate recognition of new situa-
tion and the Republicans should have been
tho fret RI xuolcoma sound nopav damo-
Gratis to non-partisan union, subordinat-
ing all other things to this question of ma
tional honor. 1t was new issue. 1t
dwarfed all others An opportunity was
offered to fight for the established institu-
tions of the country, the fundamental
things that underlie party differences law
and order, national honor, common honesty,
the integrity of the courts all such things
without which we do not exist as natiaa
at all A single glimpse at the Chicago
platform and at the spectacle of one-third
OF the democratic party in open revolt
should have been enough to show them in
stantly the necessity of a new alignmentof
parties upon non-partisan lines. No
greater opportunity for patriotism was ever
offered party and it has all been thrown
away.
Here is shifting of responsibility that
is both ludicrous and pathetic. Let us
reason bit. Wasn't the Chicago conven-
ton representative democratic gathering
as the party in the country at large is at
present constituted. If not, why not? The
delegates were regularly elected and seated
and by an overwhelming majority declared
for free silver. Under our republican form
of government the majority rules and the
minority must either acquiesce or bolt
The Republican convention which met al
St. Louis was also regular and by ar
equally large majority declared for sound
money, protection and reciprocity.
What do Mr.. Whitney and his boiling
followers demandP Simply that the Re
publicans shall make easy way of escape
Your gold democrat is still free trader ol
for revenue only man; he don't want free
silver but he cannot vote for Mckinley un.
less the tariff issue is lost sight of; patriot.
ism requires that party lines be obliterated
He cannot remain in the party camp; ht
must go somewhere and thinks that the
Republican party should meet him hal
way. Patriotism requires sacrifice OF
both sides.
The gold democrats ask that the Repub
lican party sacrifice on the altar of patriot
ism its most sacred and time honored prin
ciple, protection to American industries, il
order that they may bolt their party nomi
nation, vote for Mckinley and their humil
iation not be complete.
But what do these disgruntled follower
of Jefferson offer to sacrifice on their part
Why, they will repudiate the free silve
plank adopted at Chicago, heresy tha
they claim never had root in the true den
ocratic party. If the Republicans will los
sight of the tariff, they will turn thel
backs on free silver and there will be
glorious joining of hands and the lion wi
lie down with the lamb and all in the sacre
, name of patriotism.
There might be some reason in the de
mand if the Republican party were respoI
sible for the present lamentable conditio
of affairs, but it is not. What deplcte
the treasury, made the issuing OF bond
necessary, and created national depressio
and disaster? A tariff for revenue onl
: which these very democrats who now il
> sist that the Republicans should forego th
> tariff issue still insist is the proper policy
: What threw the country into the throes I
a financial panic in extent and severity VI
. known in the history of the world, VIII:
stirred up the pit of populism and anarch!
what opened the box of Pandora? Th
i democratic policy of tariff for revenue onl
n which in operation impoverishes the peop
T and bankrupts the nation. Had there bee
? a tariff that provided revenue sufficient ft
. the needs OF the government, the Chicag
convention would not have declared fl
: free silver. Who. then, is responsible Il
: the present condition OF affairs? The vel
men who now demand that the Republics
&c ,artv sho,,ld socr,6oa the only r,rineinl